Puppy Survival Thread - for old and new pups heading into winter

[Lougle]

A thread to continue our journey with our puppies as we head into winter.

If you're new to having a puppy, jump straight in.

@lazzaroo I really wouldn’t worry. Once you’re out and about, there will be lots of other things more exciting than their lead to bother themselves with. And the best thing to do if they still do it when you are out is to ignore it. All my dogs have done it at some point but they grow out of it and quickly if you don’t make a thing of it.

Thank you. That’s reassuring!

Hi everyone! Our puppy is home with us and I don't know what to do about sleeping in daytime?! Not sure how to help her learn to relax and settle and sleep when she needs to. She'll go in her crate and whine a bit (10 mins max) and then she settles and sleeps for a little while. We have a household with children in so it's not possible for someone to sit and hold the puppy every time she has to sleep..she gets plenty of attention and affection at all waking moments!

Hi! I’m no expert as we’re only 3 weeks in but we’re using a crate for overnight but a pen in the day. It’s got her favourite bed in and bit more space plus she can see us coming and going. We use it when she gets over excited or when we go out. She whines for a couple of minutes but settles down really quickly after that (we used the ring doorbell to spy on her when we first left her!!). In fact, I put her in there to go out today as we’re building up her alone time. I left her for an hour but I’ve now been home for an hour and she’s still asleep in there! She knows I’m here as she’s looked up a couple of times, but then just led back down, so I’m guessing she’s not distressed about being in there! When we don’t put her in the pen she’ll sometimes settle herself on the floor or find a lap.

I'm impressed by an hour at 3 weeks! Will be happy if we achieve that. (8 sleeps till puppy). Did you use a particular method?

well, she’s been quite happy to be in a room without us from the beginning. By that I just mean with us popping into the next room or to the toilet etc. we didn’t leave her at all straight away. We actually slept downstairs next to her crate for the first week! We have a stair gate on the living room door and at bottom of the stairs because we have cats and they need safe space, so that room is almost an extension of her pen. We do a lot of ‘flitting’ so she got used to us coming and going but not always being able to follow (there are you tube videos about this). Also my husband works from home so although he’s been around, she’s had times where she’s just had to get on with it and settle herself. We’re being careful not to push it too far too quickly though. We also treat when she’s being quiet. I’d really like to work more on a ‘settle’ command though.

we taught ‘sit’ quite early and I’d say that’s been really helpful. Basically when she’s doing something she shouldn’t we get her to sit! I found the book ‘easy peasy puppy squeezy’ really helpful to read before she arrived.

Sounds like my plan! And today I found the Easy peasy book in a charity shop, lucky me.
I don't have high expectations, but yes I will really need to be out sometimes when she's ready, there's only me.
Will be flitting with a purpose!
Thanks

Easy Peasy... Is a great book and a really easy read, too.

Hazel's assistance dog in training vest arrived today. She looks so grown up.

We used a crate for Maggie in the day from day 1, and also put her on quite a strict routine of naps/meals/walks etc. We have dc (aged 8 and 11) so like you we needed her to sleep alone, plus you can’t watch a puppy constantly- you do actually need to do other stuff as well! She now does 2 decent naps in her crate every day, morning and afternoon, while I am working. I am working with her on being ‘out’ during the day, but to be honest she does like her crate and willingly goes in there. It’s been an absolute godsend to be honest, she’s a very busy little dog and it means we all get some peace.

one thing we taught early was ‘place’ or ‘on your place’ command, it’s not a true gundog ‘place’ but it means ‘sit on the towel’ - she will come in from a walk and sit straight on her towel which means she can have her paws and underbelly wiped dry before going into the house.

I took this photo today- amazing what 4 months can do, huh?

@thenewaveragebear1983 she's grown so much! I'll be honest, Hazel doesn't really sleep in her crate now. She tends to settle on her bed in DD2's room, or on the sofa. If we go out, we just shut her in DD2's bedroom and that is her cue to sleep. We went out to Aldi today and every time we checked the camera, she was asleep on her bed.

Treasure the early days, because even though it's so hard, they're soon much more grown up.

Then there's adolescence to look forward to!

A cold wet flannel is supposed to be quite soothing for chewing on during teething.

Or a tea towel soaked in water and tied in a knot and frozen

I'm finding I'm getting bad puppy blues 4 months in. The dog is constantly chasing the cat. We've tried cueing leave it but he's ignoring it. He's not food motivated so training isn't super easy. He's also jumping on the couch even though he was regularly responding to bed. Is this adolescence?

@Whyisitsosohard what breed? Small breed, maybe. Less likely in a large breed. Is he toy motivated? You need to get in before he chases and reward, really. Can you do some sessions on lead so that he can't chase?

He's a poodle cross so yes small breed. I struggle to preempt but can try harder. I don't want him on a lead the whole time they're in proximity of one another.

Using a house line is actually the best thing to do. Having a house line on a dog gives you way more control over its actions in general (it means you can stop the dog before it gets to far away etc).

I’d also avoid letting it on the sofa - it’s not good for the dogs joints to be jumping up/down like that when they’re so young. A house line helps stop that to.

Lots of people use them. I did on all of mine.

It won't be forever, but chasing the cat is a self-rewarding behaviour. He doesn't need treats from you - the reward comes from watching the cat run and the excitement of the chase. The more he can do it, the more rewarding even a momentary chase becomes. So you have to stop the behaviour. That means that you need a house line, or a pen, or zones that they can be in, etc., while you work on it. All the time he can repeat (rehearse) the behaviour, he's getting expert at it and it will be even harder for you to break it. It's becoming muscle memory and instinct.

Giving another example, we have been working really hard on calm greetings when we come in. Hazel doesn't get acknowledged until she sits. It's becoming instinctive for her to sit now, because she knows that when she does, she gets fuss and cuddles. It's becoming muscle memory.

Anyone else not fancy going out in the cold and wet tonight? I tried to put on a positive spin saying that without it, RiverPup will be a nightmare tonight, plus that’s a forty minute walk I’ve done

We managed two 40 minutes walks today in the brief periods it wasn't raining.

My main issue is a lot of our walking spots end up flooded

Yes, our local woods have become very wet and slippery, and the park is waterlogged.

It was a lovely day here. So just done an hour after work and before kids clubs.

Practising recall with 15 month old in a field. He’s become a teenager with selective hearing so going back to basics.

7 week old still too young to go out… but loves play time in the house with bigger pup

Everywhere is soaking wet and / or slippery. It's awful out there. And so many 'stealth' puddles where you know the ground is wet, but not that the puddle is 2 inches deep, until you're in it! 😩😭

We got soaked yesterday morning (50 minutes) but it was dry (air, not ground!) first thing, so we got our hour in. Typical Labrador though, leaping through all the massive puddles!

We do a lot inside that exhausts her. Today she was learning 'watch my back' which is standing through DD2's legs facing behind her, watching out around her. She also learned to take clothes out of the washing machine into a clothes basket today. Then we had dog training class this evening. She's absolutely knackered!

Scent work is really good when it's horrible out, too. 15 minutes of sniffing is like an hour of walking in terms of the energy it takes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Activity-Obstacles-set-pcs/dp/B07D7Y91NS/ref=asc_df_B07D7Y91NS/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=237404336331&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18237715027254969287&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045127&hvtargid=pla-525685338189&psc=1&mcid=11f7bcb143403b1799ca84cbc3fc28e4

I have this set and do ‘inside agility’ when it’s wet. I get him to jump over the jumps, first one, and two. I also set up a course around the room. Sometimes I get him to stop in between each jump. It’s a good way of exercising his brain and body.

I can see BooDog just eating that 😂

He's suddenly decided, after weeks of happily sleeping all night, that he needs to get up at least once. Not sure what's going on, but I'm knackered again