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.

For jumping, I would block the behaviour (hand on chest) then treat as soon as four paws are on the floor. Then once that's established, you could introduce a command word.

We did similar to stop sofa jumping. I blocked her from getting on to get sofa with my hand on her chest as she jumped, then said 'off' and rewarded her with praise and kibble when she had all four paws on the ground. Within a few hours she'd stopped trying. Now she might use two paws occasionally because she wants to reach us for a cuddle, but she doesn't come running into the room and launch herself onto the sofa.

But I'm not a dog trainer, just a dog owner!

Thank you I'll try. We've used sit and leave it without much success.

How old is Maggie? Litha was spooked by a neighbour on a walk and now point blank refuses to go anywhere. I've had to carry him away from the house so he at least walks home! He is 18 weeks

Hiddenpup surprised us last night by getting in her crate by herself when it was still downstairs. Normally we bring it up to our room, she consistently sleeps from our bedtime of midnight until about 7am. But last night, when we came in from the last wee in the garden she headed straight for the crate, curled up in the bed and went to sleep.

I had to wake her at 7.15am!

Joy! Will see how we get on tonight, but this could be the start of her being out of our room. Hurrah!

Now just to work on the separation anxiety and building up to leaving her on her own...

(I've left her with DH today. I'm out with friends on a rare day off and we have an electrician in. Hiddenpup has barked at the electrician and is most concerned he hadn't left. Then she howled when I left.)

It's so nice to see how they're all changing @Hiddendoor

This morning I took 6 pieces of kibble with me and walked Hazel up to the poo palace. Every time she veered off the path to explore the garden I said, 'This way' and showed her a piece of kibble. It worked really well.

@CreepingCrone Maggie is mine, she is 15 weeks.
I taped her ID tag down with cellotape do it didn’t jingle so much and that seemed to help.

we went to training last night and we worked on doing sit until I say ‘okay’ and rewarding the sit and the release. This really worked on our walk today because I got her to sit while a runner went past but she kept her attention on me waiting for the second biscuit so didn’t lunge at them as they went past. We’ll try it with other dogs next. the training is odd because at the time she seems to be completely immune to any training and is far more interested in the other puppies but it seems to go in via subconscious because today she is doing things that last night she just completely ignored.

in other news- my temporary garden fencing has arrived so I can fence off a particularly catty/hedgehoggy/foxy area of the garden - that’s my job for this weekend. Plus she loves her Millie’s food, she seems very content today, although the pieces are very generous for training rewards so I may need to break them up. She’s good but she’s not that good.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I think they do need some processing time.

Hazel was practicing her sit at the stables yesterday

Also great news about the temporary garden fencing. It was a game changer for us when we fenced off around the shed, etc., at the top of the garden.

I was so pleased with my new fencing to stop Mabel from digging in the flower beds. I didn't take into account however the size of the gaps in the fencing and her ability to manoeuvre through very small gaps in a contorsiónist like way.

I need to fatten her up, it's the only solution

She’s gorgeous, what breed is she?

@Pineapplemonkey I'm just waiting for the day that Hazel is too fat for the cat flap. It's coming soon, I'm sure of it, so I'm biding my time and choosing not to get stressed when I see her back legs moving through the flap like a spatchcocked chicken.

Freddie is currently barking at the wind. He needs a poo, but instead is obsessed with a bit of fabric flapping.

Thanks @Riverlee she is a Great Dane, hence the 11kg weight. Hopefully she will settle tonight, my husband slept with her last night, however she is pretty much toilet trained, so that more than makes up for it.

@Withershins I love a Great Dane. I met one called Douglas once. Such a wise looking chap.

A Great Dane called Humphrey lives near me, he is magnificent.

@Lougle I think it was you that recommended perfect fit harnesses?

Mabel is not happy with her current one and the trainer I've had for a few 1:1 sessions recommended a perfect fit one. The company that the trainer works for sell them and will fit them. For £5 a month they will replace at often as I want and when she's finished growing, I can keep the harness at a 30% discount or have a new one for a 15% discount. Is this a good idea?

I should probably add the trainer didn't do a sales job at all on me at all, just recommended I get a harness that doesn't go over her head and isn't so bulky as the current one and she mentioned the perfect fit.

Anyone's advice on this is welcome!

I’ve got a perfect fit harness, it arrived this morning and can already see how much more comfortable he is.

@Pineapplemonkey I think that sounds like quite a good deal. I googled it and found the offer but it's only available to people who train with them. It's a great idea, imo.

Thanks @FoxRedPuppy and @Lougle. Sounds like you are both happy with your harnesses. The place that does the fittings is only a 3 min drive away so I just gave them a call and have an appointment on Monday for a fitting.
She'll have to tolerate the other one til then, it fits and doesn't rub, she's just not loving it at all.

Mabel and I just had the best walk with her trainer. We put her on a long training lead and she was off and running joyfully! We even let go of the lead and she had perfect recall (nothing to do with the bag of roast chicken in my hand I'm sure!) and every time she sat down and refused to budge (as she's been doing on every walk so far) we just walked off and she ran to catch up with us.

I'm off to find a long lead on Amazon, it's obviously the answer to making walks nicer for both of us!

That's so good to hear @Pineapplemonkey

Top tip- I had a long line that PU, means it was easier to clean. When I just had a normal one it gets muddy very quickly.

We are in the Lakes in our campervan, first campervan trip for pup!

Hi folks, I'm going to have to rant.

I've had a really tough couple of days with Bertie, yesterday I was in tears with the stress of still being in someone else's house, and Bertie being suddenly very excitable and much more bitey and unresponsive to my voice - he's 13wks. I can use the lounge in the afternoons and have set up the playpen in there but every time I take Bertie in there and friend comes in Bertie just goes berserk and goes for friends shoelaces or bare feet: friend expects me to keep Bertie under control but all that happens is is I'm constantly trying to distract or grab Bertie before he gets to friend's feet. Ultimatley it's easier to just take Bertie and me back to my room where I am able to manage him more easily but still - I am desperate to get out.

It's likely that I will complete on my new house next Friday although to be safe I booked my removers for 11th December (they have my stuff in storage). Hence I do feel somewhat preoccupied with doing all the things I need to so everything is in place which meant that yesterday I twice missed that Bertie needed a wee and he did it indoors which added to my sense of being a rubbish puppy parent. I am so desperate to get into the house if I do complete next week I am prepared to pay the movers to do it and abandon the booked date that I've already paid for.

Bertie had his last vaccination on Thursday and can go out from next Thursday. I ordered a perfect fit harness which hasn't arrived yet but tbh I'm very anxious now about taking him out and about. The image attached is the reason for that. This is what happens when I have him in the garden on the puppy lead - it's mad and very comical to watch but should I just go with that as a typical first outing and see how we get on?

My trainer is starting with us at home on 17th December because he felt if he gave me a session now in the temp accommodation we'd probably have to revisit that again in the new house.

Please tell me this is all normal and to be expected. Daughter told me yesterday that all the time I'm spending with Bertie is going to give him separation anxiety (although I do leave him when he's asleep or when I just need to go and do things) and that made me feel even more crap!!

@FeargalLandSharkey oh I feel your pain. Being in someone else’s house must be so hard! I found this time really hard, she was just bored of me and the garden. Have you tried putting the harness on but going out the front instead of the back? I would walk Maggie on the driveway and all the cars and people and new noises (we live by a school so our road is really busy in the mornings) - it was a whole new experience and suddenly she wasn’t such a big-boots but realised that actually it’s quite a big world out there! We did lots of treats and would sit at the edge of the driveway and just watch.

As soon as the harness arrives I’d have him out to be honest, burn off some energy and zig zag walking is completely normal and to be expected. Once you’re in your house things will be so less stressful.

@FeargalLandSharkey sounds all very normal!

I remember on our first puppy class, the trainer asked whether we walk the dogon the left or right. Someone truthfully answered he runs from left to right, there’s no clear side!

The big bad world is exciting for them - all those smells and sights. It will be a little chaotic at first, and frustrating, but you will get there. Someone commented on my lead walking the other day - if only she knew!