Puppy Survival Thread for New and Old Pups - Spring is around the corner!

[Lougle]

A thread for puppy owners to share their ups and downs as we head into Spring. We're not just here for the idyllic moments. We've all had a cry at some point!

All posters welcome - just dive in.

The previous thread is here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/4945764-puppy-survival-thread-for-old-and-new-pups-heading-into-winter?page=1

@SkyeB86a crate is not essential. As long as the puppy has a safe place to sleep (a pen, a puppy-proofed room, etc.) I think it’s fine. I’ve never used crates on a regular basis and my dogs have all slept through the night from early on.

Having said that, it can be useful to train your puppy to be comfortable in a crate in case he ever needs to use one at the vet’s or after surgery or something. IMO it’s better to take things slowly and build positive associations with the crate. I wouldn’t leave a puppy to cry.

@SkyeB86
You'll work out what works for you and pup, the first couple of weeks is very hard, but you're learning as much as pup is.
We're just about getting into a routine now, mornings are ok, then things get more chaotic as the day goes on.
I don't think I've ever cried or regretted something so much in my life, as I did the first few days, but I absolutely wouldn't be without him now (mostly 🤣)
Good luck and remember to look after yourself too.

Has anyone got any recommendations for pet insurance? That's the next thing I need to sort out before his free one runs out.
There's too much choice!

Thank you for the kind words. It's really hit me today, and I've spent most the day in tears. There's only me and DD14, who I fully believed when she promised to help, but alas she's off to her boyfriends house for the 2nd day in a row. I thought the pup would help me feel a little less alone, ironically I've never felt so alone in my life as today! Hoping this passes soon 🙏

@BrodiePup it gets better! moxie is nearly 6 months and mostly a delight. I had him in a crate in my bedroom in the first week, but after that I moved his crate downstairs. It is all trial and error.

There is also a lot of advice out there and I suggest to only follow what works for you and your doggie. For instance the current fashion is to use positive reward
training only, but that seems like a bit of a fad to me (I mean how do these trainers get their dog to stop eating poo? By following the dog at all times with a more suitable snack instead?)

Don't worry you're doing great!

@SkyeB86
It's incredibly hard work, I've come to the conclusion that all I can do is give up on life for the next few weeks. It takes the pressure off of trying to continue as normal.
Making a meal is a huge achievement these days...if someone had told me what it would be like, I don't think I'd have believed them!
Stay strong, I feel your pain, and a few months from now it will have all been worthwhile.

@Venusflytart
Thank you 😊

we're at the stage of wanting to train Fin to ring a bell.
having the back door open all day, has it's drawbacks (mosquito season is around the corner).
what is the best bell option please.

Sainsbury’s pay out very quickly IME. We’re talking within a week for some people I know!

I use KC - but I have three dogs so I get a multi-dog discount 😁They’re pretty reliable though.

Just make sure your cover is decent! £5K doesn’t get you much. I’d say minimum £10K but ideally £15K+

We're with Waggel and they're quite good, very easy to contact, they did take nearly 6 weeks to decide to cover a claim but it was a bit complicated.

Pup managed to have bloods taken without sedation, she froze actually but was very bouncy for her treats afterwards.

Aghhhh!!
Milo has had the most horrendous bouts of shits for the past 4 days mixture of pure diarrhea, then normal bowel movements, back to sloppy,
He was wormed 3 days ago but he's constantly just eating shite out and about and when he's off lead!!
He's absolutely fine in himself. How long do wormers typically last/go through? Obviously he's worked 4-6 weekly just with the amount of shite (particularly cat shit) he gets his mouth on.
I'm thinking vets is probably a good call sooner rather than later?
Picture just add - as I think he looks like a lion after his bath 😬

If he's otherwise well in himself, I'd give some pro kolin and sweet potato to try and firm things up again

@Devilshands @PointerParty thanks for the tip, it's nice to have some recommendations.
@JamieJ93 I hope Milo gets back to normal quickly, that can't be pleasant.
I'm not having a good day, I had a crap nights sleep again and am genuinely at the end of what I can cope with. Brodie is doing great in a lot of ways, I just can't function when I'm exhausted.
I can't stop shaking and crying...what the heck have I signed up for 😥.
Sorry, just needed to vent.

Question for any of you with females.. do the females in the litter tend to get their first season about the same time? The other girls in our litter have all started today, Maggie is at kennels til tomorrow morning as we’ve been on holiday, and they haven’t said anything, but I’m wondering if I should be preparing myself for it? She can’t go to daycare if she’s in season so I need to prepare!

@JamieJ93 would a soft muzzle work? allow sniffing and good running about but much much less chance of eating a poopcicle?

Yes,
That is the type of muzzle he uses, he has to use it for car journeys also due to his love of seatbelts 😒😒
I'm glad to report - we have had our first solid poo!!!!!

well that's progress @JamieJ93
we've had 4 full days in a row of no accidents in the home :)
the doorbells (one indoor and one outdoor) have been installed and he's begun to use them??? obviously at this point i'm thinking luck and doggy curiosity but i'll report back after a few days.
we travel with a doggy toy but fortunately no sign of chewing in the vehicle. most likely seeing that the older two just lay down probably helps.
same with playing and general expenditure of energy, the two old boys will play with him enough to tire the old guys and enough to give us some reprieve.
Fin is really good at playing fetch and i totally loves that he brings it back!! most of the time he will drop it but occasionally he wants to play tug a war and isn't so keen to drop the toy, any nips these days are accidental.
another little bonus to report, he will lay down and let dh groom him 2-3 times a day...dh likes the idea of hand stripping. the old fellow was never into this. this little fellow is much more eager for a good combing.
and jumping skills, we now have a good 12-18 inches of lift off and i suspect at some point i will catch him ON the kitchen counters.

@thenewaveragebear1983 - our older girl was a couple of weeks behind two of her sisters coming into season. The younger one was about a week after one of her sisters and a week in front of another so they were fairly close in timings.

@tizwozliz thanks, so it’s on the cards then? It’s one thing I’ve not researched much at all so I’ll have to do some reading today. She’s been at kennels since Saturday and I have missed her so much! Can’t wait to go and pick her up this morning!

Bizarrely our two girls were the exact same age to the day coming into season!

Both ours had very easy seasons. No real noticeable behaviour changes (except when we tried to make Grace wear pants)

How old is Maggie now?

@tizwozliz shes 9.5 months

Sorry do not know how to write a name in bold. This is for anyone struggling (I am) and especially for Brodiepup. No answers but to say I do believe it will get better but at the moment really flailing. How to stop/divert barking? Also how to withdraw so I am not focus of pup's attention? Ashamed to say I am considering using day care say twice a week purely to get a break. I don't work ATM so feels incredibly decadent. When not nipping/barking/destroying stuff (all normal puppy activities I know) he is funny and loving. I go to sleep feeling a failure and usually before light I am woken by frantic howling and screaming for breakfast. I am determined to hang on. Means a lot to read others' experiences. Put him in crate for ten minutes today so I could do something. Chews and toys. He went ballistic. Let him out after ten minutes (timer set)He was ok. I felt sense of achievement. X

What's he barking at? Is he barking for attention? Or barking at people/objects?

To stop being the centre of his attention, you need to get him to learn to entertain himself. I always had my dogs outside of the creates when I hoovered/cooked/read on the sofa etc, just so they got used to be doing other things that didn't involve them. It's hard at first as they cry, jump up and bark at you - but they learn. Relaxing, even if it's just following you from room to room whilst you do things but not pestering you is something that they do learn over time but ignoring them when they whine for attention whilst you are doing things is, IME, 100% to get them to learn.

But please, don't feel bad! I've had dogs my entire life. I had two when I got my current puppy (18 months, so still technically a puppy) and I spent a good two months wanting to return the little turd - and I 100% knew what to expect. Sometimes I still think about retuning him. He's lovely. Really perfect in every way. But he's still a dick. They're AWFUL as until they grow up.

But it 100% does get better. They get better about 4-6 months then reverts to being arseholes for another 10 months, then improve again IME. By 18 months (breed dependent) your puppy will be perfect - or close to.

@JamieJ93 I'm glad Milo's poos are improving.
@Ilovehimbut thanks for the thoughts I have no answers either and also feel like a failure. We just have to keep telling ourselves that it will get better.
I'm feeling a little stronger today and am going to try to do more training, it definitely tires him out more than walking, which just seems to make him more wired.
I'm still struggling with house training, if I take him out regularly we manage, but he never gives any indication. The sniffing and circling that you're supposed to watch for is his normal behaviour. We've not had an indoor poo for a few days, but he'll only do those on walks and I'm getting fed up with the endless mini walks 'just in case'
How did everyone get on with house training? Brodie is 14 weeks and was 11.5 when we got him.
Does anyone else's pup pee more in an evening?

Thank you for above replies. I am aware I am the problem much of the time. I will follow advice . I have let him become central to everything. Another issue is that he still wees two or three times a night. Is over sixteen weeks.