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

@Yllasin thank you for your post, it's nice to hear from someone who is going through the same. I'm pretty sure it is the treats, if he's kept to his kibble and chicken he's ok. He's not interested enough in his kibble as a reward though, and it's tricky keeping fresh chicken about.
Thanks to everyone else for their suggestions 😊

Oh yes that's the same for Fern. She eats the kibble if hungry but it's not irresistible. I'm vegetarian too, I cooked up chicken wings for puppy classes but I can't keep that up, and carry it around!
🙄

To no one in particular- but I just wanted to say to those struggling with new pups - hang on in there! I've had fluffdog for nearly 2 years now and she's the best dog ever, I wouldn't change a thing (except the shedding, and she's fond of pond swimming so she's always pretty smelly)
However - at the start I struggled so so much. I'd go as far to say I hated her. I wailed every single day and in real life I'm actually quite competent. It was so stressful and awful. But I just did a lot of faking it til I made it and really spent time building a fantastic bond and properly understanding my dog. It does just click and you do get there eventually.
Pictures of a hairy, smelly beast attached.

@BigBundleOfFluff
I needed to hear that!
One day at a time and all that.
She is absolutely beautiful!

@BigBundleOfFluff lovely peaceful photo and bundle of fluff!!

@BigBundleOfFluff
Thanks from me too.
Photo of my pup attached, she's doing really well, just me who isn't!

@Yllasin Ditto!

This is Florapup who was a really bitey, injurious little monster. I used to cry and wonder what the hell I’d done too. It was made more difficult by my husband really hating her and saying “if this carries on, she can’t stay’ etc. she is now a 13-month-old beloved (by me and DH) sweetie. She’s a big girl and still giddy when excited, so I still sometimes get a bruise when she rushes to tell me how much she loves me 🙄 but she’s a gorgeous girl and I couldn’t bear to be without her.

Morning all! I posted here around 2 weeks ago just after having brought my little cockapoo pup home. And what a difference a fortnight makes! I honestly felt like I was in the throes of depression at first even to the point I'd drafted a message to the breeder declaring I was a terrible owner and he'd be better off back with her 🙈 thankfully I didn't send as he's now turning into a dream pup. He's 10 weeks now and can sit, wait, fetch and come to me on command. Goes and stands at the back door if he needs to go out. He's a dream in his crate overnight and if I need to pop out or for a shower etc (I nearly chucked the crate away at one point). He sleeps from 10/11, wakes at 5/6 for toilet then back to sleep for another hour or two. He's had his 2nd vaccinations yesterday so I have some dog walks planned in with friends and doggy daycare booked in a few weeks. And above all, I absolutely adore him ❤️ so thanks for the words of encouragement on this thread and hopefully anyone else who was going through the puppy blues are now coming out the other side. The hard work definitely pays off!

Pup is 5 months 1 week old now and STILL biting constantly, in fact I'd say it's worse. He's not lost any teeth yet and I'm really hoping when his adult teeth are in it will all stop. Please please.

Have you tried giving him a frozen carrot? It's really soothing.

@Cavalierchaos
Milo still biting at 12 months.
I second frozen treats. Some breeds are more bitey than others but it hurts so much doesn't it.
Milo has a "gift" for pin pointing the exact location of my nipples 😡
How are you getting on with training for pup, I've been following you as I remember when you brought pup home.

@BrodiePup
Hows your little shit doing? Milo is 1 in a matter of days 😬 he's still a puppy and still annoying as ever 😂😂
Where are you located we could meet in an open field and let them burn their energy off together ha ha !

Beef ribs for the win for keeping the girls out of trouble at the allotment.

We're doing a scurry workshop on Tuesday with the little one which I'm looking forward to. Then camping and canoeing at the weekend which will either be great or a disaster 😂

Frozen carrot! Great idea @Lougle
Fin countersurfed and won himself dh’s morning breakfast faster than dh could turn around and put a few items in the sink :(.
the mood is tense, the pup has his tail down. I fear the end is near thinking this behavior is cute.

@CurlsnSunshinetime4tea Frozen everything is good! We would make a knotty out of old t-shirts, lay some kibble on it, roll it up like a sausage, then tie the sausage into knots. Soak in water, then freeze.

@BigBundleOfFluff, I really needed to hear that too. Thanks
♡

@Cavalierchaos 5-6 months was worst puppy chewing phase for me. My now nearly 9 month old lab chewed everything then. My table and chair legs still bear the many scars. He was seemingly unstoppable. Despite multiple chews of his own and countless carrots he would whine so sadly if I stopped him chewing the furniture. Then, suddenly, he just stopped at around 7 month mark once all his teeth were in. My pup was a rascal in so many ways at that age. He drew blood with biting my hands three time when he was overstimulated when he was between around 3-5 months. He hasn't bitten my hands since then but he still occassionally nips at clothing (or my but) when he's feeling over stimulated. He's still such a big rascal (in different ways now) which I'm working on! Good luck. The biting phase will no doubt pass soon (only to be replaced with another somewhat annoying phase, no doubt!). Books make it all look so easy, don't they? As most of us know its not easy at all!!
Best wishes.

@tizwozliz your dogs look so content. Camping and canooing sounds pretty idylic. Hope it works out that way. I have a black lab also, he's 9 months, show type. Love him to bits, looking back, we've come a long way with his training and he does a lot right although his behaviour still leaves a lot more to be desired.

@JamieJ93 At the moment I am so over him I truly don't have the words! He is adorable (mostly) 80% of the time, but then it's like a switch is flipped and he goes insane. Is that normal? It's way beyond zoomies that any of my dogs had in the past.
I live near Leeds, where are you? And would you actually want to meet a desperate hysterical woman with an insane puppy? 🤣

@BrodiePup
Yes of course 😂
I've just taken on an 8 month SPROCKER SPANIEL
I've gone insane in the membrane.
Its been so chaotic it's unreal.
I don't know what's possessed us.

@BrodiePup i've noticed when Fin is going absolutely unpleasantly nuts he actually is needing to go for a poop (much more often than a wee)
and although he will often get himself a toy to play with and mangle, sometimes the toy is one that needs dh to throw about (ball or frisbee) so for us Fin is asking for something (it's not been quiet time though).
since this morning when he was verbally scolded (loud voice and chased out of the kitchen) he has NOT licked/lunged/searched for food on the countertop!
and he's now using the bell to request going out (which is somewhat new as he has been consistent at using the bell to come in).
he still steals shoes to chew, which is annoying.

@JamieJ93 Gosh, I hadn't realised you took Milo on at 8 months! You're a saint, well done!
@CurlsnSunshinetime4tea Brodie goes loopy when he's been awake too long, I need to be tougher with enforced naps, I should be tougher with putting him his crate, but he goes wild in there and I find it really distressing. I'm definitely coming round to a proper "no" I get this reward based training, but I do think it's a bit soft at times.
I think one of our main problems is the back garden, it's a decent size, but very steep and terraced. There's no lawn either. We're having to keep him on the patio which is very small as we can't trust him not to try to jump off one of the walls...about a meter drop onto hard surface. He has nowhere to run and burn off energy, which is possibly why he goes nuts on walks. We have nowhere where I dare let him off his lead. It's turning into a disaster and I hate myself for it, he really is a gorgeous dog, but I'm starting to think that he'd be better off with someone else.
My husband disagrees completely, but he's works all hours so he doesn't have to deal with it.

@BrodiePup
No no
I had Milo at 12 weeks but yesterday we took on ANOTHER PUP called FREDDIE he's 8 months old. He's a very anxious boy. Not toilet trained and shitting and pissing everywhere. He's chewed his tail to death and it's scabbed over :-(.
There's a lot of territorial behaviour going on. Freddie pushing his luck a lot of the time with Milo quickly putting him in his place.
They've been playing since 5am and only just stopped. I am exhausted.
He's a gorgeous boy.
I must have lost my mind
What have I done I knew what I was letting myself in for 😂😂
Still fancy meeting up for a long run round the fields ha ha ha

@JamieJ93
OMG! You really are a saint, or as mad as Brodie...one or t'other!
Seriously, I really admire you, it sounds like Freddie hasn't had the best start in life. What's his background?

@BrodiePup
I'm his 3rd owner.
Although there is some territorial issues going on now and then and heriachy issues occasionally they are getting on very well and have clicked quite well.
We introduced them on neutral grounds in a field but when we got them home they played up but Milo did put him in his place.
He's better behaved than Milo in terms of manners and boundary pushing. His tail has been bleeding because he's been biting it.
They've been playing all morning - since 5 am they've had some crate time seperate but they are as bad as each other winding the other up.
I am struggling with the fact Freddie is pissing and shitting everywhere, even with mats down - I'm struggling to understand how an 8 month old can have absolutely no toilet training - even mat training it I'm honest but I'm hoping I can get it nipped in the bud.
I'm not used to the house smelling of dog piss.
Thank god for hard flooring!
Least we have each other for solidarity 😂😂😂