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

Oh that does sound promising! I really hope she doesn't as she's quite well behaved at the moment 😅

Clover also used to prefer her bed (or the sofa...) over her crate so it was another reason to get rid of it as she settled better out of it.

Also just as I was typing, big cat came downstairs for another explore and she was so good!

Afternoon. Lovely to read of everyone's methods of training/coping. My real conundrum is how to occupy pup when he isn't sleeping/eating/walking. I do find the two x twenty minutes rule hard to stick to but I do bar the odd "let's stand outside the front door and look at the world". He is such an active little thing so zooms around and used the sofa as a soft play area. Also has started barking at external noises . Do you just ignore the barking? Conscious we have neighbours WFH next door. He remains adorable but not sure if I meet his needs. Do training a couple of times a day. Loads of cuddles.

@Ilovehimbut I'm having the same dilemma, how much time/interaction should you have with your pup? I've googled, but as usual you just get a gazillion different answers. I do play sessions, training sessions, but I think he has to amuse himself...then I feel bad for ignoring him...then he sleeps...and I feel bad cos he's bored, or should he be sleeping?
I definitely overthink everything!! I always thought pets were supposed to be good for stress 🤣

Fin’s growing like a weed! When he sleeps/naps it’s not boredom it’s bone and teeth formation. I opened his mouth a few days ago to pull something out, he’s got some massive ones deep at the back!
He’s doing well, he now occasionally uses the doorbell on the inside of the house to go out. He’s very good at using it to come back in.
He countersurfed and enjoyed toothpaste yesterday….

Thanks BrodiePup
I have a dog trainer who is full of ideas and enthusiasm. He is brilliant with her and me during the hour she is with us. He has loads of toys but as a true lab it is household objects that attract him! If I try to do anything turns into a hideous tug of war with brush etc. Crated at night (still wakes up at least once) but not using during day.

That sounds great. Florapup (nearly 14-months-old) is still a bit chasey with the cats when they are on the ground, but improving (she’s a hunting breed though). Regarding adolescence, I’m ‘tempting fate’ here, but I was expecting dramas. The only thing that has happened though is that she seems to have gone into another fear period, much more wary of anything different. I just breeze past whatever it is confidently, but make sure she is not overwhelmed. So unless she is saving adolescent horrors for future months, it seems they don’t always become difficult again.

I’ve managed to get my fluff ball in his crate, and he seems much calmer. He would only sleep on me and was following me round the house. I think he was getting over tired and started being quite mouthy, when he got comfortable in his crate he slept for 2 hours straight without jumping up every time I moved. I’m hoping a better rested pup will be an easier pup.

pup got out for a his first walk, i managed to hobble from the car to the grass and sit and watch him with my OH. he loved it! he had a good sniff around and ran wild and we practised some recall and sit training. Not what i had hoped for our first walk but was still nice to sit and watch him enjoy himself.

@lookwhatyoumademedoo so easy to fall in love!

@lookwhatyoumademedoo he looks like a sweetie. Far too sweet to do anything naughty 😉

Freddie seems to be settling.
Milo and Freddie are absolutely obsessed with each other 🙄
I don't even get cuddles off Milo anymore - I'm old news now 😂
@BrodiePup I'll have Brodie now please 😂😂
It was Milos 1st birthday yesterday - didn't do anything particularly special but then again he is a dog but still my little boy.
No aggression or fighting today.
Freddie has only had one piss accident in the house today they've had loads of runs today, Freddie's recall is bomb proof which makes Milos recall better as he's obsessed with Freddie. Milos behaviour has massively improved also.

I've felt very very overwhelmed today waking up this morning having two dogs especially puppies. Although knowing I've definitely made the right decision it's just hard work. Freddie's anxiety is better hardly any tail chasing his crusted over tail is getting better I've been treating it. The poor boy has had a shite life but I just hope he can start relaxing here and know he is going to have the best life even though he has an annoying and bizzare obsessed brother who won't ever leave him alone in peace ever again.
He better not turn into a knobhead or I'll be sending him to @BrodiePup 😂

@JamieJ93 it's been a real eye-opener and blessing to have two older dogs helping Fin.
from day one they scolded him in ways i never would have as a human, he models them and shows some genuine concern when the older two don't walk the woods as quickly as he does. some minor food guarding? growling if they approach his bowl (of course their bowl is fair game) but it appears to be more noise than intent and both the older little ones can make him aware his behavior is less than ideal (the short tibetian nips his underbelly, inside thighs, the bigger airedale gets loud and in his face).

I’ve found that the mountain of odd socks around the house make a good tug toy for Jellydog who loves a good tug of war. He’s definitely been more mouthy these last couple of days and more curious, puppy proofing seems to be never ending - I think a room is safe and he then shows me a whole new hazard I hadn’t considered.

@CurlsnSunshinetime4tea
Milo is a full working cocker spaniel 12 months old
And Freddie was handed over as an 8 month old "sprocker" I definitely see the springer in him but I don't know I feel like he has another breed in him that I can't quite put my finger on.
He is bigger than Milo as well and more stockier.
Milo is around 13kgs and he's 15kgs.
They are currently prancing about this morning pouncing all over each other. I've taken them out one by one this morning and I'll take them to the fields later on.
The resource guarding is getting better definitely of the sofa and me and my husband - the food not so much we feed them separately.

@JamieJ93
I've stuck a stamp on Brodie's butt and dropped him at the post office if you could pick him up tomorrow? 🤣
Seriously, I think he's starting to get under my skin and I might actually miss him if he left?
You seem to be making fantastic progress with Freddie, I know you must be worn out, but you're certainly doing something right. You should be very proud of yourself.
Please, please PLEASE if it all goes wrong DON'T send them to me! I think I'm going to need tranquillisers for the rest of my days as it is after the last 5 weeks, it truly has been a nightmare, but dare I say, things might be improving 😊.

Can I ask opinions on this please?
This is my back garden, the lower bit was a patio and has now been partly turfed in the hope that Brodie will pee on it...he doesn't. It has also has decking boards put over the gravel to stop him eating it 🙄
My dilemma is, the wall at the bottom is about a meter high. Do you think a 16 week puppy will have the sense not to jump off it and use the steps?
He loves it at the top and my hope is if he has more garden he might actually pee in the back rather than being walked to the front all the time.
I don't know whether to allow him unsupervised access to it.
We seem to be regressing with house training 🙁

Forgot to add photo 🤣

@BrodiePup
Well...
Milo jumped in some waterworks at about 18 weeks old that I had to rip him out of 🙄
Brodie may be different though
Could you block a section off ?

@BrodiePup - I think it's really pup dependent, my older one at 16 weeks would have been fine and used the steps. I wouldn't have trusted the younger one at the same age.

@BrodiePup Fin fairly often scales, runs and wreaks havoc in the low grow sumac.
chasing him only encourages him so we turn a blind eye to the height and steep angle. I’ll need to sort something soon because if he damages my plants too much I’ll be very cross.

Thank you all for your replies. I got my own answer..yes he will jump! He saw a bee and launched himself at it. Fortunately he seems fine.
I'm utterly fed up. I thought we were getting somewhere. Today the only time I left him, asleep, and recently having a pee, was to put some washing over the airer and put clean sheets on a bed. Sure enough he peed under the table. He was a nightmare pulling and freaking out on his walks. We sat down to eat and found yet another pee, goodness knows when that happened...
I'm 5 weeks in, he's 16 weeks old and it's a flipping nightmare. He's a gorgeous little dog and I really am doing everything by the book, I'm trying my best.
At this moment in time I have absolutely had enough, and I'm sick of my husband who is hardly ever here (work commitments) telling me that he's a puppy and I'm too hard on myself.
Phew...rant over!

@BrodiePup it's hard work and constant isn't it. Max is 13 weeks tomorrow and we've had him 6 weeks. the worst part for me is the nipping at my arms and hands, he's got loads of toys but his favourite chew is me. i've started putting him in the kitchen for quiet time when he's getting too much and not listening. when i get in from work on some occasions i've thought what have i done, especially when he's way over excited and jumping and nipping and i just want to sit down.

Pup just look me in the eye and weed on the rug. We were doing so well with toileting, I'm so disappointed. 5 and a half months, the internet says he should be toilet trained by now.

@Cavalierchaos we are still getting the odd accident and yes, it’s frustrating. My understanding is though that you can’t expect full housetraining until around 8 months. So it’s still up to me to take him out on a very regular basis.

Found a big wee on the floor of the downstairs loo yesterday so I guess he’s trying 😂

@lookwhatyoumademedoo I’m slightly hesitant to post this but our pup has been the biteyest pup I’ve ever met. And almost exclusively me the target. This week it’s almost completely stopped. The only two factors I can think of are 1. He’s a bit older, now 4.5 months and 2. I started using my HRT gel in The evening so maybe I smell less hormonal in the daytime?

Keep the faith, it will pass. I’m praying it doesn’t start up again.