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

He doesn't know it's a safe space to do it outside yet - they feel vulnerable when going to the toilet, can't run from the monsters, so will default to a safe space. Inside will have been his safe space for all of his life so far.

Can you find or create a smaller space outside? near to wall/fence so he feels more secure?

Mine is 14 weeks now and still catches me out, took her out to the loo at 5:30 am when she woke me with a face wash (she sleeps on my bed) I noticed no wee in the hallway, which she has access to, so expected her to go as soon as the door was opened - but she didn't, so I knew there was one lurking inside for me to step on - she'd gone in the kitchen.

My toilet training is complicated by having three other dogs who are used to having "access all areas" (and one is elderly and sometimes incontinent).

I've had some dogs take longer than others to "get it" but they really all do get there in the end if you are consistent with praise (when you can catch them doing it!). Libi didn't do a poo on her morning walk - so I know I must have missed her going in the garden when I was clearing up in the kitchen after they'd been fed. You need eyes in the back of your head!

@YorkshireFelix @Riverlee thank you!! He's just brilliant. He must have an internal alarm clock coz he's always up at 6am

First night I set alarm for 4am and we all shuffled to the back garden but have never had to do that since. Got like a smaller crate for my bedroom. I just couldn't leave him alone and now I think he thinks this is a permanent situation🙈 Glad vinny slept well! Land shark moment is CRAZY

@LibisMum that's a good point. I've been taking him out the back (it's a paved yard and we have grass in the front garden). It's not very big but will probably seem huge to him! I'm not sure how I could section it off but will see what I can do. I've been taking him out really regularly with no luck (apart from a poo this morning).

He's been so good today. I feel like I've been up for 10000 hours though!! He's loving his crate and happily naps in there, then when he wakes up he just sits and chills until you let him out. This is huge progress even from just yesterday so I know we will get there with everything eventually.

I bought a puppy sling so we can take him out and about, so trying a very short walk after he's finished his nap. Wish me luck!!

Big sleepy paws and sniffing the flowers DD10 took these photos yesterday, she is smitten with him!

@YorkshireFelix & @Ruairismum
They're both gorgeous! I don't envy you the house training, I felt like it was endless and Brodie would never get it. It only took six weeks in the end, but it felt like years at the time.
@JamieJ93 I suppose you had to catch it in the end, I hope you're not too poorly with it. Is your husband back at work now, or can he help out with Milo? You've sure been in the wars recently!

@YorkshireFelix he's soooo cute!! Daytime crate use for us is still a no go. Nightmare crate is perfect though..gotta take that win. I set up puppycam for the living room. Never even thought about a sling. Ruairi would love it to be fair 💙

I think I might have to get a puppy cam! Sleeping downstairs again tonight but I think if it's the same as last night I might not be downstairs for as long as I thought so it would come in useful.

Walk in the sling went so well. He was a bit scared at first but then got used to it and was so good. He seems extremely chilled compared to what I was expecting. The breeder did say they are an excellent temperament but I'm not letting it lull me into a false sense of security as I'm sure hell on earth with commence soon!!

He finally peed outside! We have a built in coarse mat at the back door which he kept going on, and also the rug in the living room. I've just been cleaning it up with no fuss and using simple solution. It's so easy to see when he's about to do it from his signals but I can't ever get him out the door quick enough. I've been standing outside for AGES and he waits until we go inside. He can hold it like a trooper. But I caught a pee just as he was on the mat at the door so he just made it into the yard and I praised him. Then we went back out later and he did one on his own! But then came straight inside and tried to poop but I just got that out the door too. Ive left it there in the yard instead of picking it up just in case the scent helps him go outdoors again...

I've got a metal pen coming tomorrow so I can contain him out there too so fingers crossed that works. I'm so glad it's not winter as at least it's been pleasant being stood outside, even at 4am!

Poor lad can't get comfy 🤣

He is soooooo cute. Look at those paws!

@YorkshireFelix
Thank you 😊 he is cute when he's not being a terror!
This is your future, Brodie is 24 weeks tomorrow.

Housetraining for puppies: just don’t come in til they’ve gone. If you have to come in, pick them up and take them out again. They will have got ready to go, then have to go outside: lots of praise. They won’t go on your lap.

Hopeful signs yesterday - was perched on a stool in the kitchen and Libi was at my feet - twice she got up and chose to go outside, once to wee and once to poo! (She's 14 weeks.)

OTOH I was so dead asleep last night that I woke up to a wee and poo in the hallway and another wee in the kitchen. Totally missed her 5am ish need to go outside. Having said that, she is not always sleeping with me, she now sometimes chooses the hard hallway floor as it's cooler so maybe she was out there anyway.

We went to the beach yesterday for the first time - she was not at all sure about the wave that "got" her, but was pretty relaxed overall - very wide eyed at her first look at the sea - and desperate to get at the seagulls sleeping on the shingle, so I'll have to work on that!

I've had to have more antibiotics ( a week after sepsis for a skin infection and emergency surgery to remove dead skin and an abscess still waiting for post op to see what bacteria caused it)
I've got another abscess and COVID has caused a really bad chest infection :-(
Milo, I think has picked up on me being so unwell.
My husband has had to go back to work, after he has had covid so I've been on my own with Milo and he hasn't put a foot wrong. He's been very clingy and cuddly. I'm not expecting it to last... Well because he's a cocker spaniel 🤣🤣
I have been finding it difficult to stand up let along walk because my chest and struggling to breathe - I've had 2 previous tracheostomies so I have damage which is making things worse :-(

@JamieJ93 Flipping heck, you're in the wars! 🙁. I really hope you start picking up soon.
Animals are incredible at picking up signs and responding to them...bless Milo for being a good boy and looking after his Mum, long may it last.
Take care and get well soon x

Oh gosh @JamieJ93 that sounds so tough. Sending you quick healing and well behaved pup vibes!!

@JamieJ93 my god. That sounds awful 😢

@YorkshireFelix puppy cam is brilliant! Ruairi seems good with the potty training. Probably because I bring him out all the bloody time and he's no choice though he goes 6 hours through the night.

I've to work up to leaving him for work in 2 weeks and I'm pretty sure it can't be done. Look at those eyes

Love him! Here's Vinny earlier today being an angel

I was just writing out a post earlier about how I have been SO strict today and not let him out in the house at all. It's been crate, me carrying him, outside in the yard repeated. He last peed (inside of course...) at 10am and then eventually relented and did it outside at 4pm!!!! Right as I was writing out my frustrated paragraph haha.

It has been so bloody tedious. He got the biggest fanfare ever when it happened.

I've just set up his pen for in the yard which has just arrived which he probably won't be happy about but at least it stops him getting distracted and trying to eat everything.

Otherwise he's been brilliant!

@YorkshireFelix omg 😍 what a cutie 💙 any tips for the crate during the day? The high pitched crying kills my soul 😭

Honestly I have no idea, he just seems to naturally love being in there!! I don't think I've done anything special at all.

He was reluctant to go in when we first brought him home but I fed him some treats inside, and he had a big stinky bit of vet bed from his litter which we put in there too so I'm sure that helped.

I wish I could say I did a specific thing but it genuinely is just pure luck.

Hello everyone, I have been lurking and sending supportive vibes to you all, especially @JamieJ93 - please look after yourself and get well soon.

RaffPup is now just over six months and other than being a general dick some of the time he’s really pretty good. Am attaching a phot of him caught in the act of some villainy earlier 👀😂.

Now for my question. For those further along the path, when and how did you reduce the meals? He came on 3/ day and is still on the same schedule. It’s pretty easy so no particular need to change but we definitely fed our last dog twice a day at some point but I have no recollection of achieving this…

Any advice please?

@Ruairismum we were advised never to leave them crying in their crate, it’s supposed to be their safe space, love it yada yada. We did try. A lot. Followed all the instructions and while he did settle well at night we gave up on daytime.

If I need to leave him I secure the environment which is basically the kitchen/ and or hallway. Exercise him, feed him leave him with a licky mat. Works fine and no crying.

In the early days we did the ‘flitting’ method which was just leaving and reappearing at short intervals and helps them learn to be alone and that you’ll be back soon.

Not much help!😂

@MatildaTheCat - ours are 3 & 1 and still have 3 meals a day. Our older one was fussy when younger and 3 smaller meals worked better for her and I see no good reason to change it for either of them.

@MatildaTheCat
He is one gorgeous fur monster!
I've just been looking into reducing to 2 meals in a few weeks, we're finding it a bit tying feeding Brodie at lunchtime if we want to go out anywhere through the day. From what I've read you start to reduce the lunchtime meal and add onto breakfast and evening, so they still get the correct amount. How this will go down with them, your guess is as good as mine!
Let me know how you get on with it then I'll know what to expect 😊

@MatildaTheCat well that might be the way things work out for us. I've an optician apt tomorrow so will do all of what you said then leave him with puppy cam and I'll be back within an hr.

He's such a wee dote. Got some bad news earlier though. One of his litter mates had to be put to sleep. Really makes you appreciate your pup ❤️. I spent all afternoon watching him sleep. If he hates daytime crate, well worse things could happen xxx