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

You might need a neutralising spray. You can get specific pet ones. If it smells even a hint of their pee/poop they are more likely to do it in the same place.

we used Simple Solution Stain and Odour Remover. It made a big difference!

Thanks - I’ll go fetch some today just in case he starts doing it again 😊

It sounds like for whatever reason, pooch doesn’t feel 100% comfortable. It might be smells or noises undetectable to us humans.

i think I would opt for either having her with you/ closer by or someone sleeping in with her/closer by for a night or two. Or possibly the rest of the holiday!

Not sure of the set up of where you are, but is it possible to have her in the kitchen with someone sleeping on the sofa/ have her on the landing outside the bedrooms? If not being in the actual room.

when we first had our pup we had her in the kitchen with a baby gate and we slept on the sofa in the next room for the first month of having her. This gave her reassurance of us being close by, but we knew she wouldn’t be sleeping on our bed for years to come so didn’t want her to get into that habit! It worked out amazingly and first night we moved upstairs she didn’t make a squeak Because by that time she was comfortable with her surroundings. I know you won’t be there as long as a month as you’re on holiday, but it might be worth the disruption for the sake of getting sleep!

good luck

Fingers crossed for you! It really is disappointing when it happens isn’t it?! The other thing is recommend would be to not be lulled into a false sense of security 😂

when our girly was about 5 months she hadn’t had an accident for ages!!!! But then I got too confident about letting her “tell me” when she needed to go - turns out she also needed me to remind her occasionally! So even when you are at the point of it looking like you’re out of the woods, you will still need to be vigilant a little longer 🫣🤭 good luck !!

This is exactly what happened yesterday 🙈. Gave him some tea, took him outside and he did a wee but nothing else. Sat down with my tea, and whilst I was eating he finished his tea and did a 💩. He normally goes after eating ALL of his food but he hadn’t when I took him out he keeps having bits here and there now, so he decided to finish it while I sat eating mine and leave a gift 😂 x

What a thoughtful gift 🫣😂

First day back at work today! It's not been as bad as I expected. He's been good and napping a lot, and dd has taken responsibility for getting him outside for the toilet. I feel bad as I've not engaged with him much today!

With both of mine, I find it's sometimes easier when I'm working. They've learned that when I'm sat at a desk I'm very boring and not worth bothering with. If I'm not working and doing things round the house they are far more demanding.

Don’t feel bad! As long as your pooch is toileted, watered and fed if there is nothing interesting going on they will nap ☺️

on weekdays I work from home and ours is asleep for almost the whole time I work (but actually she chooses to start sleeping an hour before I start work!) but I give her lots of attention in my lunch break and tore her out for her afternoon sleep 😍

weekends she is more lively as there is more stuff going on.

congrats on getting back to work with minimal stress!!

I feel like I'm missing something here?
What's this anonymous thanks? I don't see anything like that...or get any notifications? Am I doing something wrong? I only use the app.

Nothing much to report at the moment, everything seems to have settled into a routine now. My main issues are he still pulls like a train, but I think he is a teeny bit better, and recall if there are any distractions.

People who are struggling with housetraining, I honestly thought Brodie would never get it. I even thought that he was a dirty animal and didn't actually care. Looking back it only took 6 weeks and the last couple of weeks of that were only occasional accidents. It'll take me a long while to recover from the sheer exhaustion of it though!

Hope you're feeling better @JamieJ93

I forgot! Big news!
Brodie has started cocking his leg up...I didn't expect that at just short of 6 months!

My main issues are he still pulls like a train, but I think he is a teeny bit better, and recall if there are any distractions.

I wish I'd saved the link now, but I was reading an article the other day that said for a lot of dogs, they just don't have the impulse control to walk nicely on a lead for an extended time or in new and exciting places until 18 months or so.

That certainly ties in with our experience with our older one.

Brodie has started cocking his leg up...I didn't expect that at just short of 6 months!

My Brady has just started at 4 months - he still usually squats to pee but stops at every lamppost performatively cocking his leg like a big boy.

Ah it's good to know I don't need to feel bad for not being as engaged when I'm working! He's quite good at just 'being' at the minute and can be very chilled so hopefully it continues.

We went for first vaccinations today and he did great. Second ones aren't until 2nd Sept so will be mid September by the time we can get out and about walking! He goes mad in the sling carrier as he's desperate to run about!!

Here's a cheeky photo for earlier. He is such a character already

@tizwozliz that's good to know... I think 🤣
@Jellycatspyjamas we sound like competitive parents 🤣

Latest mug shot of the mutt!

@BrodiePup he's so fluffy!

@YorkshireFelix
He's like a woolly mammoth at the moment, he needs his dead puppy coat stripping out. I trimmed his paws today, he had Grinch paws and was getting covered in grass seeds.

Not posted for a while, just been trying to catch up on the thread. Love looking at pics of everyone's pups! they're all gorgeous!! Max is 5 months now and i think we're doing ok! Pretty much cracked toilet training, goes in his crate lovely on a night and walks mostly nicely on lead. Buuut, he's so barky at times when we're at home, mostly if i'm stood and he wants me to sit down. Drives me insane. And he's a pester on walks with other people and dogs, we're working on leaving people alone when we're out but im second guessing myself if im doing it right, should i keep him on lead? or get a long lead? Puppy training is hard!

@BrodiePup sorry I didn’t mean to sound competitive - I was just amazed to see him lift his leg. Very cute too in a proud mama kind of way.

@Jellycatspyjamas
Aw, I was joking, I thought it was funny x

In another proud mama moment, he’s started humping everything that moves - which was a delight on this mornings walk.

He’s also started using my training process against me - if he pulls on his lead or is too bouncy I stop and ask him to sit for a couple of seconds and then we start off again. This morning I was calling him away from some smelly thing he was trying to eat - he looked me right in the eye, sat down and didn’t move. Little bugger, I think training him is going to be a battle of wills

It’s a good job he’s cute!

@Jellycatspyjamas
He's lovely!
I know what you mean about it being a battle of wills, this mornings walk was horrendous. Sometimes you lose the will to live!
I think Brodie might have amorous intentions with his favourite monkey, but he not quite there yet...can hardly wait 🙄

Does anyone use a cover on the crate? I started off covering it with a blanket but leaving a decent gap but he just wants to bite it as he loves anything soft and flappy!!

He sleeps and settles well in his crate. He will wake up and settle again if he sees me sat next to him, and I'm wondering if a cover will help with that 'no one is here beside me' panic. Is it worth a try?

All the lovely puppies 😍😍

Really considering a crate cover but Ruairi has given himself a rash from the grass (I think) and it's been a bloody nightmare trying to settle him. Will have a look soon. I dunno where the times gone. I've to work next week and I'm not prepared 😭