Puppy Survival Thread for New & Old Pups - Soon be Autumn 2024

[BrodiePup]

Setting the ball rolling on a new thread as the last one has reached 1k 😊.

Brodie had his first proper bath today...
I don't think he was overly impressed!

He'll be 6 months old on Tuesday. I can't believe how the time has passed, or how far along we've come.

To everyone who is struggling at the moment, stick with it, it really does get easier.

Well done - mine are all off lead from day 1, I got told off by the trainer this week for not doing enough on lead work with Libi.

When they are little you are their safe place, so we teach them sticking close by doing what my trainer calls the "flitting game" you keep changing directions and the puppy follows - you don't call them, you want them to pay attention to you and keep track of where you are. When you get some distance and they finally notice you want a bit of "fuck where is she?" Moment before they rush to get to you.

We are backwards and forwards with house training. Thought I'd cracked it with wees, nothing for weeks indoors, then this morning she peed on the newly washed carpet 🤷🏼‍♀️. Newly washed because yesterday she unpotted one of the ferns in the garden and brought it into the living room to dissect while I unpacked HER dog food, ungrateful beast.

Still working on the 💩 training - if I get my timing right it's outside but they are less easy to predict than the wees. Experience tells me she will get there eventually in learning to ask, so I know it's just something I have to put up with. She's 5 months now.

Pictures of the carpet to amuse you all - of course the soil was wet so cleaning up left mud and a soggy clogged vacuum that had to be cleaned and dried out! My best purchase ever was a vax carpet cleaner about 5yrs ago! Coming into its own now - though I confess I also recently bought one of their smaller "spot" cleaners for little jobs like the wees. It's brilliant, you can suck up the wee before you start the cleaning cycle.

She's also all legs now - proper Bambi - and can reach the kitchen work surface - and does 😱

Inspired by @LibisMum's flitting game I remembered the other phrase that's essential (to my mind anyway!) – 'this way'. Not quite a recall as I don't expect it to mean 'actually come to me right now' but more a turn or change of direction. I initially taught it by running left to right, up and down, side to side like a mad woman in the garden shouting 'this way' every time I turned and I swear I now say that phrase 14682 times a day. So helpful and transferable.

@LibisMum your poor carpet! (And fern). I love flatties but hardly ever see any round here – I fell down a rescue rabbit hole the other day after watching an episode of The Dog House where one had come in. They look to me like big versions of my black cocker but I appreciate the height difference is significant!

How funny @brushingboots I use "this way" all the time too! As you say, really handy - they also know they are not being put back on lead so no reluctance to come.

Libi's parent are both working dogs as well as show - so she's got the desire to please. The Flatcoat of mine I enjoyed least was just from show lines and was my last bitch, I was determined to get one with brains this time round!

@LibisMum oh gosh the carpet!! We have a smaller Bissel upholstery cleaner and I am now so glad I bought it a couple of years ago! One of my best ever purchases.

@LibisMum that reminds me of the scene in drop dead Fred

I might suggest to her breeder that "carpet cleaner" might be added to the list of essentials for new puppy owners😆

Oh no @LibisMum your poor carpet. I expect she had a really innocent look on her face too!

It’s interesting what you say about the poo & the wee because Roman is completely the other way round.

100% reliable on the 💩 now but still has the occasional wee incident in the house.

@LibisMum Bill used to strip the flowerpots off the remaining plants in the garden, chew them, then bring the compost indoors to eat it 🙄

He is also just discovering that there is a world above his normal head height. The little bugger managed to jump on the dining room chair the other day which means he's easily able to get on the table. As that's where I've been working, in the 'puppy-proof' room, and has all the cables on it to get them off the floor, my face is frozen like this:😬

very confused that I wasn't telling her she was a "a good girl" or even asking her to bring it to me 😆. I was careful not to use expletives as the parrot was listening.... he's already got a repertoire which includes my high pitched "puppy squeals" from when she was seriously biting. I'm sure he's exaggerating what I sound like though - anyone who heard him would think he'd been witness to a murder!

I have an area in the bedroom which is cordoned off, so I didn't have to move all my shoes and bags and books, the not quite emptied basket of clean socks etc..... She watches the Golden Retriever hop over into it (when she wants to escape Libi) and I know it's only a matter of time before she's big enough to do it herself. ATM her legs are not quite long enough to get on and off the bed without a step up - which I have because of the little dogs, but not on that side.

At that point I will have to do a major clear out of my stash there!

She did manage to chew (and destroy) my laptop charger a few weeks ago, stealthily, while she was at my feet and I was watching TV..... my fault for leaving it there, but bad habits on my part as my other dogs are not chewers.

That’s so funny about the parrot - sounds nothing like you I’m sure! 🤭

My husband took Milo on a 6 mile walk today so I managed to get a good rest ( mainly, spent sleeping)
He sent me some sweet snaps.

What a cute photo @CaptainBeanThief

Glad you've had a good rest while your boys were out walking.

How are you feeling @CaptainBeanThief?

Hi guys,
Still in alot of pain.
It shifts daily, my hand is really bad but today my ribs and lower stomach really sore. It's hard to stay sat in one spot as I feel like I'm sat on one big lump on my left side where I'm swollen. Police were meant to ring today with an update 😡
How are you and all of you pups?
X

Sorry you're still struggling @CaptainBeanThief 😞It must be very hard to get comfortable with all that pain down your side 😬I hope it all starts to ease up on you soon.

Sounds very tough @CaptainBeanThief hope you feel better soon.

Practicing sitting quietly and watching the world go by at the park today 😍

@YorkshireFelix
Vinnie looks like he's planning something 😆

@CaptainBeanThief he's just thinking about how much of a little bastard he was going to be for the rest of the day 🤣

@YorkshireFelix
There's just something about Vinny that makes me melt 🤗

We went to a Food Festival today.

Zeus met so many people and dogs (including a huge chilled out French Mastiff - who he seemed to really love, and loads of people petted him).

Weirdly, we went to a dog friendly pub after we we left the festival. We were in the beer garden and I was talking to Zeus - using his name, when this man said ‘did you get him from Xxx?’

Turns out that he’s also friends with the friends who we got Zeus from - so random!

I think Zeus was pleased to see him as he wanted lots of cuddles. Such a small world!

@YorkshireFelix Vinnie is soooo cute !!!!
I've had one of them days today where i feel like im not doing a great job, his recall is good but not 100% every time, he always comes back to me but not before he's had a sniff of the dog walking towards us, he pulls on the lead more than is ideal and today he jumped up on a bench at the park next a bloke having a sit down. i was so embarrassed!! does anyone else have days like this? we're always doing lots of training and i'm constantly reading up on how to to train but i just feel a bit like am i even doing it right!!

I definitely have days like that @lookwhatyoumademedoo

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming but they are very young & can’t be expected to behave perfectly all the time. Give yourself a break. You’re trying your best and your puppy is doing lots of things right even if like me, you sometimes feel like it’s two steps forward & one step back.

Oh no @LibisMum ! I've just been catching up and saw your photos...sorry, but I have to admit I laughed 🤣

@CaptainBeanThief I'm glad you're getting some rest, I hope you're feeling a bit better today x

We got back home yesterday. I'm still in shock as to how good Brodie was, all the strange new things he encountered he just took in his stride. I am expecting him to be a nightmare now we're back to our usual routine, but so far so good 😊. We're going to try to book another week by the coast next month so he can have lots of runs on the beach.