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.

@ErikaK Welcome! I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. Your pup is gorgeous but I totally understand how you're feeling. And I think you've explained very well why it's so unsettling for you. I was an absolute anxious mess for the first few weeks and it was horrible. I think we all go through it in varying degrees, some people more than other unfortunately.

I know everyone else has said it but it really does get better. I noticed a significant change at 14 weeks. My boy is almost 16 weeks now and he has become so chilled all of a sudden. We've been having cuddles on the sofa which I wouldn't have dreamed of 2 weeks ago! I know it seems like forever but the weeks really do go fast and they change so much, so quickly.

I have found this thread to be an absolute lifeline for me so keep posting

@Mogloveseggs he is so cute!! What breed is he?

We did the evening walk as suggested and he walked so nicely, I think because he was a bit tired but not TOO tired. We got back and I told him to go and lie down and he's now snoozing in bed. Will do a toilet trip before I go to bed in a bit (he will probably just sit and outside and look at me nonplussed as usual) and then pop him in his crate. Fingers crossed he then settles ok!

A few of you mentioned a bedtime biscuit. Which ones do you all buy?

Our girls have forthglade calming soft bites at bedtime

https://forthglade.com/products/calming-dog-treats

Ooh great thank you!

@AubrieDog Aha! I did wonder if you were both

He's a Patterdale terrier. Thank you he is very cute and very nippy

@Mogloveseggs if only we were neighbours he could come play with Roman at 5.45 - or even earlier since here we are again!

Also any biscuit is good enough to pacify Roman at night time & signal he’s about to be left on his own. It doesn’t have to be soft & calming it just has to be edible!

@Twiglets1 glad its not just me!

@Mogloveseggs
He is gorgeous & looks a handful too. He is the same age as my pup so we are probably going through the same biting stage so I feel your pain

Thank you for the suggestion of evening treats everyone. We have started using VETIQ serene calming treats but they are definitely not making him serene & calm in the evenings

We went to a puppy party at the Vets today (socialisation classes) and they have suggested letting out a high pitched yelp when he bites us & walk away & pull a sad face. Puppies are great at reading our facial expressions apparently & will feel empathy & it will help them realise they can't bite.

We are all going to try this now & see if it works. Pigs will probably be flying outside first!

We tried the yelp, it didn't work for us because our girl decided it was hilariously funny and she would turn it into a game. So that was fun 😳
All pups are different though, the yelp might work for some. Ours is just a weirdo 🙄

@AubrieDog Vinny did the same! He loves it when I yelp and it makes him even more excited and bitey 😂

I’ve tried yelping and Roman does pause and look at me quizzically.

Before biting me again 😂
( tbh his biting is gentler now so maybe there’s some truth to it)

We bought the 'puppy trial pack' from Millie's Wolfheart to try the food they had suggested for Vinny and it arrived today. I think it was good value as it was £10 and free delivery, and you get a 700g bag of chosen kibble, two 250g bags of training treats, a tote bag and also £5 off voucher for purchasing a bigger bag,

I just mixed some with his usual stuff and he wolfed it down!

I got one last week and I think it's a great little package. Would highly recommend it.

@AubrieDog we are only a 15 minute drive away from where they are based so I'm going to pop into their outlet at some point! Vinny loves the treats too

@YorkshireFelix I imagine Brie will love the treats too but I'm not opening them until the big bag of Wainwrights training treats is finished! My husband said I only wanted the MW puppy pack for the cloth bag...😆

How is everyone doing? I think you've all moved onto the adolescent thread and left me behind 🤣

Vinny has been great this week apart from the evening crate whinging. But I've taken him for a late walk the past couple of nights and kept him up longer as suggested which seems to be helping a bit. He's also been good when I've left him downstairs for a few minutes to do some odd jobs upstairs like putting laundry away etc. He must have known I had complained about him here!!

He's been super chill in the day and kind of ok on walks - he will sometimes do a good stretch of heel walking and be great but other times will just have his nose glued to the ground pulling and zigzagging and trying to eat everything.

He's getting great at the 'leave it' command though which I am very pleased about. Would really recommend anyone who is still waiting to be allowed out walking to work on this before they are let loose on the pavements. You don't realise how much rubbish is on the floor until you walk a puppy!

Here he is, 16 weeks today 

@YorkshireFelix still here! 18 weeks today. I don't feel like I've succeeded much at any puppy training 😔 But he's clever. He doesn't use his crate at any point of the day or night now 🙈

Here he sleeps. Right next to the ornamental crate 🙄

@Ruairismum I've found Vinny much prefers sleeping outside of his crate but seems ok at night in there (for now!). His preferred spot is on the sofa. I don't know why I ever thought id never let him on there 🤣

@YorkshireFelix Glad you’ve had a good week! So nice to hear happy news from little pups.

Excellent news about him settling better when he’s on his own – little and often and he’ll get there. I think ‘kind of ok’ on lead walks is pretty good for 16 weeks! Sounds like he’s doing really well. And I recognise that little upside-down pose! So cute and apparently extremely comfortable.

This morning puppins decide to throw herself into not just a muddy bog but an algae-filled muddy bog, so that was charming. She emerged covered in green goop which she promptly shook all over me. Yum. We have friends coming this weekend with their six-month-old springador and I’m really curious to see what she’ll be like being the older dog in that situation, as she’s usually with older dogs or dogs her own age, as our village had a glut of puppies all at the same time last summer.

The Moor Gazing Pup.

I'm glad you've had a good week @YorkshireFelix It sounds as if you and the lovely Vinny are making steady progress.

No, you haven't been abandoned, I'm sort of hopping between puppy and adolescent threads, as Brie, at just turned 6 months is in that middle ground.

We've been doing some moorland walks this week; a short drive in the car, then a walk up the hill. Brie seems to have really appreciated having a change of scene and I must admit I love it up there too. It's been blissfully quiet.

Have a lovely weekend, folks.