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.

@Pyreneansylvie I feel like a new woman haha!

@YorkshireFelix That's brilliant! Everything is better after a good nights sleep.

Feeling really exhausted and down today. I drew up a slow, careful plan to try to get the pup less frustrated and barky in the car - I have to be able to get him to daycare in a month so I can go back to work twice a week. He was doing so well that I pushed my luck a very tiny bit, put him in the back and I sat in the front trying to ignore him for a minute. After just 30 seconds he started barking - meaning that after all the work I've been trying to do this week he's actually worse than he was last week. I know he was already over-tired this morning but I feel like I'm making excuses for him and for me and that this is never going to be fixed and I just want to cry. My life has become so small as I can't take him anywhere - I've seen my family once in the last two months and I've not seen any friends since he arrived. I don't know what to do. I love him more than anything but this is just defeating me.

HariboLab won't go in the car at all now as I rushed it. Don't panic about this morning but DO keep going. For the next day or 2 really take the pressure off - feed around the car as much as you can - take him out there for 30 seconds, give a few treats then come back in. You WILL get there but take it slowly or you'll end up where I am 🙈. Once the school holidays are over this is going to be my number 1 priority!

Oh God thank you @HariboFrenzy - it felt like I was the only person in the world with this problem.

He's fine if I'm in the back with him, he just can't stand me in the front and I'm just so, so tired. And now I feel guilty because I did cry, and couldn't stop, and he didn't understand of course. I'm on my own with him so it can feel just endless.

How is HariboLab? What happened and how do you manage if he can't get in the car?

Sending hugs @Bupster I've no advice as it's not a problem I have, but what @HariboFrenzy said makes lots of sense, and isn't lovely knowing you're not on your own?

I do totally understand about your life becoming small. I feel like I go nowhere and do nothing, I've lost all confidence leaving the house with Brodie, it fills me with absolute dread. All we can do is believe that they will get better and become the companion we hoped for. Sometimes I know I get so wrapped up in what's going wrong that I don't see the cute bits, the well behaved bits, or the bits that make me laugh.

Keep plodding on, give yourself a break today if you're exhausted, you will get there! X

@BrodiePup
Have you tried Brodie on a figure of 8 lead?
Milo has one, he does walk with it, he can't pull he has no choice but to walk. He doesn't like it but can't physically pull?
We are going to the fields now together ( me and husband) and he can have a good run with his frizbee.
X

@CaptainBeanThief No I haven't, can you use one on a puppy his age? I know haltis are 9 months old. TBH I really don't fancy anything like that, I'm a bit of a softie. It might come to it though.
Have a good afternoon 😊

"We are going to the fields now together ( me and husband) and he can have a good run with his frizbee".

I hope your husband had a good run on the field @CaptainBeanThief 😆😉😁

please don't panic - you haven't undone your good work, he was having a strop. Mine barked pretty much non stop in the car from the day I brought her home (2 hrs, I was climbing the walls when I got home) to a couple of weeks ago - she's now 20 weeks.

I put on music, I talked to her, I sang "old mcDonald had a farm", with appropriate noises - seriously! .... nothing worked apart from having a passenger who would sit with an arm stretched into the back to calm her. I live alone, this just wasn't possible. My apple watch was even telling me that the noise was at dangerous levels for my hearing....... Nothing bad has happened to her in the car, it only takes her interesting places or back home again, in the end she just gave up complaining.

The last two weeks we have had performative barks for a minute and then she settles down. What changed?

well the barking just didn't change anything, we still went to training etc and still came home, she began to see a routine. She started sleeping on return journeys. She grew, so I changed her harness to one that attaches at the back to a strap around the back headrest - so she had more room to move but less chance of getting tangled AND she's a bit bigger so can actually sit and look out of the window if she wants to.

you will get there!

@Pyreneansylvie
My husband is terribly untrained - he just runs off with the frisbee and shits everywhere, I'm at my wits end 🫢

😂😂😂

@LibisMum I honestly can't tell you how much this helps tonight. It's the first sense I've had that maybe this is relatively ordinary and will solve itself as he gets older, rather than being the beginning of a proper phobia. Thank you so much x

@Bupster glad you're feeling better at the good feedback you've recieved so far. I think one of the best things about puppies is how trainable they are. They're very adaptable. It's never hopeless. I agree, with PP his behaviour's not permanent.
I've has a read through your earlier posts about Bill. (He's so gorgeous BTW - those ears!) You've said he is very food motivated, wants to be close to you, likes being active and hates car travel.
As a cross between working lab and WCS he'll likely remain small enough to travel on passenger seat. I'd therefore suggest keeping it simple. Can you put a protective car seat cover on your front passenger seat, tire him out with a long walk then let him travel on front passenger seat (without bed or booster seat) where he can feel close to you, simply wearing a harness attached to seatbelt? Wind the window down a little for fresh air and interest. When you move the car, at first go somewhere quick, local and fun like a local field or park and drive there smoothly. Pull over every safe opportunity to reward him with food and touch if he's quiet and calm. To help break bad associations of his feelings of separation in car, if he's not too big, could you try lifting him into drivers side with you and popping him on passenger seat from there before strapping him in? To avoid him feeling frustrated at bring too immobile, try to travel when he's sleepy from long walks and stop on long journeys for frequent walks. Give him a long lasting chew.
My puppy disliked the car at first (after bad experience on first journey home) and he hated being lifted in and out of it. At first he'd whine and whimper the whole way and try to avoid being lifted in. These tips all helped him (and me). Now at 11 months old he happily jumps in and out of car and sits calmly, still and quiet watching world go by. He's happy in car for as long as I need him to be (with breaks). It helps that he can now see (and smell) out window and can get in and out himself.
You will get there. Tomorrow's another day. I hear you on how important regularly seeing friends and family is. There's a good reason why you're so fed up about not seeing them and feeling unable to due to Bill's travelling manners.
My pup had me in tears countless times. He bit me so I bled as young puppy more than once. Wee terrors that they are. I've no idea how it's such a well kept secret how hard it is raising a pup. It sounds like you're doing great and I wish you all the best. I hope this 'advice' doesn't make it sound easy or like everyone else has it down. Just in-case it does, this week alone my pup has shredded his bed into fluff (4th one in 3 months), eaten dog poo when running off lead in field (boke), tried to open bathroom door while I've been in there by body slamming it, nearly tripped me up by suddenly walking in front of me, tried to chase a cat and birds, forcefully insisted on licking the wound I have on my foot risking infecting it more than once. I could go on and on. Between all that (and more) I love him but easy they are not. Good luck x

Thanks, @CoffeeAndBestBiscuits . I had exactly the same idea. Unfortunately I can't switch the airbag off on the passenger seat, and in any case he's already too big (13 kg) to curl up on it - and still tries to get on my lap. But I do think you might have a good idea about looking out of the windows. I've had shades up to keep it cooler but I might try removing them now the weather's not so hot. He will jump in and out okay; it's only the separation frustration that's the issue, and like you I think it comes from some dreadful and unavoidable early journeys - he learned that separation was horrible and that barking worked.

Everyone has been so lovely on this thread and I really needed it. Thank you. Puppy tax of the little hooligan attached.

Looks like butter wouldn’t melt 😂

Morning all, I hope the pups are behaving this week!

I have a couple of questions - has anyone done a visit to the groomers yet, as an introduction/socialisation type thing? I am wondering if it's worth doing or not to get him used to it as he will need grooming at some point in the future.

Also has anyone clipped claws themselves too? Vinnys have gone super long but I am scared to do it!!

He got proper zoomies for the first time after his bath at the weekend and it was hilarious. He is fast!! And this morning he kept giving me his paw and I wasn't sure why (I thought it was because he wanted his breakfast but he didn't touch it) and I think it's because he wanted a belly rub! I sat down on the floor and he got on my lap and was so happy to have a fuss. It was nice to see a glimmer of a nice dog inside of the land shark

Good Morning @YorkshireFelix and Vinny.

Awww, so wish I could have seen him doing zoomies 💗And the belly rubs... awww. So sweet 💓 Sounds as if your little guy is making huge progress.

Obviously we don't go to groomers as we have a moulting breed (yes, it's a lot of fun 😬) However, we most definitely do claw clipping because PMD have double dewclaws that need frequent cutting.

You need to wait until they're having a calm moment, relaxed and dozy, Let him sniff the clippers then put them near his foot. Stroke, reassure, try taking a teeny weeny little bit off one nail and see how he reacts. Slow and steady is the only way. You have to sort of make it a complete non-event for them really. The breeder probably clipped the claws before you got him and he may or may not remember.

We've done all Brie's nails twice and she was fine but she is really a pretty laid-back character generally. She just loafs around on her back a lot and that makes it easy. One of our boys hated having his pedicure and would hide in the corner when we got the clippers out but we think that was linked to him ripping a front dew claw (which bled like crazy) by jumping up against the garden wall.

But you know, they're all different. If you can get Vinny used to claw trimming now it will really pay off. Good luck!

@Pyreneansylvie very helpful advice thank you! I will give it a go. He doesn't seem to sit still at all so it will be interesting!!

@YorkshireFelix I was hoping to be able to groom Brodie myself, but he's turning into a woolly mammoth who comes home from every walk covered in grass seeds and sticky buds. So, I'm in the process of trying to find a groomer I like the sound of...not easy as they all seem to be ridiculously booked up. We've not done his claws yet and they seem ok, but his dew claws could probably do with a trim.

@Pyreneansylvie so far my husband likes the martingale collar, or at least sees it as a useful tool and is going to keep using it. He's going to do more of the walking as he's less of a softie than I am and will take less nonsense. That said, I did the morning walk today and B was horrendous, possibly the worst walk ever. It's actually seriously starting to get me down, but I think I'm still exhausted from my stint alone which isn't helping.

Random question...how does everyone keep their houses clean and tidy? We try to use the conservatory as a containment area to dry him after walks, but the floors are still covered in paw prints. It doesn't help that he splashes and drips water everywhere when he has a drink and then walks in it 😡

@YorkshireFelix I started handling my pup and practicing as above, then gradually began clipping my pup's nails, and everything went absolutely fine until the little bugger wriggled and I caught his quick, and OMG the horror and guilt. So although he doesn't actually really need a groomer's, he's booked in for next week for his nails and a bath. If it goes well it can only help in terms of being happy to be handled by others like the vet. If it goes badly and he hates it, well, I've learned that we need to work on that more. But he is very confident and content with other people so fingers crossed it's all fine.

@BrodiePup
Oh I am pleased about the martingale working okay when your husband walks Brodie. There's nothing wrong with you doing gentler training; it's the same with us but it'll all pay off long term. Sorry this morning's walk was difficult - I had a nightmare walk on Monday so I know how you feel. Just keep going!!!

Re tidy house. Nope. Given up. Lifetime of long-coated dogs and cats so I fully embrace a coating of fuzz everywhere. However, water/mud not so much because PMD hate wet feet so they skirt around puddles...

Now I'm off to the dentist 😱😷😬Wish me luck!

Sort of relevant to the thread today - here are baby double dew claws on tiny 8 week old Brie.

@Pyreneansylvie GOOD LUCK!
Aw puppy toes 🥰

I’ll be honest - my house is a state right now and has been almost constantly since we got the puppy.

I tidy up a bit but it seems almost pointless when the puppy just trashes the place again. I always think I will have a good tidy up when he sleeps but I treasure the quiet time to message friends, go on Mumsnet etc