Puppy Survival Thread for New and Old Pups - here comes winter 2024

[Bupster]

I thought I might as well be the one to start the new thread! Nothing to report but a sleepy puppy over here.

@YorkshireFelix @brushingboots

So glad I'm not the only veggie here 😊

My husband has the Barbour flat cap, Barbour gilet, Tweed sweater and Le Chameau green wellies look going on at the mo and we don't even have a spaniel 😂Plus he has a long pony tail sticking out under the cap 😆

@YorkshireFelix @PyreneanAubrie for the avoidance of doubt, I wasn't shooting but just setting her up in scenarios full of bunnies to practice being steady around small running furries! The only thing picked up tonight was a pigeon which she brought me as a charming gift at the end.

No flat cap or any hat at all which I regretted about ten minutes in when the heavens opened!

That is genuinely pretty much my permanent look (though it sounds like my hair is shorter than this!) so no judgement here! I have a leather whistle lanyard thingy too – the true mark of a Spaniel Man – but swapped it for dog dad's coronation lanyard which is cooler I reckon 👑

This is so outing although I'm sure no one I know is going to be lurking on the puppy survival thread. But we just walked past our restaurant on our evening walk round the block and he sat at the door wagging his tail waiting to be let in 😭😭😭

Anyone got any tips on what we can do to offset confinement anxiety?! We brought our Golden Retriever puppy home on Saturday. We had a crate all ready in the lounge, thinking it was safer/cosier, but she hated it the second we put her in. So last night we switched to a pen, because that's what she and her siblings had been in. We set it up with a cosy bed, blanket scented by her mum, a jumper of mine, toys and water. She got upset straight away again but after five minutes of crying and whining and trying to leap up and me making soothing noises, she finally went to sleep with me on the floor beside her.

This evening we put her in the pen again while we very quickly had dinner next door in the kitchen, thinking that was safer for her, but she went nuts and managed to get out! Thankfully she's not injured herself but obviously we are extremely worried she won't settle a crate or pen now. Anyone got tips for how I can get her settled in the pen this evening?! I will be sleeping in the room again with her.

I feel awful we seem to have messed it up at the first hurdle.

Awww, what a clever lad he is @YorkshireFelix ❤

That's ridiculous cute!

@DowntonNabby Ahhh I love a golden! Congrats on your new pup.

If you're thinking crate is better from a safety point of view then I'd work around making it the most amazing place to be in. On our first couple of days I sat by the crate and encouraged Vinny in and gave him treats, but didn't close the door. Then slowly kept building that up to the door being closed. I had to sit by the crate until he was asleep for a few weeks but eventually could just pop him in and sit out of sight. He doesn't willingly go in there himself but now if I put him in for a nap or to sleep at night he settles nicely most of the time. I know some dogs end up loving it as a den to just chill in but I don't think that will ever be us!

I know some people say to feed them in the crate too to form more positive association around it, and also add in random treats for them to discover (and chews when they are old enough).

There's a few on here who don't crate at all who might be able to give advice on that side of things!

@PyreneanAubrie @Newuser75 probably thought he was going to get a nibble of pizza crust 😂

@DowntonNabby

Hi 🙂

Congratulations on your new puppy! We'd love to see her if you feel like sharing a photo.

I've never crated my pups so if I can help in any way at all please give me a shout. We use gates instead of crates and it works brilliantly for bigger dogs.

Thanks! Might share pic in a bit – she's an absolute sweetheart! We feel so lucky to be her forever family.

If you never crated yours, where did they sleep as puppies?

Oooooh, yes please 😋Brie and I would definitely partake; she's a real cheese fiend 🙄

Thank you! I've been on the fence about crates anyway and her reaction was so distressing that I think we'd rather persevere with the pen. Or just a bed. But we couldn't leave her alone downstairs at night until we could be sure she wouldn't chew everything in sight!

I've had 8 Pyrenean Mountain Dogs - all reared from 8 or 9 weeks and they've all slept in the kitchen initially. We use dog gates and leave the doors open so we can hear from upstairs if they ask to go out to toilet.

They've all been fully house trained by a young age and we've never had any behavioural issues/tantrums/crying or whining. When pups are free range they seem to learn adult behaviour very quickly.

Our current girl is 6 months old. She's very well behaved at home, but a nightmare to lead walk 🙄

If she could sleep in the kitchen we wouldn't crate or pen her – but unfortunately because we have a cat going in and out the flap we have to keep her in the lounge for now.

Ah, okay, that is more difficult. Obviously it is far easier to puppy proof a kitchen than a living room as regards chewable objects.

We have cats too but no cat flap so it's not such an problem for us. The cats can pretty much please themselves as to which side of the dog gates they want to be on.

I hope you can sort out the crating issue somehow and get your pup settled.

@DowntonNabby we have never crated the puppy we are currently raising or our previous Labrador.

Our current puppy sleeps in our kitchen/diner at night in his dog bed & has since day 1. He only cried the first night & is used to the routine of being left alone at night. He used to wee on the floor overnight (tiled floor) but is dry most nights now & has been since about 4 months. In the daytime he naps in his bed in the living room.

My friend tried to crate her puppy and he hated it so she gave up with it too. I know it works for some people/some puppies but it’s not right for everyone so my advice is not to worry if your puppy can’t take to it.

Sorry @DowntonNabby Just read you can’t use the kitchen.

@DowntonNabby does the crate have a cover on it? We've had Sizzle (12 weeks tomorrow) for a month now and for the first 3 weeks the crate was disastrous. This past week I've covered it and there's slight whimpering to start with, then silence. Thank goodness.

Poor Zeus has only been out in the garden today - no walks. DP and I have had this hellish cold (LFTs coming tomorrow) for a couple of days now and barely have the energy to sort out the kids. Let alone anything else. He seems quite chilled about it though.

Our lounge has a hardwood floor so we're not worried about accidents. If anything, she seems to prefer stretching out on it. Going to see how tonight goes – who knows, she might be okay. @hilbil21 We covered it with a blanket and that didn't help, unfortunately.

@JessiesHuman oh no, I hope you're feeling better soon! He will be fine being indoors don't worry. Just do what you have to do to get through.

@YorkshireFelix Thank you. Just feel bad that he’s not been for a walk no matter how chilled he is about it.

@DowntonNabby so did I at first it was a cream one, but when I changed it to a black one, he changed and quietened down. It might just be coincidence of course.

Hope you feel better soon @JessiesHuman

Good luck for a settled pup this evening @DowntonNabby