Summer 25 pups

[Lavenderdog]

Any other new puppy owners around this summer? Have been looking back at some of the old puppy support threads and can see how helpful it was for those posters to share their experiences.

9 week old mini schnauzer here - so toilet training and avoiding those needle sharp teeth are the current main activities here!

(And being tolerant of her determination to rid my garden of lavender plants. Hence my user name 😂)

Can I join?
I picked up my Labrador puppy 5 weeks ago Wednesday- he is 13 weeks tomorrow. Here is Pablo

This is lovely timing, I followed all the puppy threads before but they moved up to the next stage just before I got my Cavapoo! Buddy is 16 weeks now, been with me for 5 of them and I am besotted

@Lavenderdog @widewomanofthevillage have either of you had dogs before? Mine is my first! It’s a steep learning curve 😂

I've had Staffies in the family growing up, then a Rotty/Mastiff mix a few years ago when my kids were teens but she was an older rescue so this is my first puppy rodeo!

I was meant to get a rescue Staffy but it fell through at the last minute so I flipped it and found a fluffy pup instead. Total opposite to the plan!

Pablo is a darling, I've been following your adventures on the adolescent thread.

Well you picked a handsome chap! How are you getting on with him so far? What’s his personality like?

He is a sweetheart. I’m very pleased with him! I learned so much from the adolescent thread - they’re a lovely and supportive bunch!

Saw the title and thought someone had 25 puppies!

Two gorgeous photos on this thread. Twenty three to go!

Here’s our floor-cleaning device. 16 weeks old and actually fairly good except for licking our cat rather more than the cat would like…

@Steelworks 25 puppies would be nothing short of a cataclysm 😂

But definitely hoping we get 23 more dog pictures!

Adorable 🥰

Poor cat 😂

Oh yeah, I've learned loads from lurking on those threads! There's so much advice and opinion around it can be overwhelming so having a solid group telling it warts and all has really helped me relax a bit and enjoy him.

I almost don't want to break the spell but he's an angel really. As soon as he was allowed out after his jabs he cracked garden toileting in 48 hrs. I slept in the lounge with him for a week then moved his crate into my room and he goes from 11-6 every night, doesn't even whimper when I get up for a wee now.

He's velcro indoors and I took the advice to use that and let him off lead early in the park and he recalled like a pro. Just once I've had to go collect him (from a particularly gorgeous black lab, funny enough!).

He's also made friends with an old GSD who's teaching him when enough is enough and that's been priceless. They're hilarious to see as the size diff is massive but they adore each other.

The only worry he's given me is an abcess below his ear. Vet thinks it could be a grass seed embedded or maybe a bite from a littermate that's been there a while and got infected but a course of antibiotics and he's back on form already - witching hour bitey zoomies included!

@widewomanofthevillage I feel like I have been lucky with Pablo so far, although I wonder if he luring me in to a false sense of security and it’ll all go out of the window when he hits adolescence

We’ve had my friend’s sweet old greyhound teaching him some doggy manners. It’s hilarious to see Pabs pull out his ‘big boy bark‘ at her and she stands and ignores him, or sniffs his bollocks (which he doesn’t seem to mind)

I can’t believe how much I have fallen for him. Last night, as his head was gently cradled in the crook of my arm whilst sleeping peacefully, he let out several farts that were so offensive I think I could have had him arrested under the terrorism act. But I just gazed lovingly at him whilst trying not to breathe through my nose.

Just finished with the witchy bitey hours - been a long evening!
She’s really struggling with teething. I am trying frozen things, chew toys, carrots, silicone pots plus appropriate puppy chews but she’s a demon! Have had several pups before but the other really bitey one was also a schnauzer.

@Lavenderdog does yours give you ‘the look’ just prior to attacking your feet?

She prefers to charge up behind us!

I’ll be joining as well - although I’m a bit of an interloper as I’ve got a 2.5 year old as well as several others! So I’ll probably lurk and pop up for puppy photos 😁

@VanGoSunflowers I feel like I have been lucky with Pablo so far, although I wonder if he luring me in to a false sense of security and it’ll all go out of the window when he hits adolescence

This is exactly how I feel, the adolescent thread is so good to keep my feet on the ground haha! Is it showing off if I say B doesn't even seem to fart?

@LandSharksAnonymous Welcome, I feel like I've been eavesdropping on you for ages in the other threads! Can't wait to see pics of your puppy pack!

@Lavenderdog I also bought a load of chewy stuff but his favourites are a dirty stick from the garden or a grotty stone.

@jaundicedoutlook Same age as Buddy! Same mix as well? F1 Cavapoo?

@widewomanofthevillage haha not showing off at all! I was actually frantically googling if it was ok, he’s always been a bit ‘windy’ bless him so have been trying to get him to slow down with eating his meals, for example, but the other evening was particularly bad! Nothing since, luckily!
I do always try and have in the back of my head whenever he recalls beautifully over the local field, or when he remembers to walk by my side that this won’t last forever 😂 although I will say, you’ve got to start somewhere haven’t you? And I’m teaching myself as much as him so if it all gets forgotten when he gets to adolescence and turns in to a dickhead, I will know why!

@LandSharksAnonymous hey 👋 hope all is going well with the pups!

@Lavenderdog you did make me stop about think about the biting and chewing today actually, Pablo has calmed right down on that since we have been going for walks. I do think his teeth are bothering him a bit (at least that’s how it seems?) but he seems to be getting better at chewing things he is supposed to chew. Having said that, there are still several items that are out of his reach - shoes, remote controls and cushions are the main ones 😂
When he stops being bitey I shall be treating myself to some new soft furnishings!

@widewomanofthevillage oh gosh! Now I’m worried you’ll think I’m a nob! I have a tendency to be a bit frank…

@LandSharksAnonymous you were frank with me once and it helped me to make a much better decision so I am thankful for it!

@VanGoSunflowers thank you! 😄

If you are struggling with the teething, I do recommend the ‘elephant/duck approach’ and/or frozen towels. Frozen towels don’t last long with retrievers but it does help numb their gums!

I always ask for a glass of ice when I’m socialising a puppy that’s teething somewhere like a cafe etc, not only does it entertain them but it limits the possible damage to restaurant furniture etc

@LandSharksAnonymous mine’s gone off his ‘duck’ (dog in his case!) lately - I’m assuming it’s because we’ve been out walking 🤷‍♀️ burning off energy in other ways I guess but at least I have it on standby should he become in the mood again 😂

Pablo absolutely loves munching on ice cubes and frozen carrots - I will definitely try the frozen towel approach too! Thanks!

Oh absolutely not, I really like your style actually! Firm but fair and always from experience rather than just pontificating! Your love for the breed and your dogs shines right through.

I’ve seen on the WhatsApp group that we have with the breeder and the other pups that one has been stung by a wasp - poor things snout has swollen right up!
But it got me thinking, is there anything you can buy OTC that you can keep in the house for situations similar before you take them to the vet? Obviously, something like a sting can cause swelling and whatnot so you’d still go to the vet but can you administer first aid for situations like that at home? As well as for other ‘incidents’?

I guess I am asking about puppy first aid! The breeder just said to give them piriton but as you know @LandSharksAnonymous i take some of her advice with a large pinch of salt!