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 😂)

@VanGoSunflowers about Pablo knowing it was lunch time, Billy always knew 4pm was dinner time followed by a walk and god forbid either was late! Rory hasn’t worked out timings yet but I’m sure he will where dinner is concerned 😂.

We had another lovely day Paddleboarding yesterday 🥰. As a few people have mentioned up thread, our friends brought their elderly dog and she told him off a few times for getting too much in her face, which our friends tried to stop but I said don’t worry, let them figure it out for themselves and they did. They even took a nap together 🥰. He couldn’t wait to get back on the Paddleboard again and spend all day off lead pottering about the area where we set up camp with no problems. There were 13 people altogether, all dog lovers, so he got lots of attention and food! The best thing for me is that every time a stranger dog went past, he sat down and just watched them, I really hope that continues as he gets older and of course he got lots of praise for that!

On the subject of crates, Billy used one on the advise of his trainer and the general advice of the time but I actually think it was counter productive. He’d happily go in and take a long, deep nap then he’d come out and be ON until his next nap. He did like sleeping in there for his first year and it wasn’t a negative thing for him but we decided not to have a crate for Rory and I think it’s helped him to be much calmer and to learn just to potter about when we’re busy. When we go out for and hour or 2 we close the doors to the kitchen, DH’s office and the pool table room (dining room officially) and he has access to the living room and hall way. We cover the sofas in blankets just incase of chewing, unplug any wires and put sleeping music on Alexa for him. He’s managed 2 hours with no destruction and no toilet accidents. In fact the only real issue with not crating him is having to carry him up and downstairs for his joints. He’s also already made it into our bed at night and we’re all happy with that. Billy also slept in our bed from about 18 months so we’re used to sharing 🥰.

I’ve been on a bed buying spree today which has resulted in tears 😂 (mine)

The original crate I had said it was big enough for an adult retriever but I’m really not convinced so I picked up a bigger one, put his softer kitchen bed in there and brought him a brand new bigger cosy kitchen bed to sleep on.

Got home with the kitchen bed, I think he’s a fan already as he wee’d with excited all over it and then tried to have sex with it.

Put the crate up, trapped my fingers in the bloody thing while I was putting it up which was painful as hell.

The main thing is, he seems happy. The bigger crate looks far better for him and the kitchen bed, once I’ve cleaned it, seems to be a hit 😂

I just wanted to have some options for him and for me. He has three places he can choose to sleep on downstairs and I know for now, he will pick the one that’s closest to me every time (so probably the sofa 😂)
But as I am starting to leave him at home for shorter periods - and leave him in the kitchen when I do, he’s got an awesome bed in there now and for the time being, when it’s the crate overnight at least he has more space in there.

God I am tying myself in knots on justifying all of my decisions. I need a holiday 😂

Lucky Pablo with a new bed and crate @VanGoSunflowers ! Were you furious about him weeing on the bed? I think I would have been peeved even if I didn't show it.

My girl doesn't have a bed or a crate - none of ours have. She pretty much sleeps wherever she wants. We don't really do "bed" we just say "settle" or "sleepytime" and she'll wander off. She does have favoured snoozing spots, same as the others did but not a bed as such. I guess it's built in, she kind of is a squishy bed on legs really 😆

Looking at the mealtimes thing, we always find that when the clocks change it really throws them. They get out of synch and expect their meals an hour earlier or later so we have to make a gradual adjustment.

Brie knows the words breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper. This morning I asked my chap "what shall we have for lunch?", next moment Brie wandered in and sat in front of the cupboard where her feeding bowls are. She's done the same when we've talked about dinner. Little pigs have very big ears.

@CoubousAndTourmalet It definitely could have gone either way, after the day I had and the amount of time I spent carefully selecting a new bed in the pet shop, talking to the staff, trying to get one that is as close to the sofa in comfort level as I could and making a joke about how I hope he appreciates it, I actually ended up laughing at him 😂 which quickly turned in to me being quietly disgruntled at having to clean it up!

It’s so lovely that Brie can do that, wander off and find where she wants to sleep - she does look so comfy in the pics I have seen - as you say like she is a walking bed! The only time I have known Pablo to sleep anywhere other than the softest, squishiest surface he can find is when we had that heatwave - which figures really!

So clever that she knows the word lunch as well! I always do a specific “are you hungry?” in an excited voice when it’s time for Pabs to eat. The cupboard I get his food out of has a very distinctive cream so that noise usually gets his attention too 😂

He's currently sleeping on the sofa next to me. My son is due back any minute from a 2 week holiday with his dad so this one will go wild with excitement to see him!

I also put the bigger crate up again (not fun but no injuries at least!) and put all his toys at one end as he's taken to eating the cute box they used to live in. He's chosen to go in and have a lie down and chew of a few bits so the next step is to get him to used to not having me in his eyeline...

I've bought him a kong and some liver stuffing paste so I'm hoping that'll keep him happy enough to have the door shut and me in another room or even outside the house for a short while. If we can crack that I can arrange daycare or pop ins much easier for office days!

Awww, I bet that was some reunion between your two boys @VanGoSunflowers , I imagine there were tears of joy. You'll have a happy pup this evening.

I don't know, I'm sure it must seem terrible to some people for a pup to have no bed... but she's from working bloodlines and although she mainly lives in the house, she's not really a cutesy little pet. So no bed, no toys, because she'd just shred them up. She's a wild thing, pretty much but we do love her.

I use a single quilt, folded in half as their bed inside the cage. I think mine is a 46" cage, so it's a perfect fit. Then I buy quilt covers for £2 or £3 from the charity shop. It doesn't matter if they chew or toilet on them then. Easy to wash and cheap to replace.
@MonCoubousMonTourmalet I have three dog beds and a window cushion downstairs. They are usually all empty as the dogs sleep on the sofas. 🙄

@MonCoubousMonTourmalet doesn’t seem at all terrible to me! I mean, like @SpanielsGalore mine has so many beds to choose from and nearly always picks the sofa 😂
They’re all different and all have their preferences. If Brie was in my house, Pablo would probably choose to sleep on her 😊

@SpanielsGalore I like that idea, I might steel that! He has a cushion type bed and a load of blankets in there at the moment but they won’t last with a pup 😂

Brie very occasionally gets on the sofa @SpanielsGalore, but she never stays there long. She seems to like stretching out fully or lying on her back, so she's really happier on the floor.

Re what you said about Pablo @VanGoSunflowers , the cats have always snuggled up to the dogs to sleep, so clearly they do indeed make a comfy bed or pillow.

@MonCoubousMonTourmalet that’s adorable and I bet Brie loves that too? From what you’ve said she’s so gentle with other creatures and critters! I shouldn’t say this on a dog thread but I do also love cats! I have some smaller, caged animals too but would never let Pablo meet them 😳

I had to smile at the texts on the breeder’s WhatsApp group. One of the other owners said they know Labs are food obsessed but their’s tried to steal a load of buffet food from the dining table when they had friends over and she asked if it was food obsession or if she’s just not feeding him enough.
The breeder replied and said “he sounds hungry, increase his food by 25%”

I honestly think that if I even tripled Pablo’s food rations he would still eat it all. Possibly to the point of throwing it back up again! But he’s the perfect size in my opinion so I’d never do that 😂

Just sounds like typical lab behaviour!

Obvs Vinny isn’t a lab but he is a maniac when it comes to food. He is quick as a flash and will steal anything he can get his snout around. He has been known to sit and beg for a pan of boiling water on the hob 😂

The man literally acts like he’s never been fed in his life!

@VanGoSunflowers Your breeder does give some great advice. 😂 I think my lot would eat all day long if they got the chance.

@VanGoSunflowers has your breeder ever even met a Labrador (obviously she has since she breeds them but you know what I mean!)? We always said Billy would eat and eat and eat til he popped if he could and, if anything, Rory is even worse. He loses his tiny mind when food is present!

The lovely bed I bought for Rory is also only used for humping, he much prefers the sofa and our bed! This is him right now, snoring loudly, having woken me up at 6am being sick 😭. He seems fine in himself though so I’ll keep an eye on him today.

@YorkshireFelix Pablo once’s begged for coffee beans. I don’t think that would have been a good idea 😂

@SpanielsGalore I know, she’s given out some er interesting advice so far hasn’t she?! It’s one f the reasons I’ve said a few times on here that I wished I’d known more about finding a good breeder before I went to her - although I would still want to end up with Pablo!

@Idratherbepaddleboarding ah, I hope he is ok!

So case in point about greedy labs (although technically this one is my fault) I cooked one of the roast in the bag chickens for dinner yesterday and left the foil container to one side so that the chicken juices could solidify somewhat before I threw it away. Thought I had left it out of Pablo’s reach and took DS upstairs to do shower and bed time etc.

You can probably guess the rest. Luckily, it was only luke warm and he had the time of his life licking the drips off the floor and from my kitchen cabinet. Thankfully, the entire foil tray didn’t spill but it was enough to drip all over his head while he was licking the kitchen floor. He now has greasy fur on top of his head which I’ve tried to wash twice but he still smells like chicken and is still greasy 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ a quick google suggests to apply baking powder to the area to mop up the grease before giving him another wash 🤔

@VanGoSunflowers Oh he's big enough to counter surf already. That's fun. 😂 Hopefully there are no ill effects on his stomach. I'm no help with the grease removal, sorry.

Yup, we all learn the hard way @VanGoSunflowers that with larger breed pups, nothing is ever safe.

I'd say baking powder if it wasn't on his head, but even applied as a paste it will dry powdery and could get in his eyes, so I'd be inclined not to risk it.
I'm guessing you've already tried a warm soapy flannel but you probably just need to keep at it then let it dry and use a fine comb.

@SpanielsGalore I must admit I was on edge last night and I could hear his stomach gurgling when he was asleep but so far, he’s ok. I don’t think he consumed all that much as most of it was spilled all over the counter top 🤦‍♀️

I had been trying train him not to jump up at the counter but seeing as it’s a magical food producing area of the room and now seemingly it also rains chicken juice over there, I’d say that’s made it all the more harder! I can move everything out of his way, but I’m more concerned about him knocking the gas hob on with his paws so I’m going to have to figure out how to switch that off when I’m not here!

@MonCoubousMonTourmalet yep, have tried a warm soapy flannel. Thank you for the advice, I will just do that! Keep cleaning away at it and brush his fur when dry as you say. He smells so lovely usually that I like to get a good sniff of his neck when he comes to ‘hug’ me (is that weird?) 😂

He'll be fine @VanGoSunflowers
Rosie once ate a whole chunk of butter in the wrapper and lived to tell the tail tale. Merlin nicked two freshly baked scones off the cooling rack, Sylvie ate a vegetable stock cube complete with foil😝. It happens. Don't beat yourself up over it.

The hob is a worry for us too - we switch our cooker off at the wall overnight now because all Brie has to do is brush past and her tail can flick one of the dials around.

Neck sniffing is not weird at all. I'm very much an ear nuzzler myself, but yes, hopefully greasy chicken head whiff will soon wear off and Pablo will smell like himself again.

@VanGoSunflowers thank you, he seems to be fine now. I think it might have been because we’re in the process of changing him to wet food instead of kibble.

Hope Pablo enjoyed his chicken justice, it must be driving him mad smelling of chicken and not being able to lick it off 😂.

Also neck sniffing is fine but the best thing to take hold of a paw and get a sniff of their stinky, cheesy feet. Sorry, but it is 😂.

Thank you @MonCoubousMonTourmalet - and for telling the things your pups have eaten and survived! I mean, Pablo will try and eat actual cow pats so I needn’t worry about a bit of chicken juice 😂

Im happy to report with a few more cleans he has resorted back to normal puppy smell 😊

@Idratherbepaddleboarding I remember reading about how sensitive their stomachs can be when young. Glad he is ok!

im not sure if chicken justice was a typo but I enjoyed it nonetheless 😂

@VanGoSunflowers how is Pablo now? Hopefully no longer smelling like chicken at all? 😃

Is it just me who loves 'new puppy' smell? I keep smelling Eris and my eyes just drift closed every time. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but there is something about new puppy smell that just makes me relax and smile.

I love puppy smell too @LandSharksAnonymous Nothing else compares. I just want to nuzzle in to their ears and neck. They're just delicious, and I'm desperately broody 😭