Puppy survival thread! All welcome!

[VanGoSunflowers]

Running on from our last one…

I won’t tag people because I will forget someone and then feel awful 😂

Thank you . she is really lovely

She's absolutely beautiful @YourLemonSheep ❤She's going to be a really stunning girl.

I have a Pyrenean. I'm large and giant breed obsessed. Current pup is almost 18 months, so I have one foot here and one foot in the adolescent support thread at the moment.

Just back from the beach and pup had a fabulous time. My friend’s huge golden retriever boy was a true gentle giant and they formed a bonded little pair together. They then sat together nicely whilst we got a snack. Loads of people, other dogs (including a golden retriever puppy) and very young children came over to say hello so a good socialisation day. The weather was so beautiful today so an idyllic day to be down there. Pup now having a snooze after all the excitement and I’m making the most of the peace and having a cuppa before witching hour later! 😂

@Houndymumma yesterday was lovely down here, wasn’t it? So glad it went well for your girl! I always find it lovely when small
dogs (even if yours will grow to be larger if not tall!) have big doggy companions! Did she have a witching hour in the end, or just sleep?

@VanGoSunflowers I know what you mean about ‘the other place’. I was driven crackers in 2022, DH was posted in Eastern Europe (guess where given his track record of picking postings where everything goes wrong…) and everyone was talking such nonsense that was so devoid of fact that in the end I deleted my account for over a year! The worst part is when people become ‘experts’ at whatever is currently happening (COID, Russia Ukraine, MEPP, Taiwan, Sudan etc) and the ‘experts’ get nasty if anyone challenges them on their lack of actual knowledge (because Google is not a source of knowledge and adults should really know this…). Politics always brings out the absolute worst in people. So, all to say, I do not blame you for stepping away!! But it’s always happy and glorious here

But so glad P is still recalling perfectly and his relationship with your son is growing 😊how big is he now?

Eris is yet to be ‘naughty’ on a walk, but I spent most of last night trying to extract her mouth from Twatdogs privates…I’m going to have to put the cone of shame on her at this rate.

@LandSharksAnonymous she was tired after her play date so witching hour was a lot easier. Yes, she’s tiny compared to my friend’s GR, it was lovely seeing them team up 😊

@LandSharksAnonymous of course, with what you have said about your DH (and @SpanielsGalore with her son) it must be even more worrying and/or infuriating reading people’s twaddle! I used to class myself as an ‘interested observer’ where politics was concerned, sort of open minded centrist that can be persuaded with a compelling argument but for some reason, the last few weeks have had me despairing for humanity. I said to a friend the other day “do you remember when almost nobody was interested in politics other than actual politicians? I miss that!” 😂
But you’re right, here it is lovely!

We are booked in at the vets for a nail clip and flea/worm treatment on Thursday so he will be weighed then but he is getting so big now!

Haha, that made me laugh about Eris being particularly drawn to twat dog’s privates 😂😂 glad she is being a good girl other than that though!

@Houndymumma so glad you had a nice day! Sounds absolutely perfect! It’s a good feeling when they’re tired out isn’t it 😂

Here is a couple of beach pics - an outing to the beach is a big event when you live in the midlands 😂
The close up one of P is quite blurry!

I haven’t managed to catch up with all the posts (again) sorry, I’ve not been in a great place mentally and it feels like too much just to read everything sorry but just checking in.

What a stunning boy Pablo is @VanGoSunflowers 🥰.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding oh I’m sorry to hear that - you’re not alone! I have felt very overwhelmed recently too. I really hope you’re ok ❤️
From my perspective, do not worry about reading everything or catching up - it’s just good to see you checking in!

Im trying a good old fashioned reset - that’s what the day at the beach was for and it worked! Healthy food, no alcohol and early nights and I will feel more human again 😊 (oh and staying away from anything political 😂)

@VanGoSunflowers thank you, I think it’s the very sudden change in seasons as I have SAD. I was at the doctors yesterday to increase my medication so hopefully it’ll take effect soon! Snuggles with Rory definitely helps and the enforced outdoor time as he obviously needs his walks.

Rory was super cute yesterday. DS’s girlfriend was round and she was singing (she’s a very good singer and sings all the time!). Rory was absolutely fascinated and did the cute head tilting thing while he was listening 🥰. I shall have to try to sing to him more often but unfortunately I am a terrible singer! He loves music and when I’m setting up the speaker for my pole dancing, he’s realised the music is about to come on and goes right to the speaker to listen 🥰.

@VanGoSunflowers oh and sorry you’re not doing so good either, that was rude of me not to acknowledge it. Glad you have a plan though and hope it helps! The sea air always helps but I’m sorry it’s such a trek for you!

@Houndymumma do you think you’ll see them often then? Weekly play dates? 😀or daily? Give you back some evening peace and quiet!

@VanGoSunflowers DH and I are less worried by people’s twaddle given his position means he should be safe (as opposed to being in harms way), but I do find it frustrating! I know what you mean though- it’s less well reasoned arguments these days and more ‘who can yell loudest.’ But no more politics! Dogs 😁

Pablo is such a big boy now! He’s entering that utterly adorable lanky stage of puppyhood! 😍does he have the funny walk where his paws are just slightly uncoordinated?

I’d say I’d join you in the reset, but I can’t give up my cake (banana and chocolate today).

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding sorry you’re still not feeling great! How is Rory doing?

I'm also wandering in and out to recharge. I stay away from the political threads altogether, but can't keep off the dog hate.
I'm feeling that neither of these threads (puppy/adolescent) is a good fit for me any more. Brie turns 18 months in a few days. I was still pondering the idea of an Adult Dog Chat thread, but then getting blanked on the other one, and feeling like what's the point to any of it?

All of you dealing with MH issues have my empathy.
My therapy (for anxiety/panic disorder) ends next week, after 4 months of weekly sessions, and after that I'm on my own. My lovely GP retired last month, so I'm going to find it doubly hard with no mental health back-up at all.

I've enrolled on an art course so hopefully that'll be therapeutic in some ways.
Aside from that, hopefully some longer walks with Brie through the colder months.

But the world does feel like a dark place right now.

Morning everyone. Sorry to read people are struggling at the minute. Last week was awful for me, so I am trying to stay away from the other place. All it shows me is people are inhumane or stupid. Or both.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding I know what you mean about the sudden change in weather. We seem to have skipped autumn and gone straight to winter up here. I had the heating on all day yesterday. And about the enforced outdoor time. I'd barely leave the house if i didn't have dogs. K and I went for a late evening walk around the harbour yesterday. It was lovely. And she even managed to walk nicely on her lead at times. 😇😂

@VanGoSunflowers P is all grown up already. (He's probably not, but he's bigger than mine. 😂) I think mine reached full height around 7 months of age. No idea when bigger dogs stop growing. Your beach trip sounds lovely. I used to live in the Midlands, so I know what a trek it is. The centre of England was pin pointed in my home town, so we couldn't have been further from the sea.

@LandSharksAnonymous Twatdog won't be needing his special toy for a while then. 😳 The events of 2022 must have been scarey for you. Back then, I thought we should send troops to help out. Now I hope we don't.

@Aubrielle Sorry you are struggling too. I'm waiting for you to start the adult dog chat thread, as I have two that don't belong in the puppy or adolescent phases. Although Beyond Adolescence may sound better than adult. Or is that just my dirty mind? 🙈 😂

@VanGoSunflowers @SpanielsGalore
If it's of any relevance re size, Brie is still not fully grown at almost 18 months, although we're probably just about there for height now. She'll continue bulking up beyond 2 years. There was very noticeable growth in height, and particularly body length, in the 8-12 month period.

Shall we do it then @SpanielsGalore and @LandSharksAnonymous ?
I thought Adult Dog Chat, but then... Ummmm... no. Because d*ing 😳
The title needs very careful thought.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding ah sorry to hear you have SAD. I don’t know too much about it but from what I can gather, it’s far more than just standard winter blues?
I love that Rory loves music, that’s adorable! I like to kid myself that Pablo enjoys my dancing around the kitchen when I am cooking as he tries to join in 😂
And not rude to not acknowledge it at all! To be honest, I kind of enjoyed the drive. Both DS and P slept the whole way back and I just listened to my music all the way home which lifted my spirits also 😊

@LandSharksAnonymous yes! He definitely does do that, it’s very cute. I think he is quite tall and ‘long’ - he jumped up when I got in from the school run and his head is above my waist - and I am 5’7”!
Also, I never said anything about giving up cake just trying to have healthier meals 😂
Chocolate and banana sounds very tasty!! Plus, it contains fruit so it counts 😂

@Aubrielle @SpanielsGalore I am very supportive of an adult thread! I can whine on about Clem’s lack of love for me there! Equally happy to start one…I should be working but hey!

But i know what you mean @Aubrielle, the world is particularly difficult and dark at the moment. Dogs (and my DDs and DH, when he’s not being irritating) sometimes feel like the one positive.

@SpanielsGalore I was terrified! But as a diplomat he’s better protected than many, so I am grateful for that!

Twatdog disgraced himself! Rolled further onto his back…so DMum is under orders today not to leave the two of them alone. I think I should have got him snipped! Sometimes I threaten it and he looks all worried…

@VanGoSunflowers good! Don’t give up cake! I have found cake cures all tbh! You’ve got to let me know how heavy P is on Thursday!

@Aubrielle, @SpanielsGalore and @LandSharksAnonymous may I be selfish and ask that you still keep coming to the puppy thread pleeeeeease 😂 or I might gate crash your ‘adult’
dog thread 😂 (my mind went to the same place as yours @SpanielsGalore!) I stayed on your adolescent thread for ages and I had no business being there 😂

@Aubrielle Im sorry your sessions will end soon, but really happy for you that you have enrolled in an art course. It’s so tough isn’t it, nobody can truly understand what you’re going through but I used to suffer terribly with debilitating panic attacks all through my 20s. And nice long winter walks with Brie, all wrapped up will hopefully help you too. They have no idea how much they lift us up these four legged beasts, do they?

@SpanielsGalore yep, lots of inhumanity and stupidness about! I have to remind myself that nobody I know in real life behaves that way so MN is (hopefully) not a microcosm of society!
He is getting so big! And heavy 😂 - I bet you didn’t live too far from where I am now then! I’m about a half an hour drive from Birmingham (I have a proper midlands accent 😂) how is yours doing with her injury? Any more updates from the vet??

@LandSharksAnonymous I shall let you know! I have a quiet day today and I am very tempted to bake a cake. I can’t even bake very well but I think it might be therapeutic!

@SpanielsGalore same here, Saturday was apocalyptic rain, Sunday was gorgeous and then yesterday, winter hit! At least it was sunny though.

@VanGoSunflowers yeah it’s pretty shit, I’m like 2 different people, summer me and winter me but unfortunately winter seems to last a lot longer than summer 😭.

I wonder if you live near where I lived as a child? Near Donington Park?

@VanGoSunflowers I find baking to be very therapeutic. I don't do so much now that there's no one to help eat it. I'll have to find some dog treat recipes instead.
I used to live half an hour away from Birmingham - junction 3 of the M6. My eldest has just moved to Wiltshire and they're all telling him he sounds like a Brummie. 😂
P has 4 days of tablets left. She hasn't been on walks, but she's racing round the garden, wrestling with K and pogo-ing all over the place, so the rest is going well.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding That must be tough, I must admit I used to suffer from winter blues but not full blown SAD. Wishing you an easy winter ❤️
So Donnington Park is about half an hour away from me and @SpanielsGalore jct 3 of the M6 is about the same distance but in the other direction! I used to hate my accent until Peaky Blinders made it cool (at least that’s what I tell myself 😂) to the trained ear, my accent isn’t actually Brummie but more my local town’s own one as I have lived here all my life. I’m interested to know what accent everyone has now! I love accents!
Ah bless P! She’s not listening to doctors orders though! Excuse my ignorance, but would you take that as a good sign if she’s leaping about or will it not be known until the next appointment with the vet?

Sorry to hear everyone is struggling, it has been very wet. I’m hoping for a few more bright Autumn days hopefully.🤞 I’m a bit weird and struggle with late summer instead (too noisy, hot and people everywhere), so I always feel better in Autumn. I almost think I have reverse SAD as I get insomnia by late summer and feel super anxious and almost manic. Then the light/heat decreases and Autumn comes and I feel so much better. I think the seasons make a big difference to us all. Regarding political stuff, I refuse to engage and avoid the news now apart from reading BBC news online. World seems to have gone mad since the pandemic and people are so angry, so I’m a coward and just avoid it all now.

@LandSharksAnonymous we’ll catch up with my friend regularly but they live the other side of the New Forest from us so it’ll be more lunch dates and small walks. However there is a Basset waddle meet up in late Oct, so I might take mine up to that (weather dependent) so she can meet her pack. Not old enough to do much walking with them yet but they love meeting their own kind.

Regarding puppy/adolescent/adult threads, I don’t think it matters what title a thread has, it’s more about if people are nice and helpful. Maybe we should just call it ‘Dog Club thread’ 😃 Most of us have had puppies and adult dogs recently so I think we’re all good at offering help and advice. It’s been nice hearing about other people’s dogs and the different breeds too.

I hope the baking goes well (I’m terrible at cooking) but @Aubrielle doing some art sounds very therapeutic. I’m a keen knitter, but reluctant to get out my knitting at the moment due to puppy teeth! Knitting always helps my MH as I find it very meditative. Sadly knitting and puppies wouldn’t be a very relaxing combination presently though!