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 😂

That's in the genes. Gundog breeds will continue playing with toys because of the instinct to retrieve/carry. Guarding breeds don't really chase or carry things, except as very young pups. She actually played for much longer than our others did, our boys never really had much interest in toys at all, even when they were very young. She's still a cheeky scamp but it's more interactive like tag type games and hide & seek. But she's definitely showing more adult behaviour now. I need another puppy, don't I?

@Aubrielle no we’re still in the throws of teething. She’s still off her kibble but happy with wet food. Also keener on softer treats atm. Think this is fuelling the chew every plant phase. My garden is beginning to look like the surface of the moon!! Like you, instead of puppy puddles, my floor is now covered in muddy paw prints. My breed has exceptionally large paws on the end of their stumpy legs! So not for the house proud either! 😂

Our last two never bothered with toys, sticks or balls once past puppyhood. My old boy had his toy cuddly monkey but use to just sleep with it in his arms like a baby even when old as this photo shows! I’ve still got his toy monkey but it’s almost too painful to look at still 😢

Oh the poor babe, it sounds as if she's not having an easy time with teething @Houndymumma . Brie got off pretty lightly, but our previous pup struggled with sore, bleeding gums for weeks.
I don't think our little madam is ever going to grow out of digging craters in the garden. She's a carpet digger/lying down paddler too, which is annoying at night because she makes a lot of noise about it 😂

Awww, what a gorgeous photo @Houndymumma ❤
There are few breeds so endearing as the Basset I think.
I know how you feel, even looking at photos of Algy can still set me off sometimes.

@Aubrielle aww I didn’t know that, I only have experience of labs and my parents’ cocker spaniels!

@Houndymumma aww so cute! Both my boys like/d to sleep with a teddy between their arms but they’re not fussy which ones! Billy loved the little McDonalds teddies as they’re just right for carrying around, they’re the only ones he didn’t destuff! Rory isn’t much of a destuffer fortunately so he’s been trusted with an elf teddy even though it’s only November which is his current favourite! It was meant to be a Christmas present but I made the mistake of bringing it in when he was there. I got him a couple of presents from Pets at Home yesterday that are hidden in the boot so he doesn’t see them 😂😂. I also had to get him a new harness and his puppy one is looking like a badly fitting thong now 😂😂 (my friend’s description not mine).

I've only started to learn about gundogs since I came on here @Idstillratherbepaddleboarding . Mine was the only non-gundog amongst a gaggle of spaniels & retrievers on puppy group at that point. Before that I only knew about LGD's. I've learned a huge amount from people on these threads!

Sounds like Rory is going to have an absolutely amazing Christmas!!! @Idstillratherbepaddleboarding

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding a badly fitting thong! 😂 love it! Mine has just moved on from the puppy harness this week, she weighed in at 15.5kg so about half weight. I can just pick her up still but not much longer!

Oh he will @Aubrielle, new toys, food and lights. What more could a dog need?? Well I’d argue a gingerbread man onesie but DH has an absolutely no dressing up dogs rule 😂.

@Houndymumma Rory is over 20kg so a bigger size was definitely long overdue. He only uses it on the car and if I want him extra secure as they’re rest of the time he’s on a slip lead so I kept forgetting we needed one until we needed it (autism brain!).

So I have a question for the wisdom of the room - at what age could I expect to be able to WFH reasonably effectively (including on line meetings) with a young Labrador? They would obvs have a good walk early and lunchtime, and have access to a garden.

I know there are variables, so let's agree it's an "average" lab.

I have someone at home for the foseeable future, but want to plan ahead realistically.

Thanks.

@gotthearse I’ve managed to WFH throughout with mine. In fact he’s curled up next to me right now snoring away. When I have to go into the office, either DH is WFH or he goes to my friend’s who will also be WFH. I guess it’s just normal to him!

We have episodes of very loud play with me/I don't want to go in my crate barking, zoomies and gnawing of things that are Not For Dogs. Id need to jump off if my meeting or go on mute if they started. I find at the mo she needs a good hour of attention for an hour to two hours kip in return. Decent chews are helping to occupy her tho , thankfully.

I worked full time from home with older one from when she was 5 months and younger one when she was 9 weeks (both labs).

I did work from the kitchen so hard floors and reasonably puppy proofed and couldn't get out of sight and I could open patio doors if needed. Mine soon learned that I'm a very boring person when sat at the computer. I used to do little bits of training whilst I waited for the kettle to boil, or was just taking a screen break, so 5 mins every hour.

@gotthearse I had three weeks off work when we first got pup but other than that I have WFH all the way though. He’s 9 months now and I haven’t had many problems. Occasional days when he’s barked at the postman loudly, chewed a cardboard box next to my desk or whined because he wants to play - but largely as long as he’s had enough exercise he’s pretty content to sleep on his mat next to me while I work.

On the more difficult days I have used lick mats, puzzle mats with bits of JR pate hidden inside or natural chews. My boy is a big fan of a pigs ear and often those things will keep him occupied if I have a call that’s particularly important.

@gotthearse Ive worked from home full time since my lab was 10 weeks (brought him home at 8 weeks and had two weeks off)
Not really had any issues as he’s pretty chilled in the house. Occasionally have to go on mute if he starts barking at the window and one memorable time I had to drop off a call when he was throwing up to try and stop him from eating it! And then of course clean up 😂 on the very odd occasion in the early weeks, I had to give him something to chew on to occupy him but that’s not needed now.
My desk is in my living room and he is free range downstairs. He just sleeps on whatever surface is closest to me.

Quick question… when your dogs bark at the door… do their hackles go up? I thought dogs only do that when they’re scared or feel threatened but I read it can be out of excitement too?

@VanGoSunflowers Rory’s did the other night when he hadn’t realised DH had gone into the garden and thought there was an intruder 😂. Don’t forget Pablo will be in peak “big man” mode with all his hormones right now and trying to protect you.

Ours have only ever done it when they feel something is a threat. None of them did it when barking at the door. I'm sure with some dogs it can be just excitement or overstimulation though.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding that’s kind of sweet if he’s trying to be a big boy. Although I know exactly how it would go if any intruder actually got in to the house and I’m sure belly rubs would be involved 😂
He doesn’t do it every time he barks at the window. Nor does he bark at the window every time someone is there 😂 (and sometimes barks at his own reflection, bless him)

Its quite a sight though isn’t it?

Hackles are a response to adrenaline, so can be fear, excitement, aggression etc. My older one always has hackles up in play, just across the shoulders. If she's scared they go up all the way down the back to her tail.

Thanks @Aubrielle I guess the rest of the dog’s body language counts too? He usually just seems ‘alert’ when his go up!

@tizwozliz that’s interesting apart partial hackles! Pablo’s only go up across his shoulders.

With ours it would be the whole back as @tizwozliz describes. Pretty scary in a large hairy dog, so I'm glad it was a rare occurrence.

Who's going to be Threadkiller...?

Ooooh I didn’t realise the thread was nearly full! I will start another and post a link here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5442100-puppy-survival-thread-autumn-2025-all-welcome

Which leaves one post left for whoever wants the honours 😂

I’ll take the last post

Here is my boy after our eventful walk this morning. If you zoom in you will see the fox poo he is covered in. I didn’t photograph the carcass of a small bird I had to wrestle from
his mouth (it was dead when he found it).

If he wasn’t so cute he’d be going back today 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️😂😂