Puppy Survival Thread Autumn 2025 - all welcome!

[VanGoSunflowers]

Hello everyone! Won’t tag you all as you know everyone is welcome 😊

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks
You saying this thing about Satan reminded me of when we got our first Maine Coon kitten. I couldn't get along with him, he was insane, demonic and hyper compared to the British Shorthairs I'd grown up with. My partner said "try to stop thinking of him as a cat", so I did, and I fell in love pretty quickly.
I think I'd say to anyone getting a LGD after having a different dog "try not to think of them as a dog", then they'd be fine 😁
But the differences between breeds/types can be immense.

@VanGoSunflowersthats so helpful thank you. Some really good tips in there.

I need to keep reminding myself he’s not even been here a week yet so it’s such early days. He is sometimes a very quick learner. One of his biggest frustrations was not being able to get off the sofa if I got up, so I got him some steps, showed him what to do with some treat encouragement and now he’s up and down like a yoyo lol

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks the cat is fine with the puppy. He even likes walking around the garden with her and is quite interactive. She defers to him but is always pleased to see him in the mornings. Sits on the sofa with her too. Problem was a lot of the adult fosters haven’t been brought up with cats or furries, Bassets are very good with small furries if they’re use to them, my last bassets even slept cuddled up to the cats. And yes I probably totally wiped the puppy years from my mind! 😂

The Flat Coat was such a lovely boy, but boy did he like walking and he was so active! He was always wanting out for a walk!! And I’m a lazy Basset owner that’s usually use to a slow waddle! Plus Bassets just sleep on the sofa for hours when home! 😂

I’m sure someone asked on the last thread how people manage to work from home with a puppy?

Well here is a pic of Pablo deciding it’s time for a cuddle, when I am right in the middle of reviewing something, and forgets he is 20-odd kilos and can definitely still fit on my lap 😂❤️

@CoubousAndTourmaIet 100% agree. I always find it amusing when people compare Labs and Goldies as they are similar but also so incredibly different...

I have to say, I can't imagine a Maine Coon being like a regular cat. They just seem too full of personality and sass.

@Houndymumma oh that's lovely 😊Is it unusual for cats to bond that quickly with dogs?

I do have this great imagine in my mind of a faceless woman being dragged around a field, coat flapping behind her, whilst a Flattie goes bananas. 😁

I'm starting to wonder if I should have a Bassett...sleeping for hours after a walk sounds like a dream. Mine will settle, but it's more a 'Eurgh, if I must' and the second I twitch they're standing again and staring at me.

@VanGoSunflowers He's a big boy now (and a handsome one)! I must say I find I get quite a lot of work done when I WFH, but that's possibly because the dogs have each other so they just entertain each other. Possibly lazy dog ownership from me...

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks are you suggesting that I should get a dog for my dog? 😀

@VanGoSunflowers perhaps...maybe in a year or so? That way nearly adult Pablo can help train puppy 😀I credit Hen and Pen to Eris and Twatdog being trained so fast (I would credit Clem, but she only really associates with the puppies once they grow up a bit...not that I blame her!)

Weirdly, I've just put a cat dog photo on another thread @TheHungryHungryLandsharks It's Finn dog with Perttu Maine Coon kitten. MC are the most insane cats. Bram & Theo used to have crazy rough games with Algydog.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks I definitely couldn’t go through the early puppy phase again any time soon 😀

@CoubousAndTourmaIet so are you suggesting that as well as getting a dog for my dog, I should get a cat for my dog? 😂😂

@VanGoSunflowers I know what you mean. By the time most people are ready for a puppy again it's because they've forgotten how awful they are.

That being said, as much as I loathe Eris right now, I really wouldn't be without her. Even if I cannot take her anywhere in public without her disgracing herself.

God the idea of having another puppy gives me palpitations. I’m still at the ‘never again!’ phase!! I’d rather die in fact.

Having said that, we are sort of doing okay. Or are we. I honestly don’t know. Merry is coming up to 6 months, so maybe this is the famous adolescence. Just when I think we understand each other, she comes up with some new terror.

She is back on the long line, which I hate, especially when it gets dragged through muddy puddles, but she did recall beautifully this morning, even when there was a dog walker (with 7 dogs, is that allowed??). There are also some signs of amusing herself - she has finally discovered the joys of disembowelling a toy. And I bought her a new toy from B&M; that kept her amused long enough for me to cook and eat my dinner. Though buying a new toy every day is possibly a bit over the top..? So she seems to be becoming a little more ‘dog’ rather than ‘puppy’. (Was it the wise @TheHungryHungryLandsharkswho talks about that?)

On the other hand, last night I felt absolutely murderous. After a fine day of walks, training, playing etc etc, instead of settling down for the evening as she usually does, she started chewing the sofas. I tried all the (I think) correct things, but in the end I lost my rag, shouted and shut her out of the room. I felt a bit bad, but she is truly testing me. She’s also been really fighting the naps today, and that makes her more ratty.

Someone asked about toys. Merry’s absolute favourite is a Kong plush thing with a squeaker inside. I believe it used to be a sloth. It is still her fave even though it’s hanging by a thread. The other pic is the new one from B&M. The other thing she loves is a sock stolen from my ds (unwashed 🤢) I put a squeaker inside it and tied it with a knot. Gross, but most dogs do seem to have a foot fetish.

@Struckbylightning we just had a bit of a whinge on the beyond adolescent thread about long-lines! I HATE them. I end up being taken out by them if I use them, and they get stuck on things, or as you say covered in mud. You have to be a ninja to use them properly.

They do definitely hit that stage where they are more 'dog than puppy.' It's such an odd stage as you see glimpses of the dog they will be one day and then a second later they're back to being a terror again. It makes them even more irritating in my eyes.

How was Merry when you let her back in? Apologetic and sad? Or did she just act normal? I think (if we're all completely honest) we've all lost our rags with our dogs at some stage. I remember telling Twatdog to go ' himself' once on a walk. It feels awful when you do it, but once in a blue moon isn't go to kill them- and we're only human (and they are SOOOO irritating).

All mine love blankets. So all the old sofa blankets end up being theres and they just suckle them and drag them around. I try not to buy toys as they'd just destroy them in seconds (and Twatdog swallows the squeaker), so if I buy any toys it's the huge humpy ones.

I never feel like that. I adore them when they're little, I only start to hate them and think "what the fuck have I done?!" at about 6 or 7 months. Then they're horrible for a few weeks.

@Struckbylightning I was going to say similar to @TheHungryHungryLandsharks - we don’t set out to lose our rags with them but we are only human. Once, I was brushing my hair (it’s almost down to my waist) and unbeknownst to me, Pablo was behind me at the time and saw fit to leap up and grab a handful of my hair in his mouth and then yank it down which pulled my whole head back. Out of shock more than anything I did raise my voice at him as you can imagine! That was a couple of months ago now, no damage done and at least he hasn’t done it again!

Also agree on the long lines! Cant stand them either. I feel like I’d be forever untangling them from trees and bushes and whatnot.

They seem to enjoy keeping us on our toes don’t they!

@CoubousAndTourmaIet I think for me, while Pablo really wasn’t a particularly naughty pup when he was smaller, it was harder to have the patience I needed to deal with it all because I was still bonding with him and didn’t know what I was doing 😂
I think it turned a corner for me when he was about 5 months old-ish and we started to understand one another much better. It was probably also hugely to do with my lack of faith in myself and feeling like I had no clue what I was doing 😂
Then I think, if I got another pup in the future I wouldn’t be as lucky next time around 😂

It’s probably similar with children. Some people love the baby phase, others hate it. I loved the baby phase with DS and couldn’t stand the toddler phase but my favourite so far has been the 5 - 8 year old phase 😂

@VanGoSunflowers
I suppose it does take longer to bond with your first puppy. I think that was true for me - although I was only 13, and she was really more my Dad's dog at that point. I seem to have bonded quickly with our others when they're tiny, but with PMD the fast growth becomes an issue at about 6 months when they're still mentally babies but immensely strong. That's the hardest phase for me by far because they're so unruly to walk at that point. Even adolescence proper isn't as bad, it's just that in between bit that I hate. Older puppy I guess you'd call it.

Second puppy will be different for you in many ways, but particularly if you became a two dog household as we did when Merlin was 4. As @TheHungryHungryLandsharks says, the older dog becomes the best puppyminder/nanny you could wish for and does a lot of the puppy training. I'm still working on the brainwashing as regards a pal for Brie...

With kittens the worst bit is when they're little. Especially Maine Coons. They're wonderful as adults but utterly horrible as kittens. We seriously almost gave our first one away because I hated him at first. It sounds awful because he was with us for 15 years in the end, and we adored him. But he was a nasty kitten.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks the cat we have now came to us as a young kitten from the RSPCA when we had the previous hounds. Because the hounds are so pack orientated, they kind of included him as one of their own. So he’s taken well to the new pup and even enjoying the company. However when we got the previous hounds as a pair, one of our existing cats at the time only tolerated them when the fire was on and then they sat together. But the other cat bonded hugely with my male dog particularly and use to look for him to cuddle up to. It was very funny, I include a photo. 😃

I was out walking today and kept bumping into people with brand new puppies. We all stopped for a chat and they were all literally in the first weeks of going out. Mostly they complained of a lack of sleep, crate training issues or potty training accidents and I suddenly realised we’re well on the way to adolescence already and how quickly that stressful puppy phase passes. Biggest problem I have at the moment, is my pup clambers up and steals everything in a cup, whether it’s tea, coffee or orange squash! She spots it the moment I stupidly walk away! 🙄

@VanGoSunflowers I was dreading the puppy stage after Billy, he was hard work as a puppy and teenager but settled into a wonderful dog 💔. Rory’s been a million times easier though in all truthfulness and I think part of that is being more relaxed about getting everything perfect and also not using a crate with him. Which also makes me feel guilty towards Billy 🙁.

Regarding earlier comments on long lines, I’d just end up tangled in every tree/shrub within sight. All my dogs have always had the spacial awareness of a stuffed rubber glove because they purely follow their noses. Even on a short lead 9 out of 10 times they end up going the wrong side. We’re like a comedy act for anyone walking by! I often think people must look at me and think clueless woman! 😂

Gorgeous photo @Houndymumma ❤
All our pups have grown up with cats too.

That was me. Currently considering an extra wide desk chair (room for 2) 😁

@gotthearse I think that would be wise 😀

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Pablo’s sexiphant is a HUGE hit!! Wow 😳😂

Thank you for your kindness. I was a little worried that I would be judged for being a horrible meany to my poor little pup. I was, but my god, she is a pain in the arse sometimes. It was the end of the day, I was tired and on my last nerve. @TheHungryHungryLandsharks I actually shut her out twice. First time she came back in she went right back to chewing the sofa. The second time, she looked a little sheepish, curled up and went to sleep!

It’s obviously not just me with the long line then, but I do feel I’m finally getting the hang of it. One of the first times I had her on it I was trying to tease out a tangle, the dog dashed off suddenly and my finger was yanked backwards. Thought I had broken the finger, it was sooo painful!! The next day I got a friction burn on the other hand. Felt like a right idiot.
@VanGoSunflowers I don’t blame you for shouting about getting your hair pulled. Merry likes to get up behind me and pull the scrunchie out of my hair 😂
@Houndymumma I don’t really like cats, mainly because of the bird murdering, but it’s so cute when dogs and cats snuggle up. Cats seem to send Merry crazy when she sees them on the garden fence, and our previous dog was the same, she always chased them off, but was careful not to get close as she was actually scared of them. (With good reason as she was once subjected to a stealth attack by a feral moggy when we lived in Qatar)