Is there a new puppy survival thread?

[Isadora2007]

I could only see one from Autumn so assumed it was older?
Anyone with a new pup wanting to share the trenches?

A good natural chew like a pig ear or something keeps pup busy for a while. Or hiding crumbled up treats in a snuffle ball.

Does anyone have any advice on dogs getting up on furniture? Puppy has learned to jump up on the sofa which is fine but I want him to ask permission first, not just barrel on. I should have taught this before he was big enough to jump on there himself I realise, but I didn't! So now that he can and does leap up, how will I teach him to wait until invited? Just tell him to get down and then give him permission to come up?

Pretty much yep! Our previous dog, a terrier, would wait to be invited, the15 month old spaniel we now have doesn’t, however we just tell him to get down if we don’t want him up, and he does then wait to be asked. Consistency with it is key though, and we haven’t hammered it home with this dog because we’ve concentrated more on things like his recall, as tbh, I like him on the sofa with me!!! He does however use his bed in the lounge quite a bit, and will flop around on the floor sighing dramatically at times 😂

Does anyone use a house line? If so, just a normal lead you clip to the collar? Or does the anti-choke stopper on a slip lead make those an ok option? I don't want anything tightening around his neck or causing any discomfort, but would be handy to just slip something over his head in the house when needed. I wondered if having a stopper ring on the lead would keep it loose and comfortable for him. He isn't always keen on being picked up, and I think a house line might help with gently getting him down off the sofa if he ignores the command to get down, or to keep him in while we try to train him to be calm when someone knocks at the door.

DPup loves the sofa too which is fine when it’s nice weather now but won’t be so good in the winter! He also looked affronted the other day when he couldn’t have his preferred spot as we were all watching the football together and he had taken a prime seat!
We have a house line with we use occasionally. It’s longer and lighter than his usual lead. It’s probably a couple of metres. If he’s having a particularly bite-y period (he was a nightmare last Saturday again for some reason) then I put him on it as it’s just easier to pull him off. We also had a lot of people coming & going one evening in the week so I put him on it so we could just grab him. We put DPup’s collar on every morning as I’m paranoid he’ll somehow escape from our completely secure garden so I just slip the lead onto that. He doesn’t seem to mind or even notice. What I have been aware of more recently is that, as he gets older and slightly more sensible, we are leaving him unsupervised outside his crate for longer but I wouldn’t be comfortable leaving him unsupervised on his long lead in case it got stuck on something. I don’t think he could choke as we check his collar regularly but it would be uncomfortable for him. The other day, I went upstairs leaving him downstairs and then doubled back as I remembered he was on his long lead. So it’s just being aware of that.

Hello, I’m joining the thread whilst my 8 week old Labrador is asleep in the kitchen! She’s been a real sweetie so far but are 4 days in and she’s definitely getting cheekier 🫢🫣.

Oh don't ... little black Labs are my absolute favourite!

(We have one too though our boy is 7 months old now).

They stay sweet @TheEveningReport the only thing I found really hard was the house training as our boy took a while to get the hang of that.

How gorgeous is she @TheEveningReport? How is she finding the heat?
I’m slightly struggling to come up with things to occupy DPup. He used to love a frozen tea towel, a carrot or an empty milk bottle carton but now ignores such things, occasionally giving me a look as if to say that he is far too mature for them which amuses me as he’s only 4 months old! If he’s not occupied, he chews and, whilst he has a wide selection of chew toys, his favourite things are a rug in the sitting room and a kitchen chair and then a whole range of other things depending on the what he can get to so we have to keep a pretty constant eye on him.

@FoxandDuck I’ve had to hide my sheepskin throws and she’s just noticed how tasty the chair legs are…She still likes a water bottle/milk carton with ice in it thankfully. And her squeaky duck but she not at all interested in the nylabone and ball.

She’s coping with the heat by flopping on the tiled floor and in the shady flowerbed with occasional splashes in the paddling pool. Then she wants to party all night when it’s cooler 🤦‍♀️.

@Twiglets1 I thought she had cracked it but it’s mainly as she’s often in the garden. She did a pee on the rug today.

It sounds like she's getting there @TheEveningReport and only doing occasional pees inside so that's good.

Hi All, can I join? I have rehomed what we thought was a 1 year old dog but what we think we have got is a 7 month old who is in the middle of teething so is biting everything!

My husband and I have always had rescues and after our last girl died two years ago we never felt ready until now, we have just rescued a beautiful little lady but I’m struggling massively with puppy/rescue blues, I’m only on day three and I’m crying, throwing up , I no longer have an appetite and basically stopped eating, I also have absolute dread at spending time with her ( but she’s my shadow and won’t leave me alone) and i just don’t know how I’m going to get through the next day or week let alone months and years! She’s messed in the house twice and peed a few times accidentally but is toilet trained, she won’t go outside without me which is understandable as she’s only been with us three days, I’ve lost weight, don’t find any joy in anything and feel like I’m auto pilot or a zombie just existing, I’m finding the whole thing exhausting but I can’t sleep as she keeps me awake as she won’t settle ( she’s not in a crate as the rescue home didn’t advise it due to her being locked in a cage and never let out until she was rescued).

I want to hand her back but my husband and wider family are upset with me at the thought as she technically is lovely but I just don’t know what to do and I especially haven’t bonded with her, I just look at her and know at the moment all she’s bringing me is misery, so is anyone else going through similar and does it get any better??

So sorry @ihaveapuppypleasesendhelp I did have puppy blues which do still bubble up, but not so severe. You are only a few days in though and I am sure it will get better. Lack of sleep is torture and will be making you feel terrible. It's really important you get some breaks. This is all new for you and the puppy and both of you will start to find it easier I am sure.

How long has it been since you had your puppy? I’m just trying to get through every hour at the moment and I’m just so sad, we are experienced dog owners for many years but I can’t help but feel this is a huge mistake and I’m just so upset at the moment

I've had him four months. I suppose I don't get puppy blues so much anymore as just a feeling of overwhelm sometimes. I definitely felt I'd made a terrible mistake early on and toilet accidents were a huge trigger for me. I felt he would never get the hang of it but he absolutely did. My life is so much better without that constant vigilance and stress! I think it is really normal to feel that enormous regret and worry and it does pass.

Rosie is now almost 6 months old and today had to go to the vets for a grass seed removal from her ear :( She is feeling better now, well not as distressed as she was, but she is still shaking her head occasionally. I'm hoping it's just the after effects of having her inner ear prodded. I'd never had to do this with my previous dog so this is all new for me. Looking into ear protection snoods etc now as the dried grass and billions of seeds are just everywhere!

God, we’re due to pick up our pup in a few weeks and I’m now VERY nervous!! Have wanted a dog for ages and have done some basic research but I’m scared now reading all these stories of sleepless nights. The pup has mostly been an outside dog, can I continue that when I get him? Or will he cry the place down missing his little doggy family!!
(is it too late to back out!!!!!)

Firstly, no it's not too late to back out now if you are seriously having second thoughts. Better to say so now and lose a deposit than continue.

Secondly, not all puppies will give sleepless nights beyond the first night or two.

We've had 3 Labrador puppies in our lives - one only cried for 1 night (the first night) and the others cried for 2 nights (less on night 2). I don't know if it's a breed thing or not - I would speak to your breeder about how many nights the puppies are likely to cry for.

Our latest breeder told us that he (our puppy) will cry a night or two but will soon settle as he is used to being in a crate downstairs with no attention from humans overnight. She said he will cry a bit only because he will miss the other puppies and it's all new but will soon settle, and he did.

Not all puppies give you sleepess nights

My most recent pup needed to out at 2.00 in the morning for one night then went quite happilly until 5.00 back to sleep until 7.00. No relentless whining just a whine to need to go out and then back to bed. Puppies generally like to sleep!

After three weeks was seeping from 9.30-6.30.

If you have a good breeder they should be encouraging the puppy to have short time away from the litter mates before they are rehomed to you. Ask the breeder if they are doing this. What do you mean by an outside dog? I woud want to be checking on what your breeder is doing to help the puppies settle into a normal home setting? What breed is the puppy?

Good breeding makes a huge difference between a hard work puppy and a setlled easy puppy!

I agree with that. Our breeder was a no nonsense type and they are the best in my opinion. She had prepared them well for day 1 at their new home & said they have to get used to sleeping alone and being left alone for periods of time in the day, and the sooner you start the better.

Her comment about leaving them alone in the crate/kitchen while you go out in the first couple of weeks was, "you won't be able to hear them cry from Tesco's".

It sounds harsh but my puppy at 8 months is so easy and relaxed about me leaving him and has been for months. He has no anxiety around it at all because young puppies just accept things are how they are.

Thanks for the replies.
Ah no, I won’t back out. I was only having a nervous joke about that. It’s not a breeder; a family friend’s dog had a litter (so mixed breed) and we offered to take one. I’m very excited and happy to have him, just a bit overwhelmed the more I read.
We are preparing our garden and he’ll have an outdoor kennel and puppy run. But I will crate train for when he sleeps inside or if we go anywhere with him.

Did any of you use those puppy training apps or is there a good site I could go to for basic beginner advice. I don’t mind paying.

I also don't think it's appropriate to leave a puppy outside on their own and don't know what you mean by an outside dog @Isadora2007 - that doesn't sound like a family pet?

I didn’t realise the ‘outside dog’ comment would get this attention. 😂
The pup and his mum/siblings are in a sheltered pen outside. They were in a shed when born, and then moved to this area. Very well taken care of and loved. So I guess by an outside dog’ I mean a dog that will for the most part live outdoors, with a lovely big garden to roam around, and a kennel or garage at night. That’s not to say he won’t be in the house, (I’d imagine he will be as I’m very soft and will want him with me) and he’ll sleep inside when the weather demands.
I grew up rurally where most dogs lived outside, so this is very natural to me. We loved our dogs and they got lots of attention - just not in the house!!
He will still be absolutely loved and cared for.

Now, any training websites that can be recommended?

edited to say: he is a Lab/King Charles mix I think