Puppies

[SonicTheSpikeyThing]

Man I didn’t anticipate getting a puppy would be this hard. Thanks to everyone here for being so open and I know I’m not alone and we’re all struggling at times.
I lost my girl in October after nearly 13 years. She was my heart dog. Went through everything with me. Losing her took a piece of my heart with her.I still cry daily over her I really thought getting another dog after 7 months being dog less would help… I just regret it. I can’t bond with him, all he does is nip and bite.
I guess I’m just really missing that bond. I know it’ll come eventually…. But being so long since my girl was a puppy I completely forgot this stage and it sucks.

 

[Mermer89]

Milo (just over 11 weeks) slept from 11 till 9:45 last night!

 

[aidil]

Mine is going in to get spayed tomorrow morning and now I am getting nervous and having second thoughts. I am sure it will be for the best but just feel so bad for her, especially since she is oblivious about what's coming!

Vet nurse here! I promise she’ll be absolutely fine. We do this surgery every single day and could do it in our sleep, she’ll be in VERY safe hands and have a registered nurse monitoring her anaesthetic throughout

I lost a patient to a horrendous pyometra this week - I can’t recommend spaying enough It avoids so much unnecessary heartbreak further down the line! Let us know how she gets on!

 

[Bleurghgram]

I posted on here a few months ago about how much I’d love a dog… I’m visiting a rescue on Saturday to meet a dog to see if we are a match 🥹 she has some reactivity issues which will need further training and will have to be muzzled in public but we’ll see. Whether she’s the one or not, I’m feeling much better about my prospects of dog ownership as I’ve passed the criteria to go and see her

 

[101d]

Ohhhh I need to vent. I picked my puppy up today (well hes a year old) from his daycare to be told he can't return.
Long story short, the owner of the daycare had her kid sat on the kitchen counter (toddler aged) with a snack and my puppy (labrador) ran up to the kid, stole the snack and cut the kids finger with his teeth.
I'm absolutely mortified that he managed to do that and feel I've let him down in some way by not training him properly
Does anyone have any advice on stopping him from doing this? He's absolutely fine with myself and partner at home, doesn't beg, doesn't snatch our food and I've never known him do this before

Totally agree with the above comment! What the hell is a child doing with a snack at a doggy daycare.

 

[Maid22]

My last post on here,,we've had to re-home pup, I'm gutted, can any of you on here imagine giving your pup up?

 

[Maid22]

Could it be a puppy was too much for your older dog? Maybe an older rescue could work with him? You could foster and see how they go

That's so weird,my oh said the same thing last night! I'm not in the right head space at the mo, it's been too upsetting.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Oh absolutely dogs need to be treated like animals not human babies however taking any mammal away from its main caregiver at 8 weeks old or equivalent and expecting them to be just be ok with being left is naive.

You foster that independence by creating a secure dog. It doesnt mean babying them. You need strict boundaries however your pup is looking to you for guidance and reassurance and not giving that as a pup or dealing with it properly can then result in a dog with SA. It needs to be built up slowly and consistently.

Also people in my experience do not research dog breeds properly before getting a dog (not indicating anyone on this thread btw) but take cocker spaniels, they are not a dog for someone whos out of the home 8 hours per day 5 days per week. Theyre needy dogs, they always have been. A good breeder will tell you this before you consider it. People get working collies and are frustrated they are unruly but they are dogs with a herding compulsion built into them, they need a job. They need a lot of exercise.

Poodle crosses, people expecting a lovely little cute dog, when poodles were originally bred as hunting dogs.

You will get out of your dog what you put in but it is hard hard work. When I got my first dog I was absolutely so out of my depth it was unbelievable. I had no idea how difficult it would be and I think its because I dont actually know that many good dog owners.

 

[AladdinSane]

Guys... is it normal to ride the wave of emotions? One minute I'm so happy cos he's doing so well, the next I'm in tears cos I feel like me and my partner are passing ships in the night as one of us is with the puppy and one of us is with the cats.

I've just got home from a visit to my parents and he's taken the puppy upstairs to the crate and I've just sat on the sofa and cried. I know it's been two days and I'm probably being over dramatic and hormonal but I miss how we used to be

 

[Caledonianprincess]

My almost 5 month old gsd puppy decided today after being scared of the bath that in fact he quite liked it and willingly climbed in and splashed about as I was trying to run a bath then wouldn't get out. Wee (getting big) fucker is lucky he's damn cute haha

 

[Nosymum]

Anyone got experience of Border Terriers? I love a terrier and my fav is Jack Russell but I have children now and so going to pause on the JRT’s as they can often be quite nippy. I’ve said to my boyfriend once the kids are grown up I’ll be back to my beloved Russell’s .

So was considering if there was a terrier better suited to family life and I think borders are so cute with their old men faces

Edit - I prob should have caught up on this thread! Ha ha can’t believe I posted this after borders were mentioned! @Nosymum would love to hear more about your border

I have a 4 year old girl border called ruby and a 12 year old boy called Stanley she actually has 2 puppies at the moment a boy and girl. Borders are wonderful Family dogs, stubborn and selectively deaf! If you look for a pup make sure they are SLEM clear and kc reg so mum can’t have more than 3 litters. They have so much personality you wouldn’t ever regret getting a border.

 

[Lucie1001]

Now 19 months old! Still very reactive on the lead and barks a lot but couldn’t be without him!

 

[Bleurghgram]

Update on my can I make a dog work situ… I met with a friend over the weekend who homechecks for a rescue centre. I told her my considerations and she said they’d definitely allow me to rescue and would help to make sure we’re matched with the correct breed of dog, ie one that is a bit lazier and happy to be at home. She had one in mind if we decide we’re ready 🥹 so I think we’re agreed that we’ll keep in touch with her and will hopefully go ahead soon

 

[S4buk]

Thanks guys! Really wasn’t expecting all the well wishes but it means a lot. So much to sort out but doing ok xx

 

[AladdinSane]

Our boy is finally here. He's had a long day and I have a feeling tonight is going to be a very long one! He won't pee on anything other than grass which has us screwed as we don't have grass on our back garden.
The good news is our cats have been pretty calm and chilled out with him so far. They haven't met face to face but have been sniffing outside the door. We're both shattered though

 

[Monkeymagic85]

Had a Google, gorgeous!!! Is it a very small dog?

We have a poodle, her mum is a toy and her dad was a mini, she is slightly bigger than a toy. Fantastic family pet, she can run for hours, daft as a brush and smart (when there's a incentive to be). Not too clingy but loves cuddles. I also own a 7 year old brat!

All I would say is don't expect no hair loss if you get a doodle type, when my dog was a pup she was dropping fluff everywhere! (Turns out its a thing but people pretend it doesn't happen) now she has her big girl coat she doesn't lose much, mostly notice it mixed with dust (joys of laminate).

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I know Ive given lots of advice on here but Id forgotten about when 6 month old pup got a lot better behaved when we switched his food. He did have a bad tummy on the good quality kibble we feed our older dog so we swapped to raw and he is a lot more focused on the raw food. Less of a donut and learning more things easier.

I thought he was just a complete balloon but he is less of one now.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Collies are working dogs. If you have a sedentary job I wouldnt get one. They need a lot of mental and physical stimulation and I cant imagine they are a breed youd want to crate whilst you work. When they dont get this the frustration can manifest itself in other ways.

When I brought my second dog home, both myself and my partner are WFH. The best advice I can give is keep the space pup has access to small. Set him/her up to succeed. The biggest issue I see with people having huge issues with puppies is when they are given far too much freedom and then they get in to all sorts of mischief, toilet indoors, chew things.

If theyre in sight at all times you can usually see physical cues that they need to toilet. It doesnt mean they need crated but keep the door closed and puppy with you.

Puppies need *alot* of sleep initially and most crappy behaviour can be improved upon with more sleep believe it or not.

 

[Bobbleowl90]

Hey. So we’ve stuck it out (through many moments and shamelessly telling my husband we need to rehome him) and our pup is now 4 months old. The biting has calmed quite a lot (although he bit my toddler this week for the first time properly ) but he is fully toilet trained and we can leave him for 4-5 hours during the day now which makes life SO much easier. I know it will get even easier eventually so there is light at the end of the tunnel. Someone told me that the harder the puppy to train, the better the dog. I really hope this is the case. He is a clever pup but very demanding and clingy.

 

[Maid22]

Yeap met the people who had him, but tbh, they've treated us like shit, it was bad enough having to give him up, but the hassle we've had after has been truly awful, all we wanted was to see him, but they wouldn't let us, their attitude was you've rehomed him, clean break, I broke my heart my he went. Have read on here, so pleased to read you're still keeping puppyx