Puppies

[AladdinSane]

Ahhh are you?? So exciting!!

We are West Midlands.

I've heard the same, that they pick up things quick etc. I am still really nervous that if we get it wrong we may end up with a poorly behaved dog!!

I'm around 40 minutes NE of Birmingham. So right at the bottom of the East Midlands.

We're definitely going to crate train. For our sanity but also to give him and the cats a seperate safe space. Plus it means if we leave them alone, I know they won't be getting into any mischief.

I'm definitely booking onto puppy classes to and my partner has been watching so many dog training videos. It's actually driving me insane

We've managed to train the cats to sit and give their paw so I'm hoping we aren't completely useless

 

[SonicTheSpikeyThing]

Did anyone struggle to get booked in for puppy classes? we’ve been let down so many times! The main excuse being “we find the 1on1 classes work best so we’re stopping the classes”.(after we’d waited two Weeks and already bulk paid for the classes!) So now we’re having 1on1 sessions with one trainer, and socialisation group classes with another.

 

[37BBL]

I'm around 40 minutes NE of Birmingham. So right at the bottom of the East Midlands.

We're definitely going to crate train. For our sanity but also to give him and the cats a seperate safe space. Plus it means if we leave them alone, I know they won't be getting into any mischief.

I'm definitely booking onto puppy classes to and my partner has been watching so many dog training videos. It's actually driving me insane

We've managed to train the cats to sit and give their paw so I'm hoping we aren't completely useless

We're close to Birmingham.

I think we are going to crate train too. Most of the videos I have watched show positive results from it.

We have a couple of puppy classes near us, I haven't seen any issues with booking onto them actually.

 

[strawberrysunshine_x]

We've decided on a labrador for our breed. We're keeping our eyes out now for breeders local ish to us.
I am very nervous about it though, I just hope we can manage to train a puppy fairly well. I feel like we only have a small window to train and if we do it wrong then we're going to struggle down the line! Spending most of my evenings watching YT videos and researching atm!

My mums lab puppies have been a dream. They already respond to their name one sits when asked and they house trained really well!

 

[AladdinSane]

My mums lab puppies have been a dream. They already respond to their name one sits when asked and they house trained really well!

This makes me so happy. Everyone who I've spoken to who has a lab or has had a lab has nothing but positive things to say about them.
I've gone from super apprehensive to super excited about it so quickly!

 

[strawberrysunshine_x]

This makes me so happy. Everyone who I've spoken to who has a lab or has had a lab has nothing but positive things to say about them.
I've gone from super apprehensive to super excited about it so quickly!

I think they’re only had them a month or so. They are so cute ! What colour and gender are you getting

 

[CrackingOwlSanctuary]

Our lab puppy is crate trained and she loves it. The key is to never make the crate a negative place, never use it as a punishment, never tell them off near the crate if you can avoid it, never force them into the crate. Ours takes herself in to sleep with the door open sometimes now, we have a cheap amazon camera in the room so we can check on her. We have a routine with her where we take her out for a wee in the garden last thing at night and then straight to 'bed' after.

People can dislike crates and I agree if they are used to keep a dog in constantly but when used correctly they are a valuable tool that your dog will prefer as their safe space.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

My dog was crate trained. He is 13 now and he goes into his crate often but rarely gets locked in. It’s a safe space for them not only for them to feel safe their but to keep them safe if your not there. It’ll stop them eating or chewing things they shouldn’t and stop them getting into trouble when you can’t stop them. Also maybe will help in terms of going to the vets where if they have to stay they’ll be in a cage. We just locked him in at night he cried the first few times but it for long, we just ignored him and he soon settled. We didn’t stay in the same room as him, he was in the kitchen and we were upstairs. I also couldn’t cope with having a dog in the bed with me when I’m sleeping, it’s fine when I’m awake but I just find them annoying and I can’t sleep well when they are in the bed and mine are small dogs.

 

[AladdinSane]

I think they’re only had them a month or so. They are so cute ! What colour and gender are you getting

We're getting a boy and he'll be fox red.

Has anyone used a playpen with their pups? I'm thinking about setting one up to keep him occupied if we're in the house but to get him used to being on his own

 

[SleepyDibillo]

What is everyone’s opinion on raw feeding? Our puppy is 6 months old now and we started with raw feeding as thats what the breeder fed him from weaning and we didn’t want to change too much in the early days. But now he’s 6 months and we’re starting to introduce adult dog food we’re considering if it’s worth the expense of continuing raw feeding or is dry food just as good?

 

[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

 

[littlepup]

What is everyone’s opinion on raw feeding? Our puppy is 6 months old now and we started with raw feeding as thats what the breeder fed him from weaning and we didn’t want to change too much in the early days. But now he’s 6 months and we’re starting to introduce adult dog food we’re considering if it’s worth the expense of continuing raw feeding or is dry food just as good?

It’s worthwhile if your dog has a sensitive tummy/allergies, you have a free/cheap supply or you’re overly concerned about what they’re eating but otherwise I didn’t see the benefit. I did it for a while but it was absolutley tons of faff for no discernible benefit because ours would eat anything and I could see no difference. There are plenty of good quality dry or wet foods, it doesn’t need to be all filler and plenty of dogs are fine when it is.
It’s a bit like the average human eating organic raw, are they so much healthier than the next person that it’s worth it? Personally I say find a level you’re comfortable, cost and time wise and don’t swap about too much.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

What is everyone’s opinion on raw feeding? Our puppy is 6 months old now and we started with raw feeding as thats what the breeder fed him from weaning and we didn’t want to change too much in the early days. But now he’s 6 months and we’re starting to introduce adult dog food we’re considering if it’s worth the expense of continuing raw feeding or is dry food just as good?

I raw feed my dogs. I dont think Id go back now. The major benefit for me is the toileting, sorry for TMI but stools are firm, small and odorless compared to when my dogs were on kibble and I used a good quality kibble which wasnt cheap. So it wasnt like Im comparing supermarket food with raw.

I buy completes so I literally just defrost and feed.

At 6 months you should still feed your dog as a puppy and swap them to adult food/guidelines at a year. You could still swap them from raw now though but just give food for puppies not adult dogs x

 

[Saddlesoap]

What is everyone’s opinion on raw feeding? Our puppy is 6 months old now and we started with raw feeding as thats what the breeder fed him from weaning and we didn’t want to change too much in the early days. But now he’s 6 months and we’re starting to introduce adult dog food we’re considering if it’s worth the expense of continuing raw feeding or is dry food just as good?

It's not for me, but the advice I give my clients; Not all raw is good, like not all kibble is good. Never do home prepared raw as getting the nutritional balance is so very very difficult.
Check out PFMA website as only some companies who produce raw are approved by them and DEFRA.

 

[Monkeymagic85]

What is everyone’s opinion on raw feeding? Our puppy is 6 months old now and we started with raw feeding as thats what the breeder fed him from weaning and we didn’t want to change too much in the early days. But now he’s 6 months and we’re starting to introduce adult dog food we’re considering if it’s worth the expense of continuing raw feeding or is dry food just as good?

We raw fed our poodle for a while (they are known fussy eaters), you can feed it to a puppy, we bought the frozen nuggets (puppy specific, complete meal no faff) from nature's menu, but ultimately our weird little dog just didn't like it, she likes her food cooked! As someone said they do tiny poops that don't smell!

She never really took to the dry food she came with and after much nose turning to various foods, she now eats 80% meat wet food (also natures menu) and she loves it, still eats it like we've given her a steak! Also less smelly poo too!

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

It's not for me, but the advice I give my clients; Not all raw is good, like not all kibble is good. Never do home prepared raw as getting the nutritional balance is so very very difficult.
Check out PFMA website as only some companies who produce raw are approved by them and DEFRA.

I think this is great advice. Some raw feeders are manic about it.

I know some vets are very anti raw but my vet says the same as you not all raw is balanced and people just feeding random bits of food means that its not always overall what a dog needs.

We use Bella & Duke and my vet is happy enough with it and my dogs health on it. However I have used cold pressed kibble in the past and wouldnt hesistate to recommend it or use it again

 

[Saddlesoap]

I think this is great advice. Some raw feeders are manic about it.

I know some vets are very anti raw but my vet says the same as you not all raw is balanced and people just feeding random bits of food means that its not always overall what a dog needs.

We use Bella & Duke and my vet is happy enough with it and my dogs health on it. However I have used cold pressed kibble in the past and wouldnt hesistate to recommend it or use it again

Some vets are very anti raw and I've heard my colleagues say negative things which I don't get. People are going to feed raw regardless, so we should just be giving them information to do it right.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Some vets are very anti raw and I've heard my colleagues say negative things which I don't get. People are going to feed raw regardless, so we should just be giving them information to do it right.

Thats so true isnt it. Better to give people the information to do it better even if its not something youd personally do.

 

[Padfoot]

Managed to get a bee sting out of our puppy paw today. Seems to be ok now thank goodness jut quite scary at the time!

 

[Maid22]

Hope it’s okay to ask but how did today go @Maid22 I’ve been thinking of you

Sorry I haven't replied back sooner, it's been really hard for me, the meet didn't go well, every dog i've ever had I've kept, but to re-home puppy, and they have treated us like tit, has been soo hard, it's the not knowing how he is, what he looks like, all my other dogs are buried here, and also to know I can't have another dog whilst I got the one the I have, who is such a lovely boy, but I've always had 2 dogs, the puppy months aren't that bad, stick with it, it's only temporary!