Our new puppy

[Auntie Helen]

Both our other dogs have been quite easy to live with from age 5, and they've been big dogs. Hopefully taking Poppy out and about on the bike will wear her out and give her an interesting life.

At the moment, without much sleep and on my own here, I'm wondering if I made the right choice to have another pup...

 

[giant man]

Persevere. Everyone has the same problems with new pup. Very cute dog, love her and look after her and she'll be your baby ....

 

[slugonabike]

Everything is harder to bear when you are tired. Hopefully, you'll get more sleep tonight and feel better about things tomorrow.

 

[redddraggon]

She's discovered growling whilst hanging off my hand and biting it rather hard

That's a normal puppy thing though, and they do grow out of it if you discourage them from doing it.

plus I was up every two hours in the night to take her to the loo.

We've always just left puppies at night to get on with it, at the beginning they might use the floor as a toilet, but they've always learnt pretty quickly that going outside is the place to do it, and they sleep through the night.

 

[Auntie Helen]

The vet who did her jabs said maybe I was making it harder for myself by not giving her a place to pee in the crate and that I should put down some puppy pads. The thing is, the first two night she only woke me up once for the loo, and it's much nicer for her not to have to do it in the crate if possible. She's so good otherwise about using the garden, it feels like a retro step. It would be much easier if James were home as one of us could have a lie-in whilst the other watches Poppy.

I'll think about the crate thing some more; initially I had newspaper one side, bedding the other, but then moved the bedding to cover the entire crate as she hadn't had any accidents, but last night she seemed to want to get up every hour and a half. She did do something in the garden each time, but she always pees when I take her out there anyway, even if she's done one an hour before, so it's hard to know whether it's necessity or opportunity.

She was much admired at the vets and was really sleepy on the way back in the car (she's in her bike basket for travelling) and is now asleep in the crate with the door shut and with no problems.

 

[fossyant]

PS Lovely dog, but might have to report you to the RSPCA if you keep subjecting the poor thing to Radio 4......

 

[snapper_37]

At the moment, without much sleep and on my own here, I'm wondering if I made the right choice to have another pup...

Come on AH! You're stuck with her now - and what a cutie she is. No one said having a pup was easy. Keep at it and hope you feel better today.

 

[Auntie Helen]

[sub]Had a better night so things are feeling a bit better, but I'm slightly under the weather myself anyway which doesn't help. We're having lots of visitors today which should make her nice and sleepy. I'm so looking forward to James getting back on Sunday to help with the supervision!

Oh, and Poppy's play-bowing at Lucy and Lucy's almost afraid of her - the giant afraid of the midget!
[/sub]

 

[Scotmitchy]

That photo is so cute!

threading your puppy through a garden hose in one of those early photos is just cruel! very cute though

 

[fossyant]

Hey Auntie H - you should try kids.............. argh................. Dogs (and Cats) train very fast................. or they get wet..........

Our 3 cats are a breeze compared to our kids...................

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Only another 15 or so years of it to deal with!

 

[Fnaar]

A couple of years ago, everyone was getting "labradoodles"... now it's cockapoos... whatever next?

I want a Dachsweiler, or an Irish Wolfmexicanhairless

 

[slugonabike]

Sorry that you're feeling under the weather AH, puppies take a lot of energy and you sound as if you don't have much to spare at the moment. It will improve, pretty quickly in the grand scheme of things.

Is Lucy the Weimeraner? She's lovely too!

 

[Auntie Helen]

Yep, Lucy is the Weimaraner and she's a lovely, lovely dog but a grand old lady at 12.

She was avoiding Poppy completely initially but they're now OK in the same room.

I just dashed out to Pets In Town and bought Poppy some more toys as I think she was a bit short of 'em, thus was chewing me and my clothing. She absolutely loves a soft dumbell (is lying on my feet chewing it as I type).

I'm still not feeling myself, even a bit weepy - a friend said that when she got a dog she's convinced she got some kind of post-natal depression initially; not sure if that's accurate but I definitely don't feel like myself. But James is back on Sunday and I'm really looking forward to that.

 

[Speicher]

Tasha has told me she is too old to play with her fluffy mouse, and can we post it to Poppy. I am not sure that Poppy will want a badly frayed yellow and black mouse with no tail, only one eye and no nose.

I hope you have a better day today. How old does a puppy need to be before you can put a lead on them, take them for walks (and tire them out)?