1st time Labrador Puppy

[Jacqui-S]

Such adorable photos.
Toilet training can be a real challenge with some puppies.
Heavily rewarding outside pees and poos with "treat streaming" might help whilst quietly just cleaning up the inside ones.
It will come.
Do you use Simple Solution to clean up? Helps prevent odour lingering much better than normal household cleaners.

 

[kateincornwall]

I love your photos , what a little poppet but then we all know that little poppets can be little demons too . Its hard when you are tired , trying to establish a routine and feeling like you are banging your head on a brick wall I remember these feelings so well , thinking I had the hardest puppy in the world to train , that he would never grasp this or that , my saving grace being that he learned house training quickly but oh those times , standing outside in the rain in dressing gown and wellies Now I`m looking at this big black lump curled up beside me on the sofa right now and being so grateful to have him in my life . Its a bit of a cliche I know , but it will pass , easier days ahead, you just have to ride the storm to get to the sunshine . You can only do your best , which by asking questions and joining us, you are doing xx

 

[snowbunny]

We have a mantra here for puppy owners. You can repeat it over and over, whilst you're hugging your knees and rocking in the corner.

It is simply: This, too, shall pass.

Puppies are HARD WORK. No-one here will judge you if you want to shout and scream and admit that sometimes you don't even like your puppy. It's normal. But it will pass. I promise.

 

[Boogie]

My last pup, Spencer, was the widdliest pup I’ve ever met. Every 15 minutes he was doing huge puddles - mostly indoors. He was a water-holic so always had plenty of ‘stores’ to wee! Using puppy pads to mop it up did help as that made it quite a quick job. Lowering my expectations also helped. Some of my pups were toilet trained in no time. Not this one!

I hope it cheers you up to know that he’s now an amazing working Guide Dog.

Puppy blues are so normal - all the excitement and anticipation is over and reality is (always) different. The tiny puppy days are the hardest, but - unlike with babies - they don’t last long.

You might try a crate by your bed, with vet bed (which they usually don’t chew) and blankets (also boring for chewing) to help her learn that night time is for sleeping.

Hugs

 

[Boogie]

@kateincornwall said - “You just have to ride the storm to get to the sunshine.” Oh Kate, thank you. I somehow have never heard this expression before.

 

[MrChew]

You might try a crate by your bed, with vet bed (which they usually don’t chew) and blankets (also boring for chewing) to help her learn that night time is for sleeping.

I was going to suggest making bedding more boring might help at night! I imagine clothes are fun to dig in and chew. We had Chewie in a cardboard box with some towels to begin with and then in a crate with vet bed in our room.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Vet bed all the way here, it's easy to wash dry and is practically indestructible.we don't by have dog beds at the moment. Rory doesn't like them much and Iver is not of an age to he trusted with a bed. He doesn't even sleep on vet bed he'd he prefers the plastic of his crate. They can overheat with too much bedding and it can make them restless.its a hard life for dogs in this house and they are never ever ever allowed on the sofa.

 

[MrChew]

Vet bed all the way here, it's easy to wash dry and is practically indestructible.we don't by have dog beds at the moment. Rory doesn't like them much and Iver is not of an age to he trusted with a bed. He doesn't even sleep on vet bed he'd he prefers the plastic of his crate. They can overheat with too much bedding and it can make them restless.its a hard life for dogs in this house and they are never ever ever allowed on the sofa.View attachment 19164

Nor on the bed here.

(Just keeping your pyjamas warm and hairy, Chewie says)

 

[SwampDonkey]

No never on the bed either

 

[Lisa]

A crate was a huge lifesaver for me. Once the puppy gets used to it, you now have a place where they sleep happily and you can sleep knowing they are not roaming around spreading destruction and toileting all over. Also allows a “time-out” spot when puppy is overtired and frantic but doesn’t know it. So, I would encourage you to help Luna see the crate as a good place to be. Make it a happy place. Short stays at first, gradually increasing time, rewarding for quiet and not opening the door when she is crying. When she is small and the crate is big, put something in there (cardboard box covered with a towel or something to discourage chewing on the box, or whatever, to make the space small enough that she feels cosy- just enough for her to snuggle in and get up and turn around but not much bigger. Then she will not wee in there. Crates make life so much easier!

 

[Jacqui-S]

Feeding in the crate is enormously helpful too.

 

[HAH]

Also make the crate cosy; in the photo it didn’t have anything on the floor, so if you can get some vet bed to make it a bit softer that will help

 

[SwampDonkey]

Lots of food and Kong's gets them to love their crate.

 

[Candy]

Puppies like cosy snug crates with loads of treats!
I honestly think everyone here has been through what you're going through or similar. For me it was the biting that really got to me. Puppy Joy drew blood on a daily basis and I just had to stop wearing any of the clothes I actually liked because she would hang off my clothes by her teeth, all four paws off the ground at once! Somewhere along the line however she has turned into the sweetest, gentlest and best dog in the world. She is now one of the most treasured beings in my life and so well worth all the hard work which in the great scheme of things really didn't last so very long, although it felt like forever at the time. Hang on in there, keep talking to us, and one day you'll be the person giving puppy advice to a new Forum member!

 

[Jacqui-S]

she would hang off my clothes by her teeth, all four paws off the ground at once!

Lilly used to do that when she was around 6 or 7 months. Reduced me to tears on several occasions......

 

[Candy]

Lilly used to do that when she was around 6 or 7 months. Reduced me to tears on several occasions......

Yup! Me too! Almost impossible to imagine now though. They're both so gentle.

 

[Natalie]

Lilly used to do that when she was around 6 or 7 months. Reduced me to tears on several occasions......

Bear's still doing that at 7 months. I think it's reducing a little bit, but just today he grabbed at my Fitbit which I haven't worn for months, and nipped my wrist. He's still chewing my Uggs daily. Ho hum.

 

[Jacqui-S]

He is going to be a lovely boy when he matures. I know you know that. Not fun though.

 

[Candy]

Bear's still doing that at 7 months. I think it's reducing a little bit, but just today he grabbed at my Fitbit which I haven't worn for months, and nipped my wrist. He's still chewing my Uggs daily. Ho hum.

GGJ was just the same, Natalie. I wish I could pinpoint for you when it changed, but I can't and anyway even if I could that doesn't mean it would be the same for Bear. It will change though, I promise. You're going through a really really tough time at the moment and it must be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Things will gradually get better though. You're a lovely positive, kind and helpful person and it sounds like your OH is the same. Puppies grow up. Sad times somehow get a bit better. You'll eventually start feeling a bit better. I'm sure we're all here for you.
GGJ and me signing off for tonight. Goodnight, good people. xxx

 

[Alleeluna]

Hi all. Well Luna is getting bigger quickly! I have enlisted the help of a dog trainer with the issue of her still jumping all over the cat and now the cat is as bad We are working on reinforcing her compulsions and the bum/bowl technique. It seems to work most of the time but sometimes she is off is Lunaland Roll on the 17th November when I can get this lady out to burn some excess energy off.
I’m still working on the perfect balance of her food as she doesn’t like her dry food so need to find something she will eat. Also learnt that all the treats you buy send her crazy so now just meat and carrots for her.
She is my little sidekick and can still drive me insane, this morning we had a time apart as she was on a mission to drive me mad. We are friends again now!