Getting desperate!

[Jacqui-S]

artificial sweetener

Xylitol. Very toxic for dogs and cats roo I would think.

 

[Georgesmum]

Peanut butter is great for Kongs as @Granca said, but make sure it isn't the one that contains an artificial sweetener, I am afraid I have forgotten the name, but it is fatal for dogs.

It’s xylitol that’s fatal (just googled it lol) I’m hoping palm oil is ok because that’s what mine has in it

 

[Georgesmum]

Right, got kong filled with semi soggy puppy food in it and the hole will be bunged up with peanut butter, then I’m going out!!! Arrrrgh I’ll be a nervous wreck, going to set my alarm so I know how long I’ve been out, I went up the garden earlier for 5 minutes, he was asleep and didnt notice Id gone! Should I make sure he knows I’ve gone?? Or walk out while he’s asleep? But then the puppy sitter isn’t going g to wait until he’s asleep is he? She’s only here for half an hour hmmmm

 

[Georgesmum]

Also, does anyone have any tips for biting? He’s decided that launching himself at me with his mouth open persistently, and snapping at my clothes is a good game, I say no quite loud and sharp and push him away, then stand up and turn my back on him until he stops, but it’s everytime I sit on sofa now

 

[snowbunny]

What I liked to do at first was walk in and out a lot once the pup had started eating their Kong so they got used to that, and then being gone for just a tiny amount of time after they had finished - a few seconds at first, working up to a couple of minutes. You have to play it by ear with each puppy. If you think your puppy is distressed, make sure you go back and don't "wait for quiet" as some people suggest - if your puppy is distressed, he will only get more distressed if you ignore him. Instead, you can use the crying as information as to what his limits are, and adjust your time shorter the next time.

If you have any old mobile phones hanging around (or if one of your family is home), you can use a free app called Alfred to keep an eye on him while you're out.

 

[snowbunny]

Biting is VERY normal behaviour for a young puppy. Pushing him away might make it worse, as if you look at Labradors playing, there is a lot of shoving that goes on - it's a great game! He'll grow out of it in time, and waiting is the biggest part of it, but it's no fun while it lasts, for sure. Keep a toy or chew on hand to use for playing instead of your flesh. Young puppies often become very bitey when they're tired especially, so sometimes it's a case that they need to be popped in their bed for a sleep. A Kong can help them to settle down into a relaxed state.

You can also redirect him into some training games - teaching "no mugging", for example, or start working on two cues for being fed treats, one which means "the treat is coming to you" and the other which means "go get the treat", both of which are useful later on.

Here's a video on no mugging...

 

[snowbunny]

Kikopup (Emily Larlham) has a load of great puppy training videos. This has lots of sensible advice in it:

 

[snowbunny]

Here's a video on puppy biting:

 

[snowbunny]

If you go here, you can click on the puppy playlist to see her full list of videos aimed at puppies: Dog Training by Kikopup

If you don't know about clicker training yet, watching the intro video on the Clicker Training playlist in the link above is probably a good idea

 

[jazzmynn]

Xylitol can be found in many types of sugar free gum as well. People here always seem to spit their gum on the ground so I’m on constant alert for Ariel not to snaffle some up. Plus I hate stepping in gum...

 

[Georgesmum]

Xylitol can be found in many types of sugar free gum as well. People here always seem to spit their gum on the ground so I’m on constant alert for Ariel not to snaffle some up. Plus I hate stepping in gum...

Mine just says palm oil

 

[Georgesmum]

i left him and went to shop literally just 2 mins away, came back to an almighty row
Got in and he stopped and went back to bed, walked into kitchen and back 3 times and he started once!! Now I’m sitting in same room he’s gone back to sleep. Should I shut the curtains do he can’t see me going out and he thinks I’m in the kitchen the whole time?

 

[Jacqui-S]

Personally I think it's important he knows you are going.
You need to work on associating you going with something nice. Usually for me that was a stuffed kong, and a kong was enough.
He needs to know you have gone, but also that you are coming back (but NOT just because he is shouting for you)

 

[Georgesmum]

Personally I think it's important he knows you are going.
You need to work on associating you going with something nice. Usually for me that was a stuffed kong, and a kong was enough.
He needs to know you have gone, but also that you are coming back (but NOT just because he is shouting for you)

That’s the trouble I’m having, he’s not interested in the kong as soon as he realises I’ve gone, and even when I come back he doesn’t go back to it he just goes to sleep

 

[Jacqui-S]

Sounds like he's exhausting himself.
I'm sure he will get the hang of it. He will get to know that you will come back.
Have you tried leaving him with a worn piece of your clothing in his crate to snuggle with? I'm sure someone else suggested the radio too.

 

[Georgesmum]

Sounds like he's exhausting himself.
I'm sure he will get the hang of it. He will get to know that you will come back.
Have you tried leaving him with a worn piece of your clothing in his crate to snuggle with? I'm sure someone else suggested the radio too.

He’s got my iPod on shuffle, reception for radio is rubbish in my house, he’s got one of my shirts too, just went out and hung around in garden for 5 minutes, he never moved

 

[Georgesmum]

He’s got my iPod on shuffle, reception for radio is rubbish in my house, he’s got one of my shirts too, just went out and hung around in garden for 5 minutes, he never moved

Seems it’s when he knows I’ve gone,

 

[Boogie]

Sounds like he's exhausting himself.
I'm sure he will get the hang of it. He will get to know that you will come back.
Have you tried leaving him with a worn piece of your clothing in his crate to snuggle with? I'm sure someone else suggested the radio too.

I do all of these - radio on classical music, ticking clock, t shirt I’ve been wearing in their bed when the pups are little.

Try making the Kong really tasty so that he can’t resist it, so that he gets over that ‘she’s leaving’ moment. Like people have said, above, they get to the point where they are excited you are leaving to get a Kong. Tatze and Spencer both look what shoes I’m putting on. If I put ‘Puppy training’ shoes Tatze goes straight to her bed for her Kong as she knows it’s not her turn.

A good irresistible food is cat food pouches, the fishy kind. Just smear the inside of the Kong with it.

 

[Georgesmum]

I do all of these - radio on classical music, ticking clock, t shirt I’ve been wearing in their bed when the pups are little.

Try making the Kong really tasty so that he can’t resist it, so that he gets over that ‘she’s leaving’ moment. Like people have said, above, they get to the point where they are excited you are leaving to get a Kong. Tatze and Spencer both look what shoes I’m putting on. If I put ‘Puppy training’ shoes Tatze goes straight to her bed for her Kong as she knows it’s not her turn.

A good irresistible food is cat food pouches, the fishy kind. Just smear the inside of the Kong with it.

Oooh cat food?? I’ll get some later, I bunged up the hole with peanut butter, he’s not even licked it all out

 

[Georgesmum]

Just been out again for 10 minutes, he’s not moved!!!
Soooo..... it’s just when he’s awake enough to realise I’ve gone out then! Hmmm....I’ll have another go later....can see what I’ll e doing all day tomorrow lol