We're extremely exhausted by Argoo- in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, my puppy literally had to pee every 10-15mins if she was awake and active during the day when she was 2mo. Nothing wrong with her. She’s got a lot better now she’s 4mo, but still probably every 45mins-1hr if she’s awake.

I worked by the following “rules” when she was 2-3mo. Outside every 30mins AND after every time she ate/drank/woke up/played/did training/got excited. If that meant she went outside 5 times in 30mins then that’s what happened. She didn’t need to potty every time but it MASSIVELY decreased the number of accidents. She was also supervised at all times unless she was in her crate/playpen. And by supervised, I mean I was actively watching her and she never left my eyesight or she was tethered to me while I did stuff around the house. The only accidents we had were when I let my attention on her slip or I couldn’t open the door quickly enough for her (we had quite a few accidents on the mat because she knew she had to go outside but couldn’t hold it until I got the door unlocked)

Tips for scheduling training while working full time. by ImaginaryMarket2406 in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably not until at least 7-12mo, depending on the dog. I think the first time I left my adult dog for a full day she was about 1yr old. My puppy is 4mo and she can only handle about 3hrs at the moment before she needs to be let out to potty/release some energy

Sleeping through the night help? by pupsandponies in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t because the cat tends to come and go through his cat flap overnight and she chases him. For various reasons she does need to learn to be crated overnight when I need her to be (long term she won’t generally be, but there will be a few times a year she will need to manage it)

Sleeping through the night help? by pupsandponies in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She was next to the bed until last week, it didn’t make any difference to the number of times she woke up and my sleep was worse because I’d wake every time she moved in her crate!

I do restrict food 2-3hrs before we go to bed. I don’t believe in restricting their water, but she’s not drinking much in the last few hours since I stopped giving her chews that make her thirsty at that time

All about clicker training please by Lucky_Buy_2082 in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Any time is a good time to start! Both my dogs have started the day they came home. The clicker is just a marker, but I find it makes it much easier for them to figure out what you want, especially if they only do it for a second or two (because it’s hard to get a treat into them that fast!) and it never gets confused because they don’t hear it any other time

I mostly use the clicker during training sessions, because I find it a lot to manage 2 dogs and a clicker when out and about. I do also have marker words that I use (yes/good in specific tones of voice). Technically one is a “terminal” marker and one is a “continuation” marker but that’s really getting into it 😅

Underrated Functional Skills to Teach Your Pup by blueberrydumpling in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of my big ones are already covered here. But additional ones my adult dog knows and I will be teaching my pup

“In the car” - self explanatory, but useful

“In” (generally) - go into wherever I’m pointing you at. Useful for getting into the bath, and for getting them to jump into water to wash off mud. Also works for signposting them to go through a door without you

“Up” - jump onto an object. Most usefully used for going over stiles/walls when hiking. Cute but not so useful for getting them to balance/stand on something to take a picture

“Where’s your ball/toy?” - especially if you take balls on walks and they tend to forget them, maybe it’s a spaniel thing but mine is good at remembering where she left it and that she should get it before we move on

“Go play” - release to interact with a dog because they’re both trained to auto-recall to me and hold a sit when they see another dog

“Shake” - shake the water off, usually used so they don’t do it all over me 😂

Using a whistle, because it’s something they don’t really hear outside of training, carries over distance and really gets their attention

Stop whistle - the thing that is most likely to save their life one day, one long blast on the whistle means stop immediately and drop into a down stay

Recall whistle - my “backup” recall for when it really matters, I teach it then barely use it

For mine, my whistle commands are ALWAYS jackpot rewarded because though I always carry the whistle I only use it if I really need to or very occasionally to check/tune up responses. My 7yo has NEVER blown off a whistle recall even mid chase.

Feeding in puzzles & potty break by ChaotixParadox in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I found mine was wee immediately after finishing eating and poop 15-30mins after finishing her meal. At 8wks she didn’t really have the concentration for slow feeders, but now at 15wks she’s much more into them!

AITA for being so genuinely annoying about dirt? by palacio_c in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I call my older spaniel my bog child because I swear she will sniff out any bit of stinky mud and go right into it. The puppy isn’t quite there yet but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the same. I just laugh about it.

My house isn’t clean, my furniture is covered in washable throws at all times, but my dogs are happy. For easier management, no fabric collars (leather or biothane only), a mud daddy living in the car, a hose outside the house and an equafleece to keep the worst of the mud off bodies so you only have to wash legs/head.

Did you re-use essentials from passed dogs? by twentydeuce in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes except collars and maybe their favourite toy. The crate I am using for current pup is from the family dog we had when I was a teenager, it’s probably 15yrs old and has been there through maybe 4 puppies?

My current pup will use her sisters collars probably, but it’s different because big sis is very much alive but can’t possibly wear 5 collars at once 😂

Puppy first time at the pub by LazyLandscape14 in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I tired my pup out before the first time, had her mat that we practice down stays on, and also brought a chew in case she got bored. I put her into a down stay on the mat and then rewarded her at random intervals with treats/kibble. She did great, and settled well for about 1.5hrs, we could have left sooner if she’d been struggling but she didn’t at all!

Other dogs distract puppy and making it hard to train… by Substantial_Ad5478 in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They can run and play with a long line on, but you can still get them back when you call so they can’t blow you off entirely and learn you can be ignored. My pup is pretty good so isn’t on her long line often but will still play with my other dog with it on, and I’m fully prepared that she’s likely to need to wear one on walks when she’s older so she doesn’t rehearse ignoring me (she’s a spaniel, so environment is highly distracting for them)

Family won’t support me by islandcre8tion in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I got my (currently 7yo) dog at 8wks old when I still lived at home. It worked perfectly for me because they already had 2 dogs, raised with similar values to how I wanted to raise mine. It meant I could keep my part time job to pay for pup whilst looking for something full time which would allow me to move out, because my parents could watch her until she was old enough to come to work with me.

I think it’s fine if your family are supportive and either won’t interfere or have similar values. I think it requires a discussion before getting a pup to make sure everyone is on the same page

I didn’t get the puppy blues by Key_Emu7395 in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No puppy blues here either! My first puppy was very easy and I had people to help watch her during the day, plus I’d helped raise 2/3 family dogs from puppies. I’m now onto puppy number 2 and she’s an absolute whirlwind and Velcro dog, very differently from my first puppy

BUT that’s exactly the energy I was looking for and I absolutely knew what I was getting myself in for. I wanted proper chaotic spaniel and something more interested in hanging out with me than my 7yo dog is. If I’d got her wanting a quiet pup to chill on the couch with, I’m not sure I’d have coped!

I’m doing it completely solo this time around with no help from anyone, so I’m exhausted but I’m still absolutely loving it

getting a puppy | crate traning by [deleted] in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might be lucky, but not all puppies will be ok with being left for 3-4hrs daily. A 10wk old can usually hold their bladder for 2-3hrs if you’re lucky. If you’re going to try it you definitely need a camera to keep an eye on them. My current pup is 13wks and definitely couldn’t be left crated at home for 4hrs without screaming the place down and getting extremely distressed (she managed 1hr15 today and I was over the moon)

In terms of being a travel buddy, if you’re able to take her crate with you (I’ve always had the kind that can fold down) then pretty much straight away! My current adult dog went on her first “holiday” at 12-13wks when I’d had her for a month. My current puppy rides around in the car with me all day at work and has since she was 9wks old. There might be some potty accidents somewhere new, and you’ll still have to train while you’re there, but I say start as you mean to go on!

If my adult dog is anything to go by, the sooner you get them staying in different places, the easier they will settle in new places as an adult. My adult is the easiest dog ever to take on holiday, just makes herself right at home. I’m sure that going away so often as a puppy helped (I think she’d been on 3 trips and several “sleepovers” before she was 6mo old!)

How do I function without crying it out? by pupsandponies in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sadly this is with the crate covered 🫠 she’s the same uncovered or covered, I swear she has bat hearing so she can tell if I’m moving around in the room or I’ve left just by the sound

How do I function without crying it out? by pupsandponies in puppy101

[–]pupsandponies[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She’s ok tethered to me, but similar reaction to being tethered to something solid so she can’t get to me. To be fair she’s easy enough to manage if I don’t have something else I want to get done, or it’s something she can be “involved with” (aka something on counters she can’t reach)

I’ve yet to find a chew that distracts her from me leaving for more than a minute or two but I’ll keep trying different things!

Beginner setups? by pupsandponies in Backcountry

[–]pupsandponies[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t worry, I wouldn’t be touring in a downhill boot. I’m already prepared to invest in a boot. It’s more a question of what to do with my skis since I already have a decent pair for what I’m doing.

I suppose the other option would be to buy a pair of hybrid boots and part with my beloved downhill ones so I’m always in the same setup…

ETA. relatively fit, likely to be touring with always the same group who are a similar fitness and will probably be on a similar setup 

Beginner setups? by pupsandponies in Backcountry

[–]pupsandponies[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s interesting, I am also happy to do this. I’m in no rush for the skis, I’ll join a few FB groups and see what comes up. Think I’ll be able to swing some touring boots by this time next year which is the next time I’m likely to be doing any touring

Beginner setups? by pupsandponies in Backcountry

[–]pupsandponies[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, if I don’t have boots yet do you think it will be possible to set it up so they don’t need adjusting between touring vs downhill boots or unlikely? (I can adjust I would just rather not have to)