Sorry I've not been back again to post... Haven't had a moment but also had horrible sickness again. I started to panic that I was in some way allergic to dogs but the GP thinks it's a virus and has given me some anti emetics and I'm starting to feel much better. Handling a new puppy whilst being sick has been a challenge, but hopefully we are coming out the other end now. The visit to the vets on Tuesday went well and she gave her a clean bill of health. She was 6kg and the vet thinks she will end up larger than 25kg. Her mum is 24kg and dad doesn't look too huge. I think she probably just was the greedy one of the litter and had more than her share! Everyone at the vets wanted a cuddle and she was very obliging! She is really developing fast. She comes to her name and comes bounding towards me outside when I call her and tap my legs. I've been working on the hand touch and I can't believe how quickly she has picked it up. I'll try and get a video of it at some point. We started on desensitisation to her collar and harness but the harness is way too big really to do it. We have been in two trips outside...one to see the man blowing the leaves and one down to the road to watch the cars. She is totally food oreintated so that helps with training though sometimes she gets beside herself sniffing out the treats rather than focusing on me. I had left a pot of her kibble as treats on the sofa. The lid was clicked on but only two of the four clicks, and whilst I was in the kitchen she got the pot down and somehow opened it! I want to work on leave as she has a taste for any kind of cable or plug socket! I try and lure her away with a toy or food, but she keeps returning, so need to work on something better. During the day she tends to sleep on a blanket on the floor by my feet and she seems to prefer being stretched out rather than curled up. But I try and make sure she has a couple of naps in her crate. At night I leave her in her crate with the pen around it with some newspaper down but she seems to prefer sleeping on the newspaper and won't wee on it. So Tuesday night she went down at 1030 and i didn't hear her until 6 am (I was sleeping upstairs but the sickness meds made be very sleepy). I hope she didn't howl and disturb the neighbours (no knock on the door yet). Last night she went down at 1030 and then she woke at 230 and whined so I went down and took her outside and she weed straight away. Took her back in and sat with her (back to her so not paying her attentio) until she settled. She slept until I came down at 630 to wake her. So tonight i'll set my alarm for 215 to try and pre empty her whining. Then hopefully I can start lengthening the time as her bladder grows. She is pooing about 4 times a day (first trip out in the morning, before her lunch, before her dinner and at bedtime) but today she has done 3 already, but all firm. I don't think I'm feeding her too much...the breeder had her on Royal canin 1/2 a cup three times a day, which is less than what is on the back of the bag (says 2 full cups & 7/8 of a cup a day). So I've gradually been increasing it slightly to 2/3 a cup three times a day. Not sure if I'm doing it right? She's 6kg so not underweight so perhaps I should leave her on 1/2 cup?
What I'm not sure what to do about and would appreciate any suggestions....because it's just me she is with me most of the time. If I go out of the room she stops playing. If I'm in the kitchen cooking and I put her in the large pen she stops playing and just sits watching me. Sometimes she is quiet sometimes she whines. It's like she wants to be right next to me all the time. When she whined I tried the click for quiet and it worked, but she just sat watching and wouldn't get on and play. Any suggestions??
This is normal. Pups don't generally play on their own, they play with other pups or with us. They rarely 'get on and play', if ever. So, as long as you have met her needs (food, water, wees, poos, play, training) its fine to leave her a while and ignore the whining. In fact it's an important lesson that you are not on tap every minute of the day. ...
Thanks boogie. She plays with me and if I'm sitting on the floor on the sofa she brings toys and we play and then she might take them to the other side of the room and continue to play with them on her own (right now she is pouncing on and and shaking to its death the pheasant toy!) But not if I go out. I think you're right I need to not be on tap all the time. I just made lunch and put her in her pen with a Kong with a few bits of kibble. She got them and then sat and watched me quietly and I just ignored her.
That's the way In a day or two, once she's found her paws, it will be time to start carrying her out to see the wide world. The more different people, vehicles and things she can see when tiny, the better. ...
Yes we've been out every day...just for 10 minutes. I realised she had only met women so far (vet and all the staff were female and the breeder and me!) so yesterday I saw a man blowing leaves outside and took her out to meet him! Poor guy but he was happy actually to have a chat. Today we walked to the bottom of the road and sat on a bench by the bus stop to see the cars and a bus stopped. Oh and they are doing building work down the other end of the road and we walked there on Tuesday. Problem is she is so heavy I can't carry her for long!
She's beautiful! Can you zip her into a rucksack to make it easier to carry her? Do keep it in front of you rather than on your back, though, so you can talk to her and make sure she doesn't escape!
She is a little cracker I know what you mean about them being heavy and not being able to carry them for too long - Bailey was a little porker although he always has been slim looking with easily felt ribs and a nice tuck under his tummy - just weighed a ton! He's nearly 11 months old now and weighed about 25.5 kgs three weeks ago. He's currently curled up with me on the settee, laying on my feet...I can't feel my feet now!
