# We need a pep talk...



## Wilverley (Sep 19, 2011)

Hi, we've had Woody for a week now. To begin with he was getting on really well. He is great in his crate, the toilet training not too bad at all and he was responding to us calling him and keen to come to us for a treat. The last few days however have been quite stressful and we're struggling. 

He seems to be absolutely determined and impossible to distract at times. In fact he just ignores us. He makes a beeline for our hedge every time he goes outside. We thought this was completely secure but yesterday he escaped through it. We managed to get round the other side and catch him very quickly but it was a horrible panicky few minutes. My husband has spent the morning putting up a makeshift fence to stop it happening again but the second he went out he is immediately trying to get through it. Inside, he is chewing in one particular place, no matter what we try to distract him. It feels a bit like we are fighting fires all the time and not enjoying having him the way we'd like to be.

Also he seems to have an upset stomach at the moment. We are feeding him NI which he loves. He's not off his food but something's definitely not right. We wondered if he's eaten something in the garden and try to stop him but again, its impossible!

We were prepared for hard work and some disruption - its not that side of things that's the issue really - just that we don't seem to be enjoying having a dog and that's really sad. We can't seem to get into a routine with him which can't be helping any of us. At the moment we're restricting him to one room and can't see how things are going to move on. We are pretty calm people and patient. Having two children under 2 didn't faze me but this has for some reason!

Just wondered if anyone else has had these type of feelings early on and can give us a bit of advice please?


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Reading this has made me smile because it sounds like my first few weeks with Buddy!
It does get easier and you will get into some sort of a routine with him,Buddy's always been very mouthy and its been a long slog for us he still does it on occasion but he's never been a puppy you could pick up and cuddle he was always wriggling and trying to bite me.

His favourite thing to chew was my rug thank god it was only cheap i would use all the distraction techniques and he has calmed down alot.

I think its fair to say weve both got very head strong puppies,puppy training helped alot and Buddy's a quick learner you just have to keep doing a bit each day.

Also check he's sleeping enough and if your at your wits end i would pop him in the crate so that you can both chill out for a bit.

Good luck i love Buddy to bits its worth it.


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## Guest (Oct 10, 2011)

hi folks have you spoke to jd about him ? they will give you good advise on how to get through the first few weeks , remember you choose a working cocker x poodle , they can be very active ,i no that as i breed them my self janice x


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## lilaclynda (Jul 24, 2010)

Hi 
Keep going thats all i can say , Ollie is now 17months when we first had him i nearly had a bit of a breakdown because i was the only one he really wanted in our family, he followed me everywhere and i could not go to the toilet without him ,We found it helpful to section our garden off and gravel it so we could have more control and that made a huge difference .
We also had a crate he slept in that till he was 1year old , we also took him to puppy class which was an absolute help to us , as you realise that its so important to give just one command and its how you say it ie STAY as apposed to waffling on etc , they really help with advice and its good to share with others , 
You have to persevere with recall etc and when you thin they have got it especially when they reach teenager stage they are stubborn .
keep going this site is valued by myself for help and info through those worrying times 
love Lynda


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Keep going, it's still VERY early days.I'd never had a dog before and although
I expected a pup to be hard work I never imagined just how much hard work!!
Pups can put pressure on any relationship as they are so demanding in the early weeks. One by one you will find ways and solutions to deal with each of the issues that your pup is creating ( this site is INVALUABLE and has been my ROCK at times..) Pups are cute but can also quite stressful and be a bit of a pain in the rear end ( sorry Betty) but slowly, bit by bit things improve and you will begin to enjoy your dog. Please dont give up.


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## RubyCockapoo (Feb 5, 2011)

Hi there.

Don't worry, the early days can be hard. You met our Ruby, and she was very hard work in the early days. She was very stubborn and wouldn't stop doing something because we said, you had to watch her like a hawk and physically stop her.

If we picked her up and removed her from a situation once, we must have done it a thousand times. Sounds bad but it does get better. We often wondered what we had done getting a puppy, but so glad we did, and now, with Woody's little sister, we have two!

Puppy training classes when he's old enough will help. 

Hang in there, lots of help on here, don't despair.


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

romeo said:


> hi folks have you spoke to jd about him ? they will give you good advise on how to get through the first few weeks , remember you choose a working cocker x poodle , they can be very active ,i no that as i breed them my self janice x


I would'nt say its because they are from a working cocker?? Luna who is from Buddys litter is nothing like Buddy Harri said shes never chewed anything or been nipped at all .Like humans all dogs have different personalities.Also Buddy isnt hyper he just has his mad half hour like all puppies but the rest of the time he entertains himself or is a sleep.


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## tinal38 (Aug 8, 2011)

Ah, hang in there. Very good advice here. I would not expect your pup to move from one room for a very long time. Chip is 16 weeks and I never leave him out unattended or outside even by himself. It will get better, just expect to maintain for a while, nit make progress except in the simple things. Big sigh, cup of tea when he's sleeping and back to it! Good luck.


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## Wilverley (Sep 19, 2011)

Thanks so much for your valuable advice and reassurance. It really does help to hear about your experiences and know we are not the only ones! 

We've also spoken to Stephen at JD who had some good advice and hopefully we'll be able to draw a line under these few days and start again in a more positive frame of mind. We have already booked our puppy training for the end of the month and it sounds like that should help us a lot so fingers crossed. Thanks again x


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

Taking on a puppy is huge and people can often get the puppy blues.

When I got Milly my 2nd I was in tears a lot the first week thinking I had done the wrong thing. It's just emotions.

Put it down to puppy blues- move forward and things will get better. There will be both good and bad days all part of puppy training but so worth it.


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi Wilverley

So sorry to hear you’ve had a stressful week with Woody – I don’t have any personal experience but I think you’ve done the right thing coming on here for advice. Everyone is very supportive. 

I hope things improve soon – how could they not with such a beautiful green-eyed pup?! 

Turi x


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## Rufini (Sep 9, 2011)

ah sounds so familiar! We've had Vincent 4 weeks now (is that all? wow!) and for the first few we felt like it was almost a constant battle to keep up with him! My poor flowerbed had to be completely pulled up because he was so obsessed with eating the flowers (not too bothered by it now! Bad weather is rolling in so they were not going to last long!).

All I can say, as someone who is experiencing it now too, is to keep on going...it will really be worth all this once our pups are beautifully behaved doggies (this is all I am focusing on, although alas I think Vincent will always be a cheeky little thing!!).


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

Like the others said you just have to hang in there it does get better. Some days I was so fed up with Pixel and felt like I'd say no a million times a day and was being ignored. I'd lost count of the number of times she spread soil from the plant all over the lounge floor or the number of times we told her to get down from the furniture or stop biting us. I was working in the evening at the time so less stressful for me but my hubby was getting fed up with dealing with her after a hard day at work.

She is so much better now and has calmed down. It's very like having a child I think, they like to test the boundaries. You need to be consistent and firm. I smack Pixel firmly but not to hurt on the nose three times whilst saying no, now I only need to show her my two fingers and place them on her nose and she generally stops doing the wrong thing. She also looks at me with real puppy dog eyes!

If she continues after doing that a few times I shut her away, not in her cage though. Not only does this calm her down when she is racing around but it also lets her know she is being naughty and is missing out on the fun. She soon learnt as she hates this and just wants to be with me. Her lastest trick is getting the washing off the line- this has worked very well with that!

I would say to take the dog out on her lead the next few times, show her the hedge and say no several times. Then walk away from the hedge and back again doing the same thing again several times. Then let her off but stay out with her, if she looks like she's going to go through the hedge say no firmly and distract her with a toy. When she doesn't go through the hedge praise her and give her a treat.

It's hard work and very repetitive but they do get it eventually.


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

P.s- we blocked off the plant in the end but then had to deal with her trying to chew the cardboard we'd blocked it off with. When she went near it she got a firm no and we would clap to distract her and then praise her when she moved away. Can you block off the bit that she is chewing?

Has she got lots of toys she can chew instead? If not, puppies love to chew so I would recommend getting her several chewy toys and giving her this instead everytime she goes to chew this area. It took some time but now Pixel goes and gets her kong/bone or chewy toy of her own accord when she starts biting us and we say no.


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

A bit like having a baby, try and have a plan or schedule for the day so you don't feel like you are in free fall.

For the first week we pretty much had a hourly cycle of sleep-wee-play going on and by the second week we are following the same cycle on a 2 hour basis but also introducing time out where Rem is in her puppy pen playing quietly.

I think you have to be careful not to let a young puppy get too tired or over stimulated as that is when I believe they are 'naughty' if you can call it that - like an over tired toddler having a tantrum I guess.


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

I think at can be very over whelming and obviously tiring, just getting up early constantly can be such a drain you end up walking round like a new mum....just without the sick on your shoulder. As people have said it does get easier, you'll get to a point where you've forgotten these first few weeks ... honest... and you'll have a lovely loyal friend for life, you'll get there


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## Kirsty (Sep 9, 2011)

Oh yeah we are all Groupies!!! We've forgot what puppyhood was like .... Cara is 18wks now and we are still "proofing the garden" she ate her way through the nice plastic meshing and has turned into a digger now that's obsessed with stones!!

Chocolate helps so does wine or a beer but best is puppy time out in the crate whilst you go snuggle up somewhere cozy for an hour ... Then start again.

It will get better just takes time xx


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