Topic: Rox's Dog Advice Thread

[Claire.]

at least it won't be sub zero temps for the night time wee!

No idea if it's opened yet but I saw a while ago them doing the bankhall bazaar up as some sort of bull-breed focussed dog place, selling raw as well, be handy for us cos we still go to the Wirral for his food.

[CraigDS]

Well he’s home - this is Norbert!!

[Claire.]

Omg 😍

[reddebs]

Awe he's gorgeous 🥰

[Son of Spion]

Well he’s home - this is Norbert!!

  Little Norbs.

[reddebs]

My son's soon to be new puppy.  They pick her up on the 19th.

[Son of Spion]

My son's soon to be new puppy.  They pick her up on the 19th.

How adorable. 

[reddebs]

How adorable. 

She's just too cute isn't she 🥰

[Son of Spion]

She certainly is. 

[CraigDS]

He’s been great so far. Only one accident inside so far, otherwise he’s waited until we’ve taken him out.

His breeder weaned him onto raw, which is great as we feed raw. He’s done a couple of small bowls already and each time took himself off to his crate to sleep the food coma off 

[Slippers]

All this puppy talk is making me broody and ours is only six months old.

[CraigDS]

I had forgot how shit first nights can be 

He decided to not sleep more than 45mins at a time, and given he’d go mental if he woke up to either his crate door closed or even his temporary puppy pen closed over it meant I got pretty much no sleep!

Have worked on the crate and pen this morning and he’s now happy in the pen (although will still cry a little) and the crate is getting there (he loves going in and sleeping / taking his toys there - just hates it shut).

He’s doing great though. Settled really well, will happily take toys off and entertain himself and so far isn’t that nippy at all.

[Son of Spion]

I had forgot how shit first nights can be 

He decided to not sleep more than 45mins at a time, and given he’d go mental if he woke up to either his crate door closed or even his temporary puppy pen closed over it meant I got pretty much no sleep!

Have worked on the crate and pen this morning and he’s now happy in the pen (although will still cry a little) and the crate is getting there (he loves going in and sleeping / taking his toys there - just hates it shut).

He’s doing great though. Settled really well, will happily take toys off and entertain himself and so far isn’t that nippy at all.

I showed Mrs. Spion his pictures last night and reddebs' son's new pup and she was swooning all over the place. I asked how cute they are on a scale of one to ten, and she said twenty-five. 😂

Our last pup almost gave me a nervous breakdown when we got him. I made him a nice pen with a crate at one end. He was bouncing off the walls like a Tasmanian devil and doing Bobby Sands dirty protests. Once he settled he was fine though, but those early weeks were tough and I hardly had any sleep with him. Feisty little bugger he was. 🐕

[CraigDS]

Yeah he’s literally running at the pen and then pushing it along the floor 

He’s settled in it now though quite happily. Just a case of keeping an eye on him and taking him out at literally every opportunity so he doesn’t get the chance to do anything inside. So far just a few wees as I didn’t hear him wake up 

[owens_2k]

Anyone got any tips on how to get their dog to do their business while out on a walk? My Husky holds it in and then the second we get home, drops his load in the backyard!

He does a little 'dance' before he does his business too, so there have been times I've seen him doing that, lashed the lead on him and taken him back out again but he just holds it in and waits until we get back.

[CraigDS]

Do you have a command attached to it, like “got the toilet” or something? If not should be easy enough time teach, then you can give it when out and try and encourage him to do it and then reward.

Prob your best bet.

[owens_2k]

Do you have a command attached to it, like “got the toilet” or something? If not should be easy enough time teach, then you can give it when out and try and encourage him to do it and then reward.

Prob your best bet.

No command attached to it at all, its the one thing I've never managed to get him to do. He doesn't do his business every single time we get in from a walk. There may be times in the day he'll stand by the back door and wait to be let out and go then. He has a routine as to when he gets fed but he has no routine really with regards to when it comes toilet time.

[CraigDS]

Should be easy to attach a command, just wait until he goes in the backyard, give whatever command you want to use as soon as he does and then praise and give a treat after. Give it a week of doing this and he should attach the command to it.

Then a case of noticing when he may want to go when out, encourage with the command and then if he goes praise and reward.

Hopefully that should start associating good stuff with going elsewhere and it’ll become normal.

[Nobby Reserve]

Anyone got any tips on how to get their dog to do their business while out on a walk? My Husky holds it in and then the second we get home, drops his load in the backyard!

He does a little 'dance' before he does his business too, so there have been times I've seen him doing that, lashed the lead on him and taken him back out again but he just holds it in and waits until we get back.

Surely easier to clean-up in the backyard, not having to carry round a little black bag full of poo.

[God's Left Peg]

Picking up our 8 week old Staffy pup today. Very very excited.

[CraigDS]

Picking up our 8 week old Staffy pup today. Very very excited.

Prepare for a lack of sleep 

[Son of Spion]

Prepare for a lack of sleep 

Craig, can you please post some more pictures of the Norbmeister please.

Mrs. Spion keeps pestering me for an updated picture now he's settled in. The cuter the better if you will, as it will earn me some brownie points. 

[CraigDS]

Craig, can you please post some more pictures of the Norbmeister please.

Mrs. Spion keeps pestering me for an updated picture now he's settled in. The cuter the better if you will, as it will earn me some brownie points. 

How weird, I was literally going through my pics looking for some good ones. Will get some up shortly.

He’s settled so well. I’ve never met a puppy who is phased by so little like he is - he’s so laid back it’s untrue. He’s put on 0.5kg in the 6 days we’ve had him, up from 4.4kg to 4.9kg, and he looks like a proper little bulldog now (all be it with a small head, but he’s got the broad shoulders starting).

He’s started to pick things up really quick too. He’s 9wks tomorrow and he’s already nailed sit and down. He gives eye contact when you call his name and his “leave it” is getting there as well - he’s obsessed with slippers though!

Really not a fan of his crate being shut over though. Goes in there of his own accord during the day if it’s open, and will happily sleep away, but if I shut it over he whines and whines. So nights are still me sleeping on the sofa with his crate facing me - which is working as I’m taking him out at around 1am before I sleep, 4am ish then he wakes sometime between 7-8am - with no mess between.

[CraigDS]

Sorry in advance for pic spam. These are in age order, last one of him on his back was an hour ish ago.

I’ve got some vids which I’ll sort and post up tomorrow.

[Son of Spion]

They are brilliant.  Thanks Craig.

I'll show them to Mrs. Spion on Saturday as I'm looking after my mum at the moment. She will be swooning all over them. 

The fact you got as few paw pads in shot will go down really well. I think she has a paw pad fetish. 

So glad the little fella is doing so well. 

[CraigDS]

I’ll prob have more by Sat - apparently my gf is doing a 1wk photo shoot tomorrow 

She’s never had a dog before, even growing up, think her dad just doesn’t like them. We got together when Arnie was about 4ish and she thought he was amazing so she’s been hooked with dogs since (thankfully, as I’ve always been brought up with and had dogs).

[CraigDS]

Oh and my missus is obsessed with his paw pads. They’re so soft and pink at the moment, like touching a smooth squishy bit of skin, but they’re quickly turning darker and going rougher.

She’s going to get a shock how quickly he grows and changes I think!

[Son of Spion]

I've just been talking with Mrs. S.  She can't wait to see the pictures.    The more pics the merrier.

Paw pads are great.

[CraigDS]

He’s eating better than we are. Tonight he had quail and tomorrow he has goose defrosting.

Also snacked on a few sprats earlier, which were the first bigger things he had to chew on to eat.

[Son of Spion]

He’s eating better than we are. Tonight he had quail and tomorrow he has goose defrosting.

Also snacked on a few sprats earlier, which were the first bigger things he had to chew on to eat.

You're spoiling him. 

He's got you wrapped around his paw already.

[Claire.]

I’ll prob have more by Sat - apparently my gf is doing a 1wk photo shoot tomorrow 

Lol we all know it’s you Craig, you’re not fooling us! 😆

The stuff about the crate reminds me of Floyd, hated the door being shut but he never sleeps in the same place for that long, he always gets up and moves somewhere else and has done it since he was a pup.

[Slippers]

Oh and my missus is obsessed with his paw pads. They’re so soft and pink at the moment, like touching a smooth squishy bit of skin, but they’re quickly turning darker and going rougher.

She’s going to get a shock how quickly he grows and changes I think!

When we picked up Scout in November my daughter kept touching her paws and exclaiming 'look at her beans'.

[Ratboy3G]

We are hoping to get a dog this year after putting things on hold for the last 12 months (a few friends of mine got dogs before and during the pandemic, but I'm glad we waited).
I had a few questions for the more experienced dog owners on here. Both my wife and myself have had family dogs when we were growing up, but we are undecided on what breed to get. We have a 3 bedroom terraced house with a small front garden and decent sized back yard, 3 kids at primary school and myself and my wife both work so we'll need a dog that may need to be able to spend a few hours on its own in the mornings and afternoons (I can pop home in my lunch breaks).
Any suggestions for a suitable breed? I have done countless questionnaires online and seem to get a variety of responses, but we are hoping to get a dog small to medium sized who is good with kids.

[CraigDS]

Most dogs will adapt to your lifestyle, but some will be harder (so for example a very energetic dog will happily be alone during the day but you’d need to make sure they got the exercise required before/after).

Are there any sorts of breeds you maybe had in mind?

[Ratboy3G]

Cheers for the reply Craig.
The Mrs and I aren't too fussed, as we individually have had a variety of dog breeds before we got together (Keeshond, Patterdale, Cretan Hound, Pomeranian and Old English Sheepdog to name a few) but nothing for the last 12 or so years and we've never owned a dog together.
We were looking for local rescue dogs in our area, but there wasn't anything suitable for re-homing with kids our age (we have a 9, 7 and 6 year old).
My daughter really wants a Cockapoo, but I'm not sure that would be a good idea as I've heard they aren't the best dogs to leave at home alone even for only a few hours.
Our house isn't the biggest (post war ex-council terrace), but we do have an enclosed garden and back yard and are a 2 minute walk from a huge park and woodland nature reserve and we go walking a lot with the kids.

I know it's a personal choice, but we're just struggling a bit with breeds at the moment as there is so much choice and we want to make the right one.

Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated from anyone on here.

[CraigDS]

My sister has a cockapoo and it’s fine with being left alone. It really does depend on how you bring it up.

We’re going through it now, finding reasons to go out everyday so we leave Norbert on his own and he learns we come back (and often with treats). Started from just leaving the room for a few mins and built it up to over an hour today. We’ll keep doing that for the next few months and it’ll become normal for him to be alone.

You can make life a tad easier and go for a non super high energy dog (so spaniel, huskey, etc type), but otherwise it’ll be down to the home life and amount of exercise they get.

[Ratboy3G]

Is Norbert a Frenchie?
A neighbour of mine breeds them and my youngest really wants us to get one, but a mate of mine has three and says they are a nightmare 🤣
I told him I'd happily swap a child for a dog, but surprisingly he said no.

[CraigDS]

Nah he’s an English Bulldog, just with a bit of merle/chocolate in him so not a standard colour.

From my understanding frenchies are pretty similar to most bull breeds (and sure Claire will back me up) - so stubborn when they want to be, quirky, but full of personality and absolutely devoted to their family. They’re nothing like the nature the media would like to portray - I had an 80kg bullmastiff as he was as soft as anything and amazing. 

I absolutely love bull breeds. I’ve grown up with loads of other breeds, and experienced even more through my sisters, but nothing compares to the personality of a bull breed for me.

[Ratboy3G]

Fantastic choice, English bulldogs are great!
A mate of mine who lives on my way home from work has one, I always pop round to see him when I can (well used to pre-pandemic). I think he had figured out I was only mates with him because of the dog 😂

[CraigDS]

Yeah this is my second. He’s only young but already showing the same typical bullheaded and quirky nature.