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So this weekend we finally collected our new 9 week old Labrador puppy ‘Willow’ life has already been turned upside down! I had forgotten sleepless nights now my kids are older and it being 14 years since our last puppy. We lost our Boxer - Tess a few years back now, the hurt and never ending gap she has left still sees my wife and children occasionally crying. Replacing her has been a long process of research, inner questioning and aligning of the planets. Willow is from working stock and in a couple of years when she is developed and ready is going to make an excellent trail dog/running partner. She is a bundle of energy and life. But even a few days in is asking to go out to the toilet, sits to occasional command.
I thought i would share in my joy, to help lift a gloomy Monday for you all...who doesn’t love a picture of a puppy
GORGEOUS!
Bloody hell, look at that face, give it all the treats!!
You are definitely getting the "puppy eyes" there. Stay strong with the desire to give her lots of treats.
Meh, she would soon as sh*t in your slippers.... It's all a put on face.
😉
Hits the “like” button.
If I could work out how to post videos I could already share the absolute delight and potential horror I’m about the experience. I didn’t like my slippers anyway and with Christmas around the corner I was due a new pair 😳
Who's a good girl?
She is!
Providing this works. Willow says hello (8 months and 30+Kg)
Goodness me! That’s a big ‘Willow’. With the amount of energy she has at that weight and size, be one hell of a eating, shitting wrecking ball!
Another ahh butter wouldn’t melt photo, taken the week prior to us collecting
just perfect. long time labby owner here. on number 2.
Yup, she's a big girl. I've started calling her "Moose", a lovely well behaved girl apart from when it all still descends into puppy mayhem mode and she's chasing around with one of the other dogs (Bella a springer/beagle cross)
TTIUWMP
Where M = More
(maybe useless isn't the right word, but you get the message.)
Nala says Hello! (and by the way would you happen to have any snacks?)
Just for you Anono...who am I to restrict a puppy thread of pictures.
willow says Hi to Nala...no treats I’m afraid. But I’m sure she will spare what’s left of dads slippers
I was just about to start my own thread, but I'm going to add here instead to Fluffy Puppy Monday...
8 puppies born on Saturday night. Mum is a Sprocker, Dad is a Cockerpoo. That makes them Sprockerpoos (or mongrels in old speak).
So much cuteness and squeaking it's unreal. Absolutely fascinating to see how Mum just took so naturally to the birth and now caring for them.
And because, well, pictures are mandatory on a thread like this:
That's better.
How about a few more every monday to see how she's getting on?
Sounds like a great continuation for this thread! Every Monday will be a puppy update from me moving forward. Be great if others could do the same! Especially Pocpoc! Please keep us all updated with more pics
So..we had kept the new puppy a secret from our kids. Told them we were off to see Santa on Saturday. The only thing both had asked for for Christmas is a dog. They have been through so much following the loss of our old Boxer who they adored. We have been so careful to take our time, following an issue with a rescue dog we rehomed. Anyway, we pulled up outside the breeders and gave them a little treat. My daughters reaction is priceless and hopefully shows how much it means to her.
And finally enough puppy spam from me today... Willow at home with her new toys
Flo says hello. I am not sure she is a puppy, more of an alien!!
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Brilliant surprise! I would have thought a teenage daughter would be more suspicious of going to see santa though? Especially in November!
I'll try and keep the updates coming weekly (although my memory is shocking, so don't get your hopes up). I'm back at work now while Mrs pp stays home with them, but we've set up a wifi camera so I can sit and watch while "working"...
She was suspicious. But she has a younger brother we used as an excuse...he also (at 9) was a little less impressed with seeing Santa. But I told them their mum had booked it and she would be hurt if she found out they felt to old. So they both swallowed it.
That video of your kids. Cheers. Room just got a bit dusty.
Happy Monday everyone! Week 1 was full on, she has grown more comfortable each day. Now sleeping nearly through the night. We normally have to get up once to let her out. But very few accidents. Willow is proving to be a smart cookie! She can sit and fetch already. But my god she can be a little pain, chews absolutely everything and the Christmas tree doesn’t look set to make it until Christmas! Or my slippers for that matter
Cute pup and lovely family reaction. We lost our 3 year old Lab in May and it was horrible. Really very sad times. We didn't wait long to fill a lab hole in our lives
Here's Lola at about 12 weeks.
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That's with her best Mate Murf who is 11 1/2 but still going well.
She's about 24kg now and as big as Murf. Absolute tearaway. Is both smart and naughty. Training started well...
👍
oh, fluffy puppy Monday - I nearly forgot!
These little monsters are now 8 days old...
Some have now doubled their birth weight, the others are close. Still just wriggly squeaking, eating, sleeping machines at the moment. Expecting some eye-opening to happen in the next couple of days then it could start to get interesting!
2 of them have already been snapped up, 6 currently still available and will be ready mid-January if anyone is interested (cutest stealth ad ever?)
ps. I love that pic of Lola running free on the grass - looks like she's having a great time!
A couple more pics:
Way to kill the fluffy puppy vibe...
Meet Teddy
Dang it, it's been a while...
Second injection for Willow on Saturday, here she is feeling a little sorry for herself! She is very ready to get out of the house now bless her. Getting tough to burn off the excess energy in the garden! Bet is pleased with her growth, she has nearly doubled in size in the short time she has lived with us.
russyh, I am so envious of you!
Here's Wilma, who we got in December 2016 but sadly had to rehome in July 2017 as Mrs Egf was very ill & I couldn't look after both of them. I'm still gutted, but at least Wilma (now called Luna apparently) is living in near Haddington with a great family, & actually thinks she's an otter.
Willow's a beauty!
EGF, sorry to read this. It’s easy to take forget how lucky I am when she eats shoes, bites me or does something even worse. But she is a lovely dog and full of life, I just know long term we will have some great adventures. The hole our last dog left has been so huge that even if willow is 10% as good a dog as “Tessy” she will be irreplaceable.
Can’t believe I’ve missed this.
PUPPYS!
Sadly passed away four years ago and still miss her. Bella the big fluffy Newfie rug.
Willow says "I'm watching you"
Happy Monday everyone...this little arsehole decided one of my suits looked better with a massive hole in this weekend:
AArgh, they're all so cute. It's a good job you're here russyh to remind me to contribute to this.
More puppy pics coming shortly...
3 weeks old now and getting chunky!
They're walking/staggering around like drunkards and starting to play and interact with each other betwwen eating and sleeping (lots). 5 now sold, 3 still to go - all black males.
7yo has pretty much moved in to the pen wth them:
I know it's Wednesday, but I might have cracked posting images... finally say hello to Teddy 🙂
Amazing! Teddy looks gorgeous, albeit I’m aware all to well that they may look cute on the outside but reality is often somewhere removed! Good luck Twistedpencil!
Thanks @russyh so far he has been brilliant, a lovely temperament and great around the kids and chaos that usually reigns in our house.
That’s amazing! I must say we have been lucky with Willow. She took her first walk today off the lead. Her recall has been excellent, she is sleeping through with no accidents now. So other than the constant biting, she is a dream. Understanding the poor mite is teething like mad at the moment. We start obedience classes next weekend, but seem to have already ticked off 3/4’s of the syllabus!
This Christmas has been mega with a puppy, can’t wait until willow is old enough to crack in with some distance on her walks!
Brilliant, just the teething with us as well. Classes started last weekend, it was funny watching five puppies just go nuts in the same space 🙂
I think we're a little bit away from not using the lead yet, though had a great walk / run chasing my daughters on their bikes today.
Dogs are great, so are cats, just in case any of my cats are reading this...
hat’s amazing! I must say we have been lucky with Willow. She took her first walk today off the lead. Her recall has been excellent, she is sleeping through with no accidents now. So other than the constant biting, she is a dream. Understanding the poor mite is teething like mad at the moment. We start obedience classes next weekend, but seem to have already ticked off 3/4’s of the syllabus
The only puppy that I have ever met that wasn’t mouthy was an Akita of all things - and it still managed to give me the willies with it’s dead eyed confidence at 12 weeks old.
My 16 week old Bedlington has been quite mouthy - the thing is they do not automatically understand no - and in his case compared to my poodles and springers I had as a child it’s taken him a little longer to get it. For him, mouthing is playing - and has had almost a boyish lack of ability to read human social cues up until this week. However almost over night he has suddenly cottoned onto it and goes sheepish and gives people licks if they say no or if he has gone OTT playing.
Puppies are only bad if you get one that growls and snaps in an aggressive fashion from the outset, ones that mouth to play or mouth you because you’re checking a wound are normal - it’s the owners that turn them bad.
Socialising with other adult dogs is almost more important than training, you can almost see my puppies cogs wherring when he’s playing and learning how to act - you can actually observe him modifying his behaviour so as not to upset the other dogs. The. When you get home he will carry on using those new methods to interact with people as well.
You need to be firm with puppies and never let them think that you are scared of them - at the same time you must never, under any circumstance make them feel scared of you, otherwise you will encourage a fear response down the line. You can show them who the big boss is, without making them feel so scared that they cower or become traumatised - use a calm but firm voice if you have to put them in a naughty area away from others and always give them a treat once they are acting in a calmer fashion. They will soon cotton on.
Be attentive to their emotions basically and dangle a carrot in front of them when they are good.
To be honest I’m super chuffed with our 16 week olds progress. She understands no, has a great recall and all of the basic commands as well as sleeping through with no accidents now. The mouthing is very common, especially in Labrador’s. She has, what looks like 2 new teeth coming through. Best thing we have found is Antler chews, she will sit and gnaw on those for ages. In fact if she gets nippy if you say a firm ‘No!’ Go get your chew, she disappears off to find her chew.
we have been socialising her regularly (I grew up with dogs) so she is starting to learn some manners on that front. Like I say, I’m really happy with how Willow is progressing. She has bags of personality and intelligence in spades! I do miss (and she will never replace) the absolute stupidity, comedy and compassion of our old Boxer though.
Update on the litter - they're getting much more dog-like and chaos is begining to rein supreme!
As soon as the pen door is opened they all come pouring out, running around so excitedly, playing with each other and anything else they find.
Once I'm done clearing up 8 tiny poos and mopping up wee constantly they're great fun to sit on the floor with and play.
Feeding time is interesting - trying to get them to focus on eating when all they want to do is get out and play.
I would post videos but that involves youtube and is too complex for me. So it'll just have to be photos...
And to add in our little addition ... arrived 12th Dec, she's wonderful! One more week before she can fully go out...
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Loving these pupdates.
Soooo cute.
Wot no Monday 6th pupdate ??
Here you go, willow with her best mate...who sadly is more interested in YouTube.
Or out on a walk up the hill. She now happily walks off the lead and always comes back on call. So super chuffed with that
Struggling to get photos of them on my rubbish phone camera now they're all so active! By the time it focusses they're on the other side of the room.
Managed to get this one by stopping puppy from getting away:
Their mum has had enough of them now, keeps looking at us as if to say "when are they going to go away? please"
