Cazwah

I'll put in my two cents as I've just been to the vet yesterday. Chestnut had his first vaccination at 8 weeks of age. We took him to the vet yesterday for his second set of vaccinations at 12 weeks of age and the vet told us: Come back at 16 weeks for a third vaccination, as studies have shown that in some dogs, maternal antibodies can still be present at 12 weeks and interfere with the effectiveness of that 12 week vaccine. She also said that we need to keep Chestnut indoors until 2 weeks after the final vaccination, meaning not taking Chestnut outside until he is 18 weeks old. Now, I can't keep Chestnut indoors until 18 weeks of age, we will all go crazy! While I understand the reason for the reccomendation I also understand the consequences of having an unsocialised pup. Also I know he must have a good immunity from the 8 and 12 week vaccinations, if not 100%, and that there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that is is safe to take the puppy out from 12 to 14 weeks of age.... So, i guess it depends on what was covered in the 6 and 10 week vaccinations and if your vet reccommends a 16 (14?) week vaccination. I've heard many times that it takes 2 weeks for the vaccinations to become fully effective. Best of luck! PS- LOVED the vet, can definitely reccommend a good one in Brisbane!

Hey there, I'm a new puppy owner as well, ChestNUT ( ) is 12 weeks old. We got him at 8 weeks old and after a day or two he gained energy and confidence. However, the older he got the more I noticed that he slept more. How old is Chester? Chestnut from about 11 weeks on could sleep for several hours, especially when he was able to initiate his own routine (ie when we relaxed the crating schedule). 20 mins is a pretty long play session, maybe he's just tuckered out from it =) I would just watch his intake and output and see how his behaviour changes over the next few days. I was amazed at how different Chestnut's energy levels were over the first few weeks. I got quite concerned myself one day, I thought he was depressed! He was just so sleepy and not interested. I could jazz him up though, but he just took a little longer to wake up. The next day he was a fire cracker. So I think it's normal for little pups to have different days. See how he goes

Thank God mine isn't the only poo-walker!! Chestnut is only 12 weeks old, he does about 4 poos a day depending on whether he finishes the poo before getting distracted (like many before him by the sounds of it!). He sniffs for a while to get the right spot, and seeing as we've got a square of fake grass for him, about 50cm x 40 cm, so I'm very grateful whenever he does hit the right spot! He does the running away thing once he's finished, more often just before he's finished so the 'result' ends up off the porch... But we're getting there! I have realised he doesn't like to do it with us watching too closely either

This has been such a helpful topic! That dog food analysis site is great, thanks for linking it!

Yeah, well done booboobear! It is so awful to listen to, but when it stops.. ahh the relief!! I forgot to mention before too, that often when we actually timed how long Chestnut was crying for, it was always less than 10mins. That quickly reduced to 5mins then 1min, now barely a huff. I would also sometimes check on him without talking to him, just walk past to make sure he wasn't crying because he'd poop'd or something. That at least made me feel better! You can do it!

I think those are the same parents who, in emergency paediatrics, say to their sick kid "Now you behave or the nurse will give you a needle!!" Like I don't have enough trouble getting the child to trust me enough just to take their temperature!! Grr!!

You will get there Nadz! We had a pretty easy run over night with our Chestnut (mini dach) from the start but crating during the day was the hardest. We made sure we kept to the routine and just put up with the cries- I know it is SO heart breaking. I've heard the crate games DVD is fantastic but haven't seen it myself. I can forward you some articles my trainer sent to me? Maybe it will just reassure you that you are doing the right thing. To be honest I had several times when I was convinced I was doing everything wrong and that we were going backwards, and then all of a sudden I have a pup that voluntarily goes into his crate often, rarely cries and rarely pees where he shouldn't! Hang in there!

Thank you for all the great ideas! I had heard of that 'walnut' game but forgot about it, will definitely give it a go! We've started the shake hands thing, just getting him to paw our hand at the moment and click/treating for that. We've been doing lots of the 'come' game, Chestnut loves that one and gets a good run out of it. I'll try the hide the toy game next, we've just had a bunch of new toys given to us by Chestnut's "honorary aunties" so should have a lot of fun with those =) Thanks again for all the ideas, this is great!

Thanks guys! We played the 'which hand is the treat in?' game this afternoon, but will have to practice to get as good as Romeo! He's so good at it!!

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go this arvo.. might have to hide behind the couch though, as we've got a tiny apartment!

Hey everyone! Yet another first-time-puppy-owner-question Okay, so everything is going super well at the moment, Chesty is 10 weeks old yesterday. I want to know what your favourite games to play with your puppy are/were? I am running out of ideas of games to play with him when he's hyped up. The games we already play are- -- tug (still learning the rules don't play it too much) -- follow me -- basic obedience including a very cute roll over -- occasionally 'find it', following a treat trail Most of the time I find myself trying to teach him bite inhibition! Such strong teeth and jaws!! I'd like to find some games that didn't necessarily involve food as well... Okay, hit me with your game ideas!!

Here's my crate! We have just put a very comfy rug/blanket in there, initially we had it in but he would chew and chew it so we removed it til he learnt to chew the kongs. We also now only have 2 to 3 kongs in there at the most. He is really taking to his crate now

thank you!!

I've been trying lots of different things to find out what Chestnut think is 'too good to be true'. So far, above liver, above hotdog and above cheese he will do ANYTHING for a lick of some liverwurst. It looks and smells like devon but is a LOT smooshier, so we use it on a wooden spoon and use this for loose leash walking training (he's only 10 weeks old). I think it's funny that my german sausage of a dog loves a german sausage! You can find liverwurst in the smallgoods section of coles, where the ham and frankfurts are It's also great because I only need to use a tiny bit to get a lot of training done.

Hi everyone, I think I've posted in most of the forums now, I have had so many different questions since I brought Chestnut home 2 weeks ago My question for here however is can I start clicker training for when Chestnut pees in the right place? Does it work for toilet training? And if so, should I click when he squats or when he finishes? And should I keep using the words "go pee" when he is peeing or stop using words alltogether? I've read so many articles and books on toilet training and still I am confused! (At the moment my routine is: I take him to the outside toilet regularly- every hour to 2 hours depending on activity, on leash, and say 'go pee' while he is peeing, 'yes!' when he finishes then reward with three treats asap.) Thanks!

Ooh thanks Stitch, I am in QLD. I'll be sure to keep up the treatment and keep on handling his ears in case it ever comes back. Is there any kind of preventative measure I can take? I asked the vet if I should be wiping his ears or something, he said no. Is there anything else I could be doing preventatively? As he has lovely droopy ears I know he will always be prone to ear infections.

Thanks Puggawuggles, I have made the appointment for Chestnut's vaccinations on his 12 week birthday, I really didn't want to go any earlier. With the advocate you use, is that a mites/fleas/ticks treatment of does it cover worms as well? We've been told to use sentinal but it doesn't cover ticks, I don't think it covers ear mites either...

Thanks everyone! I have put his doggy toilet outside on the porch (no back yard in this unit) and we've had great success ever since. I'm trying to let him go onto it by himself, often he does but sometimes he just wants to play and sniff when we go out there. But I think it is working, better than I had thought it would! I will find out about getting a doggy door for the glass sliding door so he could go out there when home alone. Thanks for all the advice, it really is working. In the time it took to write this post we had a successful trip outside and a pee on the outdoor loo!

Hi there, I would love to know some places in northern NSW to go camping with our dog too. The only place I know of and can suggest is about 4 hours north of Sydney, and that's the Manning River in Barrington Tops. Half of it is state forest and there's a great (but very basic) camping ground there where you can bring dogs. It's right on the river and it's just beautiful. The other half of Barrington tops is national park and dogs aren't allowed there, but if you're into 4WDing there's plenty of tracks in the state forest part, lots of beautiful drives, if that's your thing. Good luck with the holiday! HAve fun

Thanks JudyG, I think we really do want him to toilet outside in the longterm, but as we are in a unit he won't be able to get outside when we are not here. I guess I can still take him outside when we are here, and when I go back to work I can bring the toilet inside for when he is alone? I am afraid I will confuse him as we're only just getting him to used the play pen one at the moment and even then there are accidents. Then again, I do have this whole week and weekend off work to get him used to the new routine! Thanks again

Thanks Bundy's mum, yes, I've been watering down puppy milk, as he wouldn't take plain water at first. It is now diluted so much it's just cloudy water. Outisde for toileting, okay, better start doing it sooner rather than later right?

Thanks for the replies Mason's mum and Rappie! I'm glad hic cups are normal, I was pretty sure they must be, but then got paranoid about his diet or the way I pick him up etc etc Rappie- the vet didn't look at the ear gunk under a microscope, he just said regardless of the cause, the "Auracol" drops would fix it, and to come back after the 7 day course is finished. Also, re the vaccinations, we have scheduled it for 12 weeks on the dot, he wanted me to come earlier but I just said I couldn't make it. Thanks again for the replies!!

Very new owner here, so not much wisdom from me, BUT in the 12 days I have had Chestnut I have seen a different mood, energy level and personality every day. I got really scared and thought he mnust be unwell or sad or angry with me when he was just sleepy, and weirded out when one day he was a ferocious biting machine and the next day a lovely lap dog. That's all I've got so far, but now I'm ready for anything in the mornings and I'm not freaking out so much about it

Hi everyone, My 9 week 5 day old miniature dachshund puppy had his first visit with us to the vet on saturday. It was pretty scary for all of us I think. We took him to get his ears checked out. He had been scratching them a lot, as well as his ribs and shoulders. The vet showed us the black wax that was in his ear canal and put Chestnut on ear drops that should cover mites, bacteria and fungus. He also gave Chestnut a shot of dexmethasone (not sure of the dose) to help with the inflammation. I am wondering if ear infections like this are common in a puppy, if I should tell the breeders in case any of their other pups have shown similar symptoms, and if the shot of dex is common practise. He said the infection was not inner ear, but outide of the ear drum, if that makes a difference. Also I need to ask: -- is it okay to go to the vet up to a week early for Chestnut's 12 week old vaccinations or should it be closer to the day it's due? -- We bought sentinal for small dogs 4-11kg. Chestnut is about 2.5kg, is it still safe? And is it true you can no longer buy the tablet form/ -- Lastly, and I'm a little embarassed to ask because I'm sure this must be a silly question, is it normal for puppies to hic cup a lot? Chestnut gets the hic cups most times after he wakes up. It only lasts a little while, but the first time I saw it I freaked out! I'm a first time puppy owner so I'm pretty anxious about Chesty-nut's health. Also being a nurse of the human variety I'm very aware of how much I do not know about health of the doggy variety!!