puppy is driving us crazy

Darlyd

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Cats like to poop in bare soil but do not like cocoa shell mulch, looks like a smaller version of bark chips and can be purchased from any decent garden centre. It also keeps the weeds down due to forming a 'mat' once wetted, and helps feed plants as it rots down. :cool: However you will need to make sure the puppy does not eat any. An alternative is a coir fibre mat used as a mulch, covers any bare soil and unpleasant on foxes and cats feet.

How did the fox manage to get to your chickens? Foxes do not 'murder' chickens, there is no premeditation or deliberate cruelty. There is loads of guidance on the internet for how to build a fox-proof daytime run and hen house which they should be secured in each night. In my childhood we kept chickens and bred rabbits, the fox only managed to kill one rabbit and that was through shock. RSPCA factsheet on humanely deterring foxes.

Growling is one aspect a series of warnings, if you try to train out warnings you risk Molly straight out going for the pup. Bear in mind you will be missing a huge amount of subtle body language before and after the snap. If you are so worried about Molly turning I cannot understand why she is around your children or puppy. If she is genuinely a vicious dog then you telling her off won't make a blind bit of difference. If you keep telling Molly off she may start to associate the negative attention from you with the puppy's presence, that will not help their relationship.

HTH.

Yes helped very much Thank You

The fox had the chickens between 9.15am-11.30am (when I did school run and went shopping), went up before leaving to let them into their run, then when I got back from shopping Went up there to bring their water feeder and they were all dead :eek: Could not believe it. They have a coup, and a long run, they were in the run. The fox's paw was still in the wire fence we had surrounding the run. Hubby has made it stronger again, his m8 we get the chickens from came down and helped. But even he has lost chickens (he is a farmer) to fox's, and they are kept in a brick shed with wire door.

Molly is not a nasty dog to kids, no way, she adores them. She grew up with DD1. Gives a growl when DD2 annoys her but walks off, She not been one for other dogs though, took a while for her and Sam to become best of friends. I am just scared she will hurt Alphy he is only 8 weeks, and to vulnerable. maybe everyone above is right and she is just telling him off, but I am nervous.

She goes to him with her tail wagging.

I think Molly might be deformed in some way, as she was the runt of the litter, hence why I had her, she looks different to her siblings. My aunty had Daisy (pure white with black spots) and she is massive, Molls is massive yes, but not her head. So I don't think Molly is a normal staffy. She is nearly 10 too which don't help with her patience.

And that 4 hours he is left through the night, he does not go toilet. He is a good boy. If I remember correctly Molly was the same when she was a puppy. But then Molly came to bed with me.. lol

Fire_Fox

I have no idea if this would work in reality, but it occurred to me when typing the above that if you can cat-proof a garden (to keep them in), perhaps you could fox-proof an entire garden (to keep them and cats out)? Depending on the layout and size of your garden this might be too expensive or difficult of course. Cat-proofing involves a strong mesh fence being tall-ish vertically and then angled inwards, people on Purrsinourhearts forums have bought this in kit form or constructed their own version (search term cat proof works). If angled outwards it might just give a second level of protection, keeping foxes far enough away from your secure run not to scare the chickens and causing cats to go somewhere easier to poop?

Darlyd

Oh god ! We have a massive garden in 3 sections, first section is a patio, with a small wall and a gate. Then the main garden which is huge, plenty of boarders with flowers/shrubs etc. Then the next section has a fence and a gate and there is a summer house and the coup. Would be far to expensive .

We don't understand how the fox can get in, well we do. But it has to jump over a 6 foot panel fence first, well before that has to go through another garden as our garden backs up to another one, plus because we are on a corner we have a neighbour to our right, and to our left their gardens (in a row) all back up to our left side. If you get me? lol

ummmm Will mention it to hubby though, I am sure he could get something from work.

What a good idea

Beckyy

Do not buy cocoa shell mulch! It's like leaving a whole load of poison in the garden for your dogs, far too much of a risk IMO. It could kill Alphy (or Molly) if he/she ate it.

Hope pup is dong okay!

ystalyfera

viktory wrote: »

Another vote for binning the paper and taking the pup out every hour. I would also agree with the advice to let the dogs sort themselves out - stop removing the pup when she hassles Molly - Molly will soon put the pup in his place. My two play fight a lot and the noise is scary - they never hurt each other though.

thing is it ok saying take him/her out every hr or so.But its rubbish in the weather we are having right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl:i've been doing this for about 2 weeks now.Then drying Snoop with a bloody towel.God its worse than having a baby in the house again(i know they are but...):D he's driving me mad too.
perhaps its the fact that he's an English Springer and they are really quite dogs to own:eek:

Darlyd

He is just a beaut!

We don't need to let him out every hour.. We just let him out as soon as he wakes up, he has a pee or a poo and comes running back in.

He is trying so hard to jump up on the sofa, it's hilerious.

He is such a good boy, left in kitchen from 12/1am - 4am (no pee pee), then 5-8am (no pee pee)... Am so proud of him...

He will be 8 weeks as of Monday, jabs and micro chipped to look forward too..

He may be a beaut like I have said, but by heck does he like to fight, out of the 9 pups him and another one were the vicious ones.... the other pup is with DH work mate. We are meeting at his house after they have completed their jabs... Looking forward to that lol..

Mankysteve

zaksmum wrote: »

, and said a loud NO!! when they had accidents indoors, pointing to what they'd done.

Just as pointless as rubbing the dogs noise in it.

ystalyfera

Mankysteve wrote: »

Just as pointless as rubbing the dogs noise in it.

what should owners do then???

Caroline_a

ystalyfera wrote: »

what should owners do then???

Lets hope that was a joke..

suki1964

ystalyfera wrote: »

thing is it ok saying take him/her out every hr or so.But its rubbish in the weather we are having right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl:i've been doing this for about 2 weeks now.Then drying Snoop with a bloody towel.God its worse than having a baby in the house again(i know they are but...):D he's driving me mad too.
perhaps its the fact that he's an English Springer and they are really quite dogs to own:eek:

Just think. You have the rest of his life ahead of you getting soaked to the skin taking him walkies.

It's called the joys of dog owning. It's what you sign up for the day you buy a pup:rotfl: