Get a grip woman!

Suffolk_lass

Okay, spoke to mother last night and she agreed she had been rude and also conceded that the key reasons for us getting a small dog made this the right decision:

1. Our garden is fenced on one side only. It is open via hedges to fields at the back and side and open to the front that is an increasingly busy road. We need to be able to exercise it without always letting it off the lead so a small dog that has to keep up with a brisk walk is practical for both of us - We are both in our sixties, running is unlikely to feature
2. We have Stealth Cat and we want her to continue to feel secure at home, so her being bigger (initially) and having high level places he can't get to are important for her to feel and be safe from a marauding infant
3. We live in a small house. It does not work if a dog takes over
4. We might want to take him away in the motorhome with us occasionally (although I suspect DS will want him here)
5. All the stuff we need to go with a puppy/dog. Just space and cost is less for a smaller animal

boxofpaws

Just catching up since before Christmas I think. So this was the first time I’ve seen the picture of the Christmas tree Sounds like you had a lovely time with friends, although I too cannot tolerate being interrupted, that would’ve driven me crackers.

What make of doggo is it?

Suffolk_lass

New pup is here, my word he is taking up a portion of my life. He has a crate, which he needs to sleep in but last night this meant much whining and crying. It is no surprise. He is only a baby and it was his first night away on his own. Hopefully the fact I came down and fed him at 07.00 will reassure him he has not been abandoned and he will get the idea quickly that this means bed-time. 

Obviously there is already an extra load of washing as he has widdled on everything. We have removed our beautiful real sheepskin rug and I have two faux ones ordered from JL sale to collect tomorrow after 3pm. Speaking of purchases, we have puppy milk, chicken and Weetabix - all for him!

Poor Stealth Cat took one look and fled upstairs and after hiding under our bed all afternoon, took up residence on top of the wardrobe in DH's study (no idea how she got there but it is somewhere she feels safe). Her food is upstairs at the moment (he is too small to get upstairs currently) and she did briefly snuggle into the back of my knees between 03-6.00 this morning. He started crying about 06.45 and I came down then. SC has also been fed and came and purred on the edge of the wardrobe but retreated when I got on a chair to fuss her as clearly I was going to force her to come downstairs...

themadvix

Puppy sounds like a lot of work but hopefully the cuteness makes up for it! Poor Stealth Cat!

Suffolk_lass

He is very cute. Much quieter pup last night and he has been happily going in and out of the crate this morning - and Stealth Cat slept with us last night, and even ventured downstairs for a sniff around and had a few treats yesterday afternoon. Sadly, she does not know he cannot climb or that she is bigger than her.

He also thinks the training pads are for tearing to pieces and prefers pooping on the carpet so there's a way to go before the work reduces. 

Cheery_Daff

Aw, sounds like you've got your work cut out! Hopefully they'll get used to each other in time 😊

themadvix

That sounds like good progress from pup (on the quietness not so much the pooing in the wrong place!) and SC. She'll learn that she's safe up high, I'm sure. And then she'll be all smug and taunty with him! 😂

shangaijimmy

The joys of puppy training...Just wait till you think you've cracked it when he cries by the back door. You let him out and then he comes back and wee's all over the floor 

Suffolk_lass

shangaijimmy said:

The joys of puppy training...Just wait till you think you've cracked it when he cries by the back door. You let him out and then he comes back and wee's all over the floor 

Thanks for that! really made me chuckle. We had a new back door about three years ago. A composite one with glazing on the upper half, hinged the other way round and with a cat flap in the bottom with a clear panel in it. Sorted, we thought!

This is now known as the cat's window as she never goes out and if you open the door, she runs away 

Staffordia

We adopted two rescue puppies end of 2020. The girl soon got the hang of going outside. The boy would go outside wee then come back in and poop behind the settee!! Took me a good month to train him, boys