• Quick Benny pupdate:

    We've got the runny poo thing knocked on the head. Culminated in a trip to the vets as even with stool firming tablets he was going runny as soon as we gave him any dog food with his chicken and rice. vet suggested stick with chicken as protein in dog food if he's ok on chicken and rice, popped into the dog groomers that do their own food line near my mums place as it's all natural and that stuff and got a sample of their chicken based puppy food. introduced it super slow over 2 weeks but now he's back to correct colour, consistency and regularity. we can even give him chicken based training treats again. we also bumped his worming tablets up to the next weight range as he's up to 9kg already at 6.5 months but in general it's such a frickin weight off my mind (and much easier poop scooping on walks).

    puppy biting is improving, i've been working on getting him to sit when he gets excited before he gets overloaded and goes over the tipping point and it seems to be having positive results. he still pulls and nips but it's much improved, i think it's going to sort itself out in due course as he grows tbh.

    socializing is still the big issue. he loves a good bark at other dogs and anyone who wants to pet him while he's at ground level. it's always in good nature with wagging tail and playful stance interspersed with jumping around but he is still too rough and nips when he gets excited so it makes it impossible to have him play "nice" on walks so I have to keep him on a short leash and try to get him to sit and calm down from a distance which works until the other person walks their dog right through his personal space anyways. he will sometimes growl but again it feels like it's more playful than aggression and he's never once "gone" for another dog, he just doesn't know what manners are.

    finding a time/place to have him spend quality time with other dogs in an environment where the other dog owners are understanding that he is still learning is easily proving to be the most difficult and it's really frustrating that the only dogs in the building are yappy little balls of terror or a big mastiff who runs around off-leash and tried to pin benny on the floor to assert dominance the first time they met in the street so now benny goes mental and barks non stop if he even smells where he's marked near the building.

    in general though he's getting much more of a personality and improving his overall behaviours, he will bring toys to play fetch and has started cuddling up when he settles rather than plonking by your feet or just on the floor within eyeline of you.

  • One thing that may help you: don't shorten the lead when people or dogs approach. It is highly likely that he is feeling your concern and thinks that you are frightened, he will then go into protective mode. Talk calmly and reassuringly to him without holding him back, this generally helps.

  • Our first dog is similar. Rarely is he genuinely aggressive to other dogs but very boisterous and has no manners.

    We now send him to day care twice a week. Even though I’m at home all the time these days, it helps with his socialisation. They’ve been really understanding and make sure he takes time out if things are getting daft. We’re really starting to see the benefits when we walk him.

  • He sounds remarkably similar to two cockerpoos that I know. I think that to a certain extent they're just a very excitable breed. Especially when they're pups, obvs.

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