Our puppy Maple turned 10 weeks old this past Friday. We’ve been very busy with her working on simple commands, and have also been cleaning up a lot of messes. In case you missed any of my previous posts, I’ve got them listed below.
Catch up here:
Puppy Go Bag: Preparing for a puppy after losing our family dog
Puppy First Days Home: Meet Maple!
Puppy Adventures: weeks 8-9
Maple, 10 weeks old, fox red, female Labrador Retriever.
We planned to have my husband take Maple in last Monday for a follow up vet tech appointment. They needed to give her another vaccine. But unfortunately, we had to skip it because she was having diarrhea.
I promise not all of my posts about sweet Maple will revolve around poop. In my last post, I shared a hilarious story of trying to get her outside while flipping her upside down before it happened. Funny Poop Story
We aren’t quite sure why her routine of going #2 after most meals stopped. It just did. Then it got messy. One night it was in her kennel, which apparently dogs won’t typically go in if it’s not too big a space. She’s in only half of her large kennel with a divider in the middle. She also tried to let us know she needed to go by making noises like barking a little or whining. She just couldn’t hold it. Shoot.
Then it happened again in the same night. Shoot x2. So we needed to ask an expert and get some anti-diarrhea puppy meds. Apparently my husband read it’s a fairly common problem for puppies and a great medication to have on hand. Who knew?
I texted him later that day wondering if it was from teething. I had read it could be from that. Not sure. She still hasn’t gotten that vaccine she needs. They didn’t want to give it to her while her system wasn’t normal. They did quick take her temperature when he picked up the medication, and it was fine. They suggested rice and boiled chicken. She loves it, but we’re also unsure she’s getting enough. She sometimes barks in her pen like she’s extra hungry. But it’s so hard to tell. We tried it for almost a week but then after stopping the meds the diarrhea came right back.
After another follow up call, we were encouraged to temporarily try a different puppy food for a bit. We’re also going to take her in after the Labor Day weekend just to make sure. She seems much more satisfied with that rather than the chicken/rice diet, which was just meant to be temporary anyway.
I also said in one of my last posts that it’s not like having a baby to raise a puppy. I’ll still stand by that, however the not knowing what they need sometimes is similar. Obviously a baby can’t tell you, and a puppy can’t either. You gotta rely on routine and weight and the best basic guidelines out there to navigate. We sometimes feel like we could use a better compass. That part is like being a first time parent. Okay, it’s a little similar to having a newborn.
Puppy poop aside, Maple is doing really well. She’s generally still sleeping through the night, except when she’s been letting us know she needs to go. That has only been since she’s had the recent troubles, but once that was helped by medication she slept through again. She’ll also sleep until my husband gets up. I tend to always get up before him by almost an hour. She doesn’t make a noise and knows she needs to just chew her Kong if she’s awake. Good girl, right?
Simple Puppy Training Commands
Instead of training treats, while her tummy is off the vet suggested Cheerios. Simple enough. She’s been getting those for going “outside” and for basic commands we’ve been teaching her. So far we’ve worked on “sit,” and “stay,” as well as “down” or “off.” She does still want to bite a lot so “no bite,” or simply “ouch,” to let her know it was too hard, are both used quite often.
She seems to know her name “Maple” as well. We tend to use it with “Maple come.” She sometimes needs you to get down low and tap your knees and really be animated to come, but she does “come.” So lots to celebrate for getting her to listen.
We’ve learned we have to find words the whole family is in agreement to use consistently. The “down” vs. “off” choice is still in the grey area. Generally if she has two paws on the ground it’s a “down.” This is for keeping her from jumping up. But if she were to get all paws up on the couch for instance, it would be an “off.” So we use it less.
Timing the giving of the treat after doing what we ask is also something we are all working on. It has to be pretty immediate to ensure she makes the connection. We try our best.
Tying our best is really all we can do. It’s day by day and knowing this stage won’t last forever. I love watching her lay between my husband’s legs like our dog Savy used to. Maple is so small though that when she tries to put her head up on his leg it’s a bit too high. That won’t be the case for long. I’m trying to make little mental memories of these moments. It’s precious. She fits right in.
Do you think having a puppy is like a baby? Leave a comment.
