2 weeks on.. and 2 questions!

[Sara750S]

Ok Toby is now part of the family - the breeders "bring him back in 14 days guarantee" has expired 

There are loads of positives which I wont post in fear of being a boring mummy but 2 questions/subjects I would welcome COL thoughts on.

1) Food.

Toby has RC Junior food which we put abit of warm water with. The breeder advised 3 feeds a day at same waking, late lunch and bed time. My concern is that sometimes he gets excited at thought of it and seeing it going in bowl etc but then doesnt eat it? He is growing etc but not sure we have the motivation for food?

2) Sleep (I know  )

Will I ever be in bed at 8am again!!!!! Toby currently sleeps 10pm - 5am or 6am and then is awake and happy but I am not sure I am!!! He wakes to genuinely have a wee and a poo but then there is no way I am going to get him back in crate as its "Toby time"!

Sara

[*Jay*]

I've forgotten how old Toby is but could he be teething? That can sometimes make them go off their food a bit. (I've got a canine dustbin here and I think I'd sell my soul for a dog not really motivated by food - wanna swap?  )

[smartietopdog]

Ah, welcome to the world of puppydom!
I'm not going to try and advise on food, but I'm sure someone will be along soon!

My Mum has had he little Bailey (10 weeks today) for just over 2 weeks, and he loves the light mornings too. I'm thinking thats the way with puppies. And generally, as soon as you give in and get up, they decide it's time for a snooze!
It'll not last forever, just look on it as "your time" with him, and enjoy some lovely early morning strolls as soon as he's able

With feeding, all I can say is Bailey doesn't eat all of his RC in one go, and tends to eat a bit, then come back to it when he's hungry.

Try and enjoy your early mornings (easier said than done, I know) but they grow up so quickly

[jamieandemma]

Millie gets like that with her food and she is be 8 months and on 2 meals a day. Be intresting to hear answers.
As for the sleep, well just accept it now :-) millie has always got us up between 5 and 6 no matter what time we crate her for bed! We have just got to the stage with her where we can now leave her in the lounge for a hour and cone back to bed and (semi) trust her. The early mornings are a killer but we have resigned ourselves to the fact that's how it is. Very frustrating when all 3 kids are still sleeping and we are up with the dog.
Glad to hear you have lots of positives :-)
emma

[Sara750S]

There are millions of positives for sure. Its 7.50am, the family are asleep upstairs and toby is asleep next to me on settee with his little head on my feet, dribbling. Bliss but I am knackered!!!

He is 11 weeks old so poss abit early for teething?

[Poppsie]

Hi Sara, sorry to ask but why is he on junior food?  surely he should still be on puppy food! I would have though that he should still be on 4 meals a day? (I may be wrong on this one though) is he crated at night? if so have you tried putting something over it to make it slightly darker so that he might not wake up so early  good luck.  You have my sympathy as Phoebe is only 9 weeks old  and is just the same    take care love Dianne x x x

[Dimples]

Hi Sara,

Feeding....well i also was surprised at what you'd mentioned. I was also led to believe that they should be on 'Puppy' feed and 4 meals a day. Robbie is on 45g x 4 meals.  Sometimes he gulps it down and is an eager beaver but others times - really not bothered by it. This i put down to the amount of moss and grass he eats outside 

Sleeping.....welcome to the club    Robbie is up between 5am and 5.30am every day  .  We now have our routine though...I get up - take him straight out - he comes back in - (I turn no lights on by the way) and we go into the lounge. I take a single duvet in with me and his blanket and chew stick. I curl up on sofa - he curls up on blanket next to me and chews away whilst i slowly snooze back off. I think its only about 5 mins before he falls asleep also. I dont think he is in a deep sleep as i only have to move and his head bobs up....but....this way I get to sleep for another hour or so.  Not ideal but wont take him into our room so our only option at the moment. There is no way he would go back in his crate.,

[cazza]

Hi

I also am surprised to hear he is on junior food at 11 weeks old  

I have a 10 week old pup here at the mo and she is on puppy food which has warm water added to it - she is fed 4 times a day bout 7am, 11.30am, 4pm and 8.30pm - these are just approx times

She then goes to bed approx 10 - 10.30pm

I know what you mean bout being knackered tho - I had fogotton how tiring these pups can be but it does get easier honest (ooo I can sleep all day tomorrow as the pup I have is just visiting and goes home tomorrow - sorry to rub it in    )  

[Sue E]

Hi

As others have said, he should really be on puppy food.  When Ozzy was a pup and on 4 meals a day, we were always told to leave the food out for so long and then remove it.  If he didn't eat it, tough!  We used to leave it down for 15 mins and then remove any that wasn't eaten. He soon learned to eat it if he was hungry.  But they don't seem to go hungry to be honest, 4 chances at a meal per day is often enough for a puppy!     Plus ozzy used to have the odd skirting board for a snack anyway 

Sleep deprivation isn't good, I do remember it but it does get better honestly.  Ozzy is now 2 1/2 and we can sometimes get to 9am before getting up at the weekends.  The older they get the longer they can hold on!  Plus he's a sleepy head and loves his bed   

Glad that Toby has lots of positives for you too, it certainly helps doesn't it.......

[supergirl]

As others have said he should most likely be on RC puppy food and about 4 meals a day.

If his last meal is before bedtime - what time is that.  Whilst its a while since I've had a pup our usual feeding routine was
7am breakfast
12 lunch
4pm tea
7pm supper
They would go down to 3 meals at 3 months (I dropped the 7pm feed) and then down to two at 6 months (dropping the lunch time feed)

As far as sleeping I tended to stay up as late as I could (sometimes having a sleep on the sofa with the pup) and then bedtime toilet at midnight.  Pup to bed in crate with a cover over the top in the quietest part of the house if possible (my pups used to hear the neighbours getting up and this would wake them up).  As the pup got older I started to go to bed a bit earlier.

[Sara750S]

Thats interesting as Sue wrote down Medium junior for the Royal Canin food?

Perhaps I will get some puppy food from royal canin and see what happens?

[Dimples]

Thats interesting as Sue wrote down Medium junior for the Royal Canin food?

Perhaps I will get some puppy food from royal canin and see what happens?

just looked this up Sara...it does does suitable from 2 months but says the weight is from 11kg - well robbie was weighed in the week and he was just 5kg...

Royal Canin Medium Junior
Royal Canin Medium Junior dog food for puppies and young dogs of medium-sized breeds (11 - 25 kg) from 2 months, for harmonious growth, a strong immune system and healthy joints

[Dimples]

Following on from that...I have just gone into Royan Canin and did their online food selector. For a 3month old cocker it comes up with junior food not puppy.

[ElaineH]

The quoted weight is for expected adult weight not what the puppy weighs now. I thought Royal Canin Junior was the right food for puppies aged 2+ months, so the breeder was correct, I'm sure that was what Morgan had.

[Dimples]

The quoted weight is for expected adult weight not what the puppy weighs now. I thought Royal Canin Junior was the right food for puppies aged 2+ months, so the breeder was correct, I'm sure that was what Morgan had.

Yes your right - I realised the weight afterwards. Yes i think Toby is on the right food by the looks of it. Maybe phone a supplier and ask their advice.