Finn's thread!! Puppy is GROWING!!!

[berryncherry]

Yeah, I mostly use kibble but do occasionally use real treats or meat for special things haha

And I mean honestly if you watch their weight and adjust their diet and exercise as needed it’s not really a concern

Agreed. Earlier on, I find it useful to google a weight chart for your specific breed to find if you are on track.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Oh yeah, I’ve never known it to happen either even with our huge Lab/Pyrenees but I actually meant about the weights mentioned and what breed they were haha cause I thought you had a Golden that big

Just the golden mix as far as goldens go here.

ANYWAY, speaking of weight issues, my parents have always had this problem with their goldens: dog eats literally everything, dog gets overweight, dog gets less food and fewer treats, dog eats grass and poop, rinse and repeat.

One good thing is that goldens are food motivated, but I also don't want to give too many treats and stuff and I want to try to prevent that. Any ideas, aside from a REALLY solid 'leave it'?

Others already mentioned it but using the regular kibble as treats can work. I use tiny bits of boiled chicken breast.

 

[black_cat]

Yeah pretty much or you could even just skip a bowl altogether and use their meals to train.

And I honestly wouldn’t do structured walks like on pavement or anything at first. Can possibly be bad for growing puppies joints. Free play/running on a soft surface where they can pick their own pace is best or tug, training, other stuff to use their brain when they’re little. Doesn’t usually take much for the little guys LOL

If that soft surface is a hekkin giant field and you're in the middle, are they fast enough (when young enough to have that as opposed to walks) to get to the edges/escape from you?

But that said, the usual guide is about max 5 minutes per month of age two times a day.

I was about to be like ?!!?! until I realized a month is only 4 weeks, we're getting him at already 2 months old So 10 minutes of a good sniff walk twice a day?
I want to make sure that he gets enough exercise but I don't want to overwork him.

And yeah that’s understandable! Maybe it will be easier now that you’re all older? Haha

Oh yeah, definitely

 

[NatJ]

Good idea...subtracting said kibble from their meals?

You can measure the right amount of food into a bowl each day, and all "treats" come from that bowl. Then in the evening, any food left in the bowl is given to the dog as dinner.

It's an easy way to be sure the dog gets the right total amount, even if several people are giving treats at various times.

 

[ShrekDawg]

If that soft surface is a hekkin giant field and you're in the middle, are they fast enough (when young enough to have that as opposed to walks) to get to the edges/escape from you?

I was about to be like ?!!?! until I realized a month is only 4 weeks, we're getting him at already 2 months old So 10 minutes of a good sniff walk twice a day?
I want to make sure that he gets enough exercise but I don't want to overwork him.

Oh yeah, definitely

I don’t think they’d be fast enough but it depends on the dog. Some puppies are REALLY fast, a lot are clumsy at that age LOL plus at that age they usually want to stay with you. But could always try a light long line.

And yeah that sounds pretty good. you could do some fetch too on soft ground but not too much as too much repetition can be bad for joints. Puppies love tug too hahah Brewster is obsessed and it’s exhausting. for him LOL. Wrestling with his toys is exhausting too or chewing on a chew toy or bully stick is too haha and chewing is calming too. Flirt poles are amazing too LOL

Also is he 8 weeks now? He might be 3 months when you get him.

 

[black_cat]

I don’t think they’d be fast enough but it depends on the dog. Some puppies are REALLY fast, a lot are clumsy at that age LOL plus at that age they usually want to stay with you. But could always try a light long line.

And yeah that sounds pretty good. you could do some fetch too on soft ground but not too much as too much repetition can be bad for joints. Puppies love tug too hahah Brewster is obsessed and it’s exhausting. for him LOL. Wrestling with his toys is exhausting too or chewing on a chew toy or bully stick is too haha and chewing is calming too. Flirt poles are amazing too LOL

Also is he 8 weeks now? He might be 3 months when you get him.

We are getting him a week from saturday and I'm not sure when his exact birthday is, so he'll be 11-12 weeks, which I suppose is 3 months!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

We are getting him a week from saturday and I'm not sure when his exact birthday is, so he'll be 11-12 weeks, which I suppose is 3 months!!

You could probably up it a little then

 

[black_cat]

As unfortunate as it is, I think that I'll have to stick to bowties at first because bandanas are expensive and I don't want him to grow out of them
I'm going to get him 3 bowties and 2 bandanas so that I have options

 

[black_cat]

Good news: the pet store has a squeaky turtle toy, at least online
Bad news: it is huge, 2 feet long

 

[berryncherry]

Have you gotten his crate yet? If not, it's best to get 2-door crates. At least at my local pet store, they are the same price.