Border collie 8 week normal weight 2.7kg

[Timgb2]

I think I'm now more confused than I was before about what to feed her. 

Also more concerned about the constant biting now she is finding her feet with us, it's relentless, any ideas? On the plus side her poos are still improving yay

[jami74]

7 hours ago, Timgb2 said:

I think I'm now more confused than I was before about what to feed her. 

Yes I felt that way for a while, after all the conflicting 'advice' from vets, pet store, friends and family, puppy trainers, online forums etc. In the end I decided I didn't want to spend more time worrying about what I was feeding our puppy than what I feed the rest of the family and decided as long as he ate, poo'd, grew, slept and played I would keep things simple.

7 hours ago, Timgb2 said:

Also more concerned about the constant biting now she is finding her feet with us, it's relentless, any ideas? On the plus side her poos are still improving yay

That's puppyhood  

[GentleLake]

8 hours ago, Timgb2 said:

Also more concerned about the constant biting now she is finding her feet with us, it's relentless, any ideas?

Treat it like any other unwanted behavior. Remain calm and neutral -- maybe an upbeat "Oops!" as a marker -- and pick her up and put her in her crate for a time out.

When she does things like this and gets a swift and consistent response from you that puts an end to play, she'll figure out that she doesn't get what she wants, which is play and attention, and instead all interactions with you abruptly end.

It has to be immediate, and consistent among everyone she encounters.

 

[Timgb2]

2 hours ago, GentleLake said:

Treat it like any other unwanted behavior. Remain calm and neutral -- maybe an upbeat "Oops!" as a marker -- and pick her up and put her in her crate for a time out.

When she does things like this and gets a swift and consistent response from you that puts an end to play, she'll figure out that she doesn't get what she wants, which is play and attention, and instead all interactions with you abruptly end.

It has to be immediate, and consistent among everyone she encounters.

 

Sound advice and already being put into practice, oops is an understatement though, it really hurts, those little teeth are razor sharp 

[GentleLake]

I get that. The "oops" isn't for you. It's just a marker word for her. And I specifically suggested "oops" because it's a whole lot easier to say it in a more upbeat way that you'd say "NO!" or "bad dog," which can easily come out more menacingly.

It's very important for you to be able to control your reactions if you want to teach her to behave differently while maintaining a good relationship with her. If you get confrontational, she may well do the same, perhaps even becoming frightened of you.

What I say now is not an accusation, but a statement of fact. You signed up for this. You chose to get a puppy, and this is normal puppy behavior. So you should be prepared to deal with it in the most humane and caring way possible, just like you'd accept a human infant's all night crying and temper tantrums when she gets a little older and deal with it.

Yes, those puppy teeth are sharp little needles and they hurt, but one day all too soon you're going to miss the puppy breath and antics and wonder how it passed so quickly. Enjoy every minute with her and keep your cool.

And if you don't think you can do that, you can send her to me.

 

 

 

[Timgb2]

I was only joking with the ooops, it's the right thing to do in the circumstances because of all the reasons you just said. 

We definitely signed up for this, we have been waiting years to finally get a BC, and only when we felt we could give one the time and effort she deserves, so far everything has been as expected with having a puppy and we are completely in love with her already. 

[GentleLake]

Just goes to show how easy it can be to misunderstand tone in text. I knew there was at least an element of joking, but not sure how much of an undercurrent of truth there might be.

[Riika]

My pup was 5 pounds when I got her, roughly the same size as yours. She was healthy, just a small pup, and is still somewhat small at 2 years and 33 pounds. 

[SS Cressa]

If it helps you’re not the only one confused as to what is good to feed your dogs. Lol

I've fed the whole gambit now I think. Whole Raw,  raw mixed with veggies, homemade, high end dog food, lower end dog foods, and even momentary grain free. Fortunately my dogs don’t do well on grain free and a lot of the high end food my one dog just wouldn’t eat. Each type had its pros and cons. I feed them the “best” I can afford and they normally also get human foods. They all like the dry food. Have healthy teeth, shiny coats, routine blood work is always good, small solid poops, and all have energy. So far no heart issues and I have  14 years old BC, 7 years old BC, and a 3 years old mixed dog.

i fed victors and now 4health chicken or lamb.

Personally I prefer USA made food and locally source ingredients. However I buy what I can afford. Idk if that helps? But regardless what you choose it all has its pros and cons.

[JOAN OF ARK]

On 7/24/2019 at 7:52 AM, Liz P said:

These are all questions for your vet.

Take a fresh poop sample with you to your appointment.

Diarrhea is not normal in a pup, even after transitioning to a new home, unless you changed the pups kibble or gave her new treats/chews she isn't used to.

Some bitches do produce consistently tiny pups.  If they are healthy, I don't worry too much.  However, diarrhea is not healthy (parasites, IGS, IBD, EPI, etc).  Pups can also suffer from a wide variety of health problems such as liver shunts, pure malnutrition and pituitary dwarfism (rare) among others.

Were your pups' parents DNA tested for IGS?