Smiling here - yeah I get too intense - I just love him so much and want him to be a happy boy who is getting the mental stimulation and enough physical exercise without overdoing it.

I am sad when the 10 minutes are up and I stop walking him to make sure his joints don't get hurt - it will be so fun when he is older and can carry a pack and we can walk for however long we want.

Your post is a good reminder - I will smell the roses. (carefully cause I once got bit on the end of my nose by a non poisonous spider while smelling a wild rose - I was 7 years old lol).

In all sincerity and jokes aside, I do get what you are saying and I will chill more.

Edited by Maggie MacDonald (05/05/2013 01:07 AM)
Edit reason: clarity

I have had four pups in ten years, plus an eight month re homed litter sib to one of the Boerboels, and each pup did the night time wingeing and wailing routine, it is frustrating, and it is exhausting, and apart from the trudging up and down stairs to check they don't need to pee, in the end I had to ride it out and know that they would settle after a while.

The thing I always had to bear in mind, was up until they came home to me, they were with their litter sibs, and if not still sleeping with their mother, had the scent of her to comfort them; I got the Pointers from the same breeder, and the same breeder with the Boerboels, and they were both incredibly supportive through the whole settling in period, and prepared me as much as they could for the transition from them to me,and each pup had a piece of the whelping bed to bring home, plus I got the pheromone plug ins, but to be honest, as with human babies, eventually they get into a routine and happily settle into the bedtime rituals.

I didn't have a crate to use when my first Pointer came home, and I really regretted that, a small breed crate made cozy with vet bed and a towel over the top makes a warm and snuggly den, and I really believe that made the subsequent pups feel safe and secure.

Bottom line though is when a pup is taken out of their environment, away from their sibs, IS going to be restless to start with, and will latch on to what ever warm body will allow it, the fact that the resident dog is less than enamored to have it's sleep and life disturbed, won't be in the pups consciousness, so you will have to protect your little dog from the marauder, but keep pushing through the pain it doesn't last forever, try to enjoy the pup, before you know it they are getting grey and slowing up - the sweet smelling and funny puppy time passes way too soon.

Thank you for sharing your experience Tracy - it's a real confidence builder which I think is important to have as my attitude is more relaxed when I know others felt the same way once. Now you have a bunch of happy dogs like your signature shows.

Heiland picks up on my mood fast too .

It IS wonderful to be a new mom after all these years