I just read about an owner in Reddit who regrets getting a puppy. Her thoughts were that this dog was going to help with her depression. She thought it was going to be great because instagram makes puppies sound like they are unicorns and rainbows.
My husband wanted a puppy. I did not. I have always taken in dogs that were older. I am not a fan of potty training and being up in the middle of the night. Our agreement was he would potty train. It worked well for us. If you get a puppy decided who is going to be best suited for what task. I worked on obedience and taking Raj to classes. My husband had the potty and night shift. He even took time off the first few days just to help Raj adjust to our home.
Puppies are difficult. Unless you get a boxer. In fact, get a boxer. No one complains about boxers.
Anyway-you have a puppy. You are tired. You don't know what to do. Here are some suggestions to save your sanity. Have a clear pattern for your day. You take your puppy potty, then he can play, get some water, maybe pee one more time and then away to a crate or a puppy pen.
Ditch the bowl. He gets his daily food allowance through training. You went potty? Good boy-here's some food. You sat at the door? Good boy --here's some food. Your dog will WORK for their food. They will be thinking about how to get food. What else can I do for my humans so I can get more food?
Set up a crate in an area that you are in a lot. Your dog will learn to settle around you instead of following you around. You can put a chew or a kong in there with them. Definitely have some toys.
Have another crate that is in a quieter area of your home if you can. This way your dog can rest. Possibly put on the radio or TV and it can help drown out some noises. It also helps your dog to learn to be away from you.
Yes, my last two paragraphs seem to contradict each other. Not really and let me explain. You want to bond with your dog. You want the to get used to your movements and them not be important. You don't want a dog that follows you around all day, but can rest in your presence. At the same time, another portion of training you want to teach your dog that they don't always have to be able to see you. Being away is good too. Dog's will struggle with one or both of these concepts. I'll make another post later about how to deal with these two extremes (dogs that can't be left alone and dogs that can't settle in your presence).
What are your tips for surviving puppyhood?
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