u/toasty-coconut

I haven’t been to this sub in a while, but I was a fairly frequent poster/commenter back when my dog was a puppy. I see a lot of people on here asking for success stories from other people who went through similar struggles, so I wanted to share in hopes it might help someone a little. I’m someone who was very prepared to bring a puppy home and kind of built my whole lifestyle around the idea of having a dog, so I didn’t struggle with puppy blues or regret, necessarily. But man oh man, the exhaustion, and pain, and frustration I felt was REAL when I first brought him home. That being said, he just turned two on Friday, meaning he’s officially entered adulthood, and it’s had me reflecting on the puppyhood period a lot. That’s why I just wanted to come here and tell people who are struggling that you’ll get through it!

The puppy period is hard and stressful in the moment. It’s a really big change in the lives of both you and your puppy. The biting and accidents and barking can feel never ending. It’s really, REALLY frustrating too. There were times when I would be in tears because I was so frustrated that I was doing things wrong or that he wasn’t understanding what I was asking of him or I was tired or in pain (I actually slipped a disc once while caring for him haha I think I posted about it here). I literally almost broke down crying in puppy class once because I felt like my puppy was the only one causing issues and biting like crazy. Like, literally he was ALWAYS biting to the point that I would get bruises and even drew blood a few times (never out of aggression! Always out of being overstimulated/excited). He had accidents all the time, including diarrhea, and he hated going in his crate. The only solace I had was that he fortunately didn’t bark much (his breed is quiet). But oh my god I was exhausted and in pain every day for months haha I was so afraid things wouldn’t improve and that I was totally screwing up as a dog owner. I felt a lot of pressure because I felt like I couldn’t fully present my struggles publicly because of how many people were expecting me to do such a good job raising my dog. It didn’t help that I own a primitive dog breed known for being difficult to raise and that you have to do it right while they’re still little. It sucked.

HOWEVER… my dog is two-years-old now and the absolute best boy I could ever ask for. The biting and the accidents all stopped with time and training. He’s so well-mannered and gets compliments wherever we go. I don’t need to crate him at night anymore, and he instead chooses to go to his crate to sleep when he wants to. He has a Star Puppy and Novice Trick Dog title, and will be earning a FITB, BCAT, and Intermediate Trick Dog title this summer. We’re also on our way to CGC, ATT, and possibly FDC later this year (hopefully!!!). Obviously there are still moments of frustration, but my trainer who has been working with my dog since he was 10-weeks-old reminded me this past weekend that because I’m with him all the time that I don’t always notice the large gaps in his improvement, and how he’s grown into such an amazing dog.

The puppy phase felt SO LONG and like it would never get better while I was in the moment, but in retrospect it was so short. Sometimes I wish I could go back and spend a little more time actually enjoying it. But I ultimately I wouldn’t change a thing. My mistakes were a learning opportunity that made me the dog owner I am and helped me build the wonderful dog I have now. He’s currently sitting next to me and politely staring at me to tell me he has to potty lol I would share a picture if I could 🤣

The biggest piece of advice I have to a stressed new puppy owner is to breathe. Take time for yourself, even if only an hour or two. Crate your puppy for a while to ensure they have an enforced nap (even if they don’t want to). It’ll be good for you both to have some space and relaxation. The other piece of advice I have is to invest in a good trainer focused on positive reinforcement. Go to classes and do things with your pup! They’ll learn a lot, you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll have a tired puppy by the end!

I know this got long, but I really wanted to share my experience in hopes that it’ll help people in the puppy trenches right now. You’re doing great!! Just keep reminding yourself that you’ll look back on this moment in a year and realize that time flew by in the blink of an eye! You’ve got this! Now go pet your puppy for me! 😊