Not Feeling The Puppy Love

[nicolatu]

Same situation when we got our pup. I don't feel his love at all. At 1 point of time, i even considered sending him back to the breeder. And I also can understand that you probably feel tired but after a while it will be all worth it. I can totally feel my puppy's love for me now. He will jump up on the sofa and give me a lick and then run off to play his own toy. All you need is PATIENCE and LOVE. Also, try to think in your puppy's shoes and it will make things clear because dogs are simple animal(they don't hide anything).

[black magic]

Or did you mean the diorreaha (why is that so hard to spell !???) has been going for three days.

Urgh .. yes. Diarrhoea and onomatopoeia are the two hardest words to spell ... ever. Although I am quite bemused by the number of times I see the following words misspelt lately:

• definitely
  
• separation
  
• devastation/devastated
  

Dash In A Real Rush Hurry Or Else Accident

Is how I remember to spell it!

[Didles]

Oh yes remember it, our baby is now 6 mths and I loved the way hubby would comment it is my dog in the middle of the night (still does) we decided on a crate for night times and after some hiccups it is okay now. he went through at stage were he poop in it and I did not know and got it everywhere and at 3am having to go in the shower well umm you get how I was feeling. We are quiet lucky that he is predictable with his poop times and worked out if we feed him later at night he went all night without doing it. You need to build his bladder control and this is where the crate was good in theory they don't like to soil the sleeping areas, we still have had a couple of accidents but that was because I was too asleep to hear him.

To give you an idea this is our routine:(approx times)

6:30 wake up toilet, coffee time!!!

7:30 breakfast, toilet and poop x2 (trust me everytime without fail!)

from now I am getting the kids ready for school so he just follows and watches or goes back to sleep.

9am toilet

I do my housework now so he sleeps or plays on our deck/outside

11am walk varies from an hour long at the beach or something or just around were we live

12 come back and then he will sleep till when the kids get home so we meet them and toilet at the same time.

3:30 play with the kids, potter about follow or just sit in front of the heater

5:30 toilet break then continue like before

9pm dinner, toliet poop

snuggle or sleep then bed when we go.

He is a british bulldog so pretty lazy but I love him all the same.

You will get through these first few day maybe even a week and look back and think wow!

[baf65]

thanks Didles...tahts just what I need an idea of a routine!!! I think I need a Gina Ford guide to puppies!

Thanks everyone..im feeling a bit better now, maybe its the 2 wines i have had!

and the pup is sleeping at my feet!

[VJB]

Yep, happened here as well. It felt like a cyclone of stress entered my property and I spent more time standing in the yard outside than living a normal life. I called it the 3 day blues, similar to what happens when you have a human baby, and the novelty wears off after 3 days. You become overwhelmed and exhausted with how much attention and time is expected of you.

I have several friends also experience this as well.

Good news is, that is does pass, and life resumes a 'new' kind of normal. You are no doubt very busy with your 3 year old and I can just imagine the stress you are under with adding a puppy to the household.

I am sure you will survive the next few weeks, and you and pup will learn a great deal from one another. Bonding will take place as you can begin to see familiar characteristics and personality coming out in your dog and you learn to read his body language. Your confidence will grow also. At the moment, you've been knocked for six. Promise, it does get better.

Before you know it, a few weeks will have passed, and you will feel well on your way to enjoying your pup, and by then, you won't be able to imagine him not being there.

Lots of dogs can have upset tummies when they first settle into new homes. Make sure he is drinking, and definitely go to the vet if things do not improve.

This breed likes to have some mental stimulation too. A simple walk, some basic training, and some old boxes or coke bottle (make sure to remove any plastic rings around top of bottle) to run amok with should provide some entertainment. If you are feeding dry food, you can sprinkle that around your yard for him to spend some time searching for. Kongs are also great for most dogs. Keep the fillings simple to begin with. I found that if I stuffed Heidi's kong too much to begin with, she lost interest, as it was too difficult for her.

Its a massive life change, but one that you won't regret. Yes, hard work to begin with, but, like others have said, "you are rewarded for your efforts". Keep up the hard yards, and you know you can always come here to ask for advice. Good Luck.

[Sharna3]

Hey everyone!

I have to confess ... My puppy is 5 & 1/2 mths old now and I still sometimes sigh and feel a lack of love. But - then he looks at me and I just fill with warmth. And then he drops on command and I am just so proud. I do think he's cured me though of ever getting another puppy.

But - it definitely DOES get easier. Poor little pup is stressed and scared and needs a hug... as for all the 'advice', listen with a smile and then take what rings true to you. Everyone is a expert I think!!! Only advice I can offer: routine! And, everytime pup goes #1 or #2, use a word and after a couple of months, you'll have a smart little bugger that wees or poops on command. SO helpful!

xxx keep the chin up and don't be afraid to let him/her cry if you need 5.

[huski]

damn and i just cooked all those sausages up to chop up into treats!

You can still use them! A good way to do something positive and bonding with your puppy is a couple of short (i.e. 5 minutes max) training sessions each day, just teach him the basics like sit etc. It's fun, something positive for you to do with him and teaching them something new can feel really rewarding.

It took me ages to bond with my youngest dog, she was a very difficult puppy and adolescent but now we have a great bond

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Not the gina ford guide

The Ian Dunbar guide to puppies

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/digit...aining-textbook

How old is puppy, has it had all its vaccinations (the last one - two weeks ago)? Is "obedience training" really "puppy preschool"? In a vet practice or similar? Then vaccinations won't matter as much.

If it's a normal dog club - best to wait until all the vaccination boosters are done, and puppy's tummy has settled. You can still do basics in short sessions at home. There's helpful video how tos linked on the dogstardaily website

PS chop sausage up, put in zip lock snack bag and into freezer - or use for daily little training sessions - like a reward for going in the right place, or ear prick when he hears his name, or when he comes when called.

Edited June 30, 2010 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[blacklabrador]

I clearly remember my first week with a new puppy. I cried at the end of the week and put myself to bed. He was SO full on! It was like having a newborn and I was trying so hard to get everything exactly right. We survived, he is now 7 and my heart dog. We have the strongest bond and every day I tell him not to get old because I won't be able to live without him. It will get better and the bond will happen. No puppy has ever been as difficult, just because I had the knowledge of what to do after that.

[Hello Gorgeous]

You are DEFINITELY not alone, I remember the first 2 weeks of raising a puppy on my own ... lord, I remember the feeling of wanting to give her to the next person who walked past and just scream "TAKE HER, TAKE HER!" All I can say is that it definitely does get better and to hang in there because within a month, you won't be able to imagine life without him

[2staffys]

Hi everyone,

Although this is a serious matter because it's so stressful, I had a little chuckle reading everyone's comments because my life has been the same for the last 5 or so weeks.

We added Buster (16 week old staffy) to our family after talking about getting another pup for at least 6 months. 2 days in I thought we probably should have thought about it for another 6 months because it was awful. I honestly thought that Indy our first staffy was the worst puppy for toilet training, crying etc but Buster wins hands down. Maybe I'd just forgotten how bad it is.

Buster still cries at night every now and then and is a little terror. He's just started the mouthing and biting stage so things are not joyous at home at the moment and just like Indy, he's terrible at toilet training.

Because staffies are such companion dogs and hate being left alone it tends to make things a little harder, well I think so anyway. I now have 2 dogs that follow me wherever I go when I am at home so doing the usual chores is very stressful.

It's so hard with a puppy and my family and friends all joke that I have 2 children, not 2 dogs. On the upside, we love our 2 staffies and couldn't imagine life without them. The love that they give back is unconditional and very much worth all the effort we put in now.

[aussielover]

It is comforting to know other people are having the same problems and issues as me!

I must say Mindy is great now though and I am really starting to enjoy her (rather than her draining all my energy!).

But the first couple of weeks were pretty hard, I kept saying omg I am never getting a labrador puppy again, but now I think I would be able to have another lab puppy.

I think the hardest part is not knowing how long it will go on for, I kept thinking it would be forever, many people had told me their labs were terrible until 5/6 years old which did not help.

It has been about a week and half since she started to settle down a lot and I could really love her and enjoy her.

to the OP, I hope you can see you are not the only one feeling this way!

And you must know it does get better within a matter of WEEKS (not months or years)

[baf65]

wow it is certianly amazing to think that there are so many others feeling the same!!

how many times ive walked past those adorable puppies in petshops like many others no doubt and just thought ahhhhh i want one of those! thinking its all cuddles and cuteness!

thankfully i didnt buy from a petshop and its great to know you can always call up the breeder for assistance....and here of course

i think i have a long way to go but im just glad that im not being heartless and mean by not totally loving a cute little puppy!

[emery]

Good luck with your pup. The chicken and rice diet can certainly help get an upset tummy under control and i sure as heck had moments where i told mybreeder my pup was in the post back to her se i very full on lol.

She is 16.5 weeks now and will still try the screaming match if she thinks she can win but is learning very well.

Keep your chin up it will improve

[Ellie]

Baby puppies are very hard work, but don't worry, it does get better. Some excellent advice has been given, and definitely give the crate training a go, it has saved my sanity many times. It won't be long and your Cocker will have you wrapped around his little paws. You will fall in love with him, guaranteed and be warned, you won't be able to stop at one! Cockers are addictive.

Can I ask who you bought you puppy from? PM if you wish.

Good luck!

[matilda1]

still waiting for cute puppy photo........................

Oh, and I hear you too and share some of your pain.

[blacklabrador]

wow it is certianly amazing to think that there are so many others feeling the same!!

how many times ive walked past those adorable puppies in petshops like many others no doubt and just thought ahhhhh i want one of those! thinking its all cuddles and cuteness!

thankfully i didnt buy from a petshop and its great to know you can always call up the breeder for assistance....and here of course

i think i have a long way to go but im just glad that im not being heartless and mean by not totally loving a cute little puppy!

You will know when you've got the love going on because one day soon you will see your puppy do something cute and your heart will just about melt.

[whiskedaway]

You will know when you've got the love going on because one day soon you will see your puppy do something cute and your heart will just about melt.

Exactly. I think almost everyone is the same with a new puppy, but it definitely does get better. My partner reckons that puppies are worse than kids (not that we have kids to know! ) because you're sleep deprived with both of them, but a baby can't destroy the furniture like a puppy can.

Our little girl is just over 4 months old (19 weeks on Sunday) and she sleeps through the night (outside in a kennel, because she likes the cool) and is completely house trained. We haven't had an accident in four weeks now. So it definitely gets better.

[megan_]

when the puppy days are over you'll look back and think "remember when they were so tiny and cute....awwwww"

[kendall]

Hi baf65, how are things going with your pup? Come and join us in the Cocker thread in the breed section