Not Feeling The Puppy Love

[lilli_star]

Oh boy. I've had my Labrador puppy for a week now (she's 9 wks old), and I tell you, it's only pride and a sense of responsibility that stopped me from ringing my sister-in-law the next day (and every day since!) to say I've changed my mind! :D I go back to work next week, so I'm trying to get her used to being outside by herself and it has not been fun. The rain today has not helped- a dry kennel with bedding that's inside a garden shed versus sitting outside in the rain howling, and Ruby took the outside option. Bedding became a dirty, muddy, wet mess, which in turn made the washing machine and dryer dirty. Sigh. Tomorrow is not looking good weather-wise either.

So really- it gets better?

[Nekhbet]

Bedding became a dirty, muddy, wet mess, which in turn made the washing machine and dryer dirty. Sigh. Tomorrow is not looking good weather-wise either.

We all seem to forget this isnt a human, its a dog. They smell, vomit, poo, shred, scream, scratch, chew etc etc. If mess and effort comes as a surprise to you when getting a puppy, did the breeder not tell you its part of owning a dog (and mud/water is part of hunting/water breeds, barking is part of guarding breeds)

To the OP if your pup has diarrhea put it on boiled chicken and rice until its gone and reintroduce normal food slowly. If its a poor quality food find something better. Routine is the best, all my dogs learned from day one their place and routine, screaming got you ignored or squirted with a bottle if you were too loud and everyone was well adjusted and happy quickly.

[Monah]

Hope the puppy is OK re upset tummy etc. Please see a vet for health problems, puppies can dehydrate very quickly.

I wont be popular but honestly, what do people expect when getting a pup? They are very hard work, I've lived in mud for years, all mine have been big on swimming, the beach, driven the 'lawns' into dirt. part and parcel of having a dog (most) is extra housework, responsibility, hours of training, cleaning, poo, vomit, extra shopping, noise, early mornings, hairy beds, furniture, cars, money out the window on vets, toys, training, beds, food etc.

Many times it also means chewed EVERYTHING.

All this is very normal, which is why you are not the only one.

I can't imagine not bonding because a pup makes a mess

Please give pups a chance

[Spencers_Mum]

Many times it also means chewed EVERYTHING.

Please give pups a chance

x2

[koalathebear]

Well to be fair, I think that it should be totally understandable and fine to vent one's frustrations/anxieties to people who understand. I think it can only be a good thing if people can get things off their chest here and be made to feel that others have been there before them and that it does get better.

Telling people to suck it up and "didn't you know what you were getting into when you got a puppy" isn't really THAT constructive or helpful when someone's all stresed, sleep-deprived or anxious. When you're in that state of mind, what you want is a pat on the shoulder, a bit of encouragement and constructive suggestions and advice.

While there are some people out there who might always be able to be brave, positive and unflinchingly correct in their conduct no matter what winds of adversity buffetthem ... others like me will falter now and then and it's nice to know that we're not alone :D

I don't think people who vent are saying they're not giving their pups a chance or that they want to return their puppy ... it's just that primal scream feeling you get when you have had enough sleep or puppy is being a little brat It passes ...

Just my 2c ...

Edited July 14, 2010 by koalathebear

[Nushie]

hi

im a new dog owner...we have a 16wk old cocker....i never thought it would be this hard and im finding it very hard to feel the love for the puppy!! im half regretting my decision....please reassure me it will get better!

he is not doing tooooo badly with his house training...during the day im super vigilant and have him outside bout every hour just to see if he wil go....over night ive managed to get him to go on the mat in his puppy pen...its just the stench that i hate when i get up...

when does the diarhea (sp) stop...we have had him 3 days

i feel like my life has been taken away from me, my whole day is revolving around the puppy! unfortunately i have a demanding 3yr old to deal with during most days as well, trying to cater for both their needs has me in a hightened state of stress!!!

please someone tell me that they have felt like this as well, i feel so mean to feel this way!!! he is a lovely fella and the kids adore him (but then again they dont have to do the looking after him!)

Hi, have a 16wk pug that we have had for 8 weeks now, and I went through a phase where i would cry every night because of the stress of it all. I couldnt get him to stop crying when i left him alone, he was peeing everywhere even after i had taken him to the toilet, he was chasing the cat. I just couldnt take it.

Believe me it does get better, you just have to be patient. Taking him out to toilet every hour is great and i know what you mean about the smell when you get up in the morning. Mine is in the afternoon when i get home from work, spend the first 30 minutes cleaning up poo. Fun!

Are you feeding him the same food as what he was getting when you first got him? Feeding him different food can upset his stomach a bit and also just the stress from moving home, being out of his comfort zone and relocated to a family can upset their tummies too. Jager had a couple of days of running poo as well and he was on that same food. So just give him another few days and if it still continues take him to see the vet for a check up.

The feeling of running away, crying or giving up does pass. 3 days is nothing, he has to get used to living with you and you have to get used to living with him. Make it easy on yourself and set the rules he is to live by now so that he cant get into bad habits. If you dont want him on the lounge when he is older, dont give in to his puppy dog eyes and let him up as a puppy.

Puppy ownership is a stressful, tiring but extremely rewarding. I think it will be a long time before i try it again but i wouldnt go back and change any of what has happened in the last 8 weeks.

[baf65]

HI Everyone

Glad to say things are improving!! We still have a few inside wees during the day if we dont take him out in time, but on the whole most toileting is done outside now - phew!!

He is only doing one motion a day really, put that down to the food he is having????

And night time he goes to bed when we do at 10.30pm and we dont hear from him till we hear from the kids at around 7am! So gotta be happy with that!

He is still in his crate during the day if we go out (with a puppy pen attached) so I do need to work on what to do there, if we put him outside he just scratches at the door - I dont want him to have the run of the house when we are out and dont really have anywhere to close him in

Our main issue with him is the jumping up to the couch or pulling on our clothes - we ar really keen to knock that on the head but not having much success

On the positive side he is a very friendly dog, had about 6 kids cuddling him in the park yetserday and didnt bat an eyelid, he hasnt really been too scared of other dogs we have met on our walks

I think he is goin to be hard to train and I know a lot of it will be my fault as Im inconsistent!! Must work on that myself!!! LOL

Still have some way to go but slowly we are getting there!

[claireybell]

Glad to hear things are improving Baf!

My cocker was pretty easy to train, it was me who needed the most training! I had never trained a dog in my life and unfortunately I gave Jesie a few bad habits. Have been able to train her out of them though!

[lilli_star]

Well to be fair, I think that it should be totally understandable and fine to vent one's frustrations/anxieties to people who understand. I think it can only be a good thing if people can get things off their chest here and be made to feel that others have been there before them and that it does get better.

Telling people to suck it up and "didn't you know what you were getting into when you got a puppy" isn't really THAT constructive or helpful when someone's all stresed, sleep-deprived or anxious. When you're in that state of mind, what you want is a pat on the shoulder, a bit of encouragement and constructive suggestions and advice.

While there are some people out there who might always be able to be brave, positive and unflinchingly correct in their conduct no matter what winds of adversity buffetthem ... others like me will falter now and then and it's nice to know that we're not alone

I don't think people who vent are saying they're not giving their pups a chance or that they want to return their puppy ... it's just that primal scream feeling you get when you have had enough sleep or puppy is being a little brat It passes ...

Just my 2c ...

Thank you koalathebear

[VJB]

I felt shell shocked when we got our puppy, even though I was a dog owner already. Completely forgot about the time and effort that puppies required. My entire time was all about the puppy, and I was anxious and practically screaming for someone else to say that they felt the way I felt..... and that it would get better.

Yes, it does get better.

[lucylotto]

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.

Oh blacklab, you captured it all in a few words so well! Ditto!

I had x2 pups a few months apart and boy it was hard work but now.........just love them to pieces.

Hang in there new puppy owner, you have a few stages to get thru yet!