No matter how cute your little rascal is, puppy-wrangling can be absolutely exhausting. While it's true that adopting a puppy can bring a much-needed source of joy and unconditional love into your life, it can also bring stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and frustration (often called the “puppy blues”).
Approximately 35% of owners and trainers voted 8-9 months as the toughest age citing new challenging behaviors associated with their puppy's now larger size such as pulling on the leash or counter-surfing.
It's normal — especially for first-timers — to feel a bit overwhelmed. If you're questioning your decision or wondering how to cope with feelings of anxiety, regret, or guilt, please understand that these feelings are quite common and they almost always pass with a bit of time.
There is so much you're trying to teach your new puppy, that it can feel overwhelming: house-training, sleeping through the night, not to nip, not to chew, and all the other household rules you've established. Add to that a puppy's natural curiosity and energy, and you might start to feel as if he'll never get it.
While you'd think that helplessness would make it harder to raise a baby than a puppy, the opposite is true. That helplessness is exactly what makes babies so comparatively easy to raise. The job isn't, in the grand scheme of things, as hard as people would have you believe. For starters, babies are immobile.
The first two months are the most difficult and the following months also bring their challenges. So the answer is, it will get easier and easier, depending on how much effort you put into educating your dog. You should therefore remain hopeful in the process during the first year.
One experienced dog trainer and expert on dog development suggested that the optimum age for a puppy to go to its new owner is about 8-to-9-weeks, when the pup is ready to develop a strong bond.
No matter how cute your little rascal is, puppy-wrangling can be absolutely exhausting. While it's true that adopting a puppy can bring a much-needed source of joy and unconditional love into your life, it can also bring stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and frustration (often called the “puppy blues”).
As a last resort, you may be able to surrender your pet to a local shelter or rescue organization. Each agency may have a different process for surrendering a pet to their care; learn more by visiting their website or by calling ahead.
Unmet Expectations
When bringing a new dog into your life, you probably envisioned all the fun things you'd do together. The reality, at least at first, maynot match up to those expectations. The dissonance between your expectations and reality can make you feel overwhelmed, sad, and disappointed.
A: Puppy blues don't have a timeline. They can last for days, weeks, or even months and you might even experience them every time you introduce a new dog to your household. For many people, the feelings of puppy depression resolve once you settle into a routine and your puppy has made progress with basic training.
It's not unusual to feel annoyance, frustration, even regret after getting a new puppy. It's okay to think about whether your puppy is a good fit for your household, or if you may actually need to return or rehome them. The truth is, you're probably not going to love your new puppy right away.
Yes, post puppy depression is a common experience for many people. You do all the research that you can think of, the breed you would like, find a breeder or rescue that aligns with your values, and even buy the bedding, collar and lead for your new puppy.
Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age.
In conclusion, it is very normal for puppy owners to feel overwhelmed in the first weeks and months with their new addition. The vast majority of overwhelming issues are related to puppyhood and are able to be resolved with training and time.
When Puppies Mature and Settle Down. Puppies typically develop the emotional maturity and temperament of an adult dog between twelve and eighteen months of age, although they may continue to occasionally exhibit puppy behavior like chewing and nipping until they're about two years old.
He says your best options for rehoming are contacting the breeder, if that is where the animal was sourced. "Often they will encourage you to bring it back if you can't take care of it." If you adopted the animal from elsewhere, there are rescue groups that can help.
The American Kennel Club says changing owners can be traumatic for dogs. Losing their owners can make dogs stop eating, lose weight, lose interest in physical activity, and exhibit symptoms of canine depression. That's why you must take any decision to re-home dogs seriously.
How do I know if I am feeding my puppy enough? Puppies need to eat a lot- and not too much. You should be able to feel but not see their ribs, and they should have a visible waist when you look down at them. Body condition, not the amount eaten or left in the bowl, should determine portion sizes.
Once your dog reaches three months old, they can usually hold it for an hour for each month they've been alive. After six months, dogs can usually hold it for up to six hours. However, even adult dogs shouldn't be home alone for much longer than six to eight hours without a chance for a bathroom break.
Typically puppies tend to bond quicker as they have fewer attachments and history with other owners than adult dogs. On average, if you've got a puppy from a breeder, it could take 3 weeks- 3 months to bond with your dog.
However, there's no getting away from the fact that the early weeks with a new puppy are hard and they will most likely leave you feeling stressed, exhausted and questioning your sanity.
During 6 months to 1 year of age, your puppy's physical changes will slow down a bit and their energy levels may increase showing you a newer side of your puppy's personality. At 6 months, your puppy is now considered an adolescent after their fast-growing juvenile stage from age 3 to 6 months.
On the first night, and for about three weeks, have the puppy sleep in a dog crate next to the bed. Line the base with blankets so that it is cosy and drape another blanket over the top to help it feel more secure. Give the puppy the stuffed toy that has its littermates' scent on it to snuggle up to.