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Original poster

What's it really like having a puppy?

60 replies

cheeseisthebest · 16/05/2021 09:17

I'm getting a shitzu puppy at the beginning of August. Have planned for this for over a year, I work at home with my plans to change, kids are teen and pre teen and will be right at the beginning of the summer holidays so hopefully that's all helpful!
But what's it really like, what do I need to know?

OP posts:
Original poster
cheeseisthebest · 16/05/2021 09:17

Meant no plans to change working at home.

OP posts:
Giggorata · 16/05/2021 10:07

It's a bit like having a baby, only one that is mobile and doesn’t wear a nappy.

AbsolCatly · 16/05/2021 10:20

Collie pup is coming up 4 months and it is hard, am up at 5 to take her for a walk before I start work, we are outside for quick breaks and lunch then dinner 17:30 before DH takes over for another walk and garden play time in the evening

She is a distraction and when she wants to play it is now not in 10 minutes after I just finish something

We are in a routine that makes it possible and my son takes her out for a play most days after school but there are points that make me wonder how sane I was to agree to it!

(Before anyone says anything about breed, yes we know what we have and as soon as she is past puppyhood will be out with DH most days)

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Dogs
Sunsetsunshine · 16/05/2021 10:21

We have had ours for 4 weeks. It's hard work! A mobile baby is exactly what it it.

We have made life easier by having her sleep in our room and she is pretty clever so mostly toilet trained already. We have had 1 accident a week for the last 3 weeks.

The zoomies and biting can be crazy but we have a lab X springer so we probably have more nipping than normal. We have to stop work frequently to have a tug of war or fetch play.

Wouldn't change her for the world though.

GrimDamnFanjo · 16/05/2021 10:21

@Giggorata

It's a bit like having a baby, only one that is mobile and doesn’t wear a nappy.
Lol yep that's a good description. You should plan for broken nights and investing a lot of your time with socialisation.
dreamingofsun · 16/05/2021 10:27

what does 'with my plans to change' mean? Everyone loves my dog but as a puppy she was a nightmare - so bear with them if they arent perfect - its your job to train them.

we had a crate (a cage they can go in). Even so she would chew any shoes, shinpads, toilet rolls she could get hold of and also cables, toys, clothing. Puppies get other puppies to play with them by nipping them - so this had to be discouraged as she did it with us. luckily she didnt eat furniture.

have you booked training classes - they basically train the owners....

so i am explaining all the bad bits. we love her to bits and have had such fun with her over the years. but the puppy bit wasnt great. she would also run off and not come back and would shoot out the front door if open and dug up the garden and ate the trees....

BrownEyedGirl80 · 16/05/2021 10:36

Ours was very easy.Slept in the kitchen in a crate overnight and slept through.

Original poster
cheeseisthebest · 16/05/2021 11:19

@dreamingofsun

what does 'with my plans to change' mean? Everyone loves my dog but as a puppy she was a nightmare - so bear with them if they arent perfect - its your job to train them.

we had a crate (a cage they can go in). Even so she would chew any shoes, shinpads, toilet rolls she could get hold of and also cables, toys, clothing. Puppies get other puppies to play with them by nipping them - so this had to be discouraged as she did it with us. luckily she didnt eat furniture.

have you booked training classes - they basically train the owners....

so i am explaining all the bad bits. we love her to bits and have had such fun with her over the years. but the puppy bit wasnt great. she would also run off and not come back and would shoot out the front door if open and dug up the garden and ate the trees....

It was a typo, meant no plans to change. As in I'm carrying on working from home.
OP posts:
Original poster
cheeseisthebest · 16/05/2021 11:20

Thank you! Good idea about booking puppy classes as imagine they get booked up quickly.

OP posts:
Bluedeblue · 16/05/2021 11:28

I'm not sure if you know this, but that breed can be pretty vicious? I look after dogs for a living, and I no longer take that breed, having had too many bad experiences, and having being badly bitten. Please be careful if you have kids. It might sound crazy, as they are a small breed, but a bite can still be really nasty - I have scars from 8 years ago!

Bluedeblue · 16/05/2021 11:28

*been

Original poster
cheeseisthebest · 16/05/2021 11:35

Oh thank you I didn't know that. We have known the breeders for years and know both the mum and dad dog too and all pups have had lovely temperaments.
Thank you, that is good to know

OP posts:
Didiplanthis · 16/05/2021 13:12

Ummm.. it sounds like you have planned this thoroughly and are heading into it wisely and well informed which is brilliant. Yes to puppy classes. Crate training is invaluable. Most dogs I know that are properly crate trained ie it is a safe place not a punishment place find crates very reassuring, knowing they have their own space to retreat to. Our high energy anxious lab was only truly completely relaxed in her crate, she would put herself there for down time and always slept in it. If you can put it somewhere quiet and out the way even better. The puppy days were HARD. We are not easily phased and not put off by hard work but we really wondered what the hell we had done at times. It lasted nearly 2 years... and we had to change puppy classes/trainers twice to find one we were happy with. The first ones were far too dominance minded which caused issues that took a long time to undo. We listened to them as 'the experts' for too long. Biting.. ow.. but does settle... mental stimulation very important. Especially in the 'teen' phase.. Good luck and enjoy. Re breed characteristics. I would park any pre conception and work with what you have as all dogs will be different. Our lab was anything but a chilled out relaxed family dog, but once we realized that, we worked with what we had which was far more like a collie - not what we planned but still fab !

PugInTheHouse · 16/05/2021 13:19

I'm not going to lie, it's really hard at first. @Giggorata has described it perfectly. Nothing can prepare you for the puppy biting stage, I have a pug and it was pretty horrendous, I don't actually think the breed makes a difference with the biting, it's the sharpness of their teeth that's awful.

Our pup is 7 months now and it's definitely easier however he has full on separation anxiety and it's awful. If we could go back we would have worked so much harder with that as now it's going to be a huge amount of work to sort.

We have had a brilliant trainer, definitely worth while investing in training IMO.

Atalune · 16/05/2021 13:21

Puppy socialising classes
Obedience training
Crate training
Routine
Consistency
A puppy will want to play constantly so a routine is really good so they know when you will/won’t play
Inquisitive toys and games

I have found having a puppy hugely rewarding and joyful and although we have had lots of toileting accidents generally they petter off at 4months and at 6months. She was easy to train and brings us nothing but love and loyalty everyday.

Alexapissoff · 16/05/2021 13:21

It’s like having a baby only more stressful as the shit isn’t contained and you can’t take it to Tesco.

Atalune · 16/05/2021 13:21

*and at 6 months the stopped completely

GinJeanie · 16/05/2021 13:27

I echo the importance of investing in training your dog. It's bloody hard work! Our pup is an old girl now but we went to classes which we're invaluable.
Lots of puppy behaviours don't go down well as your dog gets older and is no longer "cute". For example, if your dog jumps up at people when meeting them you need to train that out of them - which takes a consistent/persistent approach. There are folk in the park who haven't done this and it winds up other dog owners . Who wants mud all down their front? 😬. Just one example of many...

TooMuchAndNotEnough · 16/05/2021 13:40

It depends on the puppy. Our dog was an absolute dream as a puppy (and as an adult dog). Very intelligent, eager to please, easy to train. No issues whatsoever.

I completely agree with PPs that investing the time in training and socialising will be well worth it. Mental stimulation is as essential as exercise (though both should be tailored/adjusted to the puppy’s age and stage of development).

SenecaFallsRedux · 16/05/2021 13:43

A lot also depends on the puppy's temperament and personality. We had one that was the devil's own spawn (wonderful as an adult though) and another that was very easy from day one.

Socialization and training are important as is developing a bond.

Fazabulous · 16/05/2021 13:44

I’ve had two pups, same breed, couldn’t have been more different.
Pup 1 - sweet, anxious to please, a breeze to train. Loved her crate
Pup 2 - determined, strong, wouldn’t go in a crate from day 1. Took nearly two years to train.
Both lab bitches.
Think of it like children - they’re all different!

Fazabulous · 16/05/2021 13:45

I don’t mean house training...just doing what you’re bloomin well told !

Original poster
cheeseisthebest · 18/05/2021 09:35

Thank you. What is best place to buy the stuff I will need? Need to get a crate. When can they go for walks? I know it's after their jabs.

OP posts:
GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/05/2021 09:46

Prepare to do a lot of mopping up!

It seemed to take forever to ‘potty train’ ours. She would race around the garden for 20 minutes - and then come and crap on the carpet in front of the TV.

Once she’d got the message she was very good, though.

And training her to sit, etc., was very easy. ( Cocker spaniel cross, we never knew who the dad was. Owner of her mother suspected it was some ruffian on a nearby farm. She said she’d felt like the mother of a wayward daughter who’d got herself pregnant. 😂).

CatPurple · 18/05/2021 09:47

It’s harder for a lot longer than you think it will be. You need to be in it for the long haul.

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