What's it really like having a puppy?

[cheeseisthebest]

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?

We got everything we needed from pets at home.

Toys- one tug, one squeaky, some balls
Denty sticks
Blanket
Bedding
Bowls
Food
Colller
Training/long lead
Standard lead

Poo bags
Dog shampoo

What is best place to buy the stuff I will need?
Are there any independent pet shops near to you? They’ll often price match items and can be really helpful when it comes to advice.

adiosplastic.co.uk/shop/compostable-dog-poo-bags/
^ These are great poo bags. Most poo bags you buy say ‘degradable’ on them which makes you think you’re buying sensibly. But actually those bags take 1000 years to break down and then still leave microplastics behind. The Adios bags are compostable, so they leave absolutely nothing behind and are gone in 90days.

(Also, they have really nice poo bag holders.)

My favourite dogs
But I don’t think I could cope with puppy hood and the being tied down factor
Owning one. Ay have to remain a pipe dream

@Bluedeblue

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!

That's not really true. They are no more or less aggressive than any oter dog. What is the problem is that like many other small and cute dogs, people make the mistake of thinking that they aren't dogs and don't really need much training. Like any other "child", if a dog grows up with no training and no boundaries then they turn into little shits! The dog most associated with dog bites in the USA is the Chihuahua - because too many owners think it is a handbag ornament and not a dog. If the OP treats the puppy like they would treat any other dog, with training and boundaries, with affection and consideration, the chances of it becoming aggressive, with parents of good temperament, is quite low.

It's madness for a while! The endless taking out for wees, the accidents, the waking in the night. But it gets easier with time, I think about 3 months before I felt we were calmer and in a routine.

Puppy classes are great, definitely book some.

Make sure you get the puppy used to being left alone for periods of time.
If you’re there all the time you may have to deal with separation anxiety later on.
The pup needs to know that when you go places it may not be able to, it is comfortable on its own and won’t howl or destroy the place.

We've been extremely lucky with our dog, he's 19 months now. We did puppy training as soon as he had his first vaccination and worked hard stimulating and training him.

He toilet trained very easily but we made a lot of effort to take him outside often and praise and treat him when he went outside.

Just be prepared for a lot of work and it will pay off.

For what it's worth my grandparents had 2 shi tzu's who were lovely.

@Strokethefurrywall I agree, we have a 7 month old pup who cries if he can't see me in the room, it's awful and we have some very hard work ahead of us now.

I’ve done it a couple of times with spaniels and didn’t find it particularly hard. Yes it’s work and they are a tie but it needs to be a lifestyle change imo.
I’m always really clear and consistent with what is allowed / not allowed and I think that helps them settle.
Some take longer than others to toilet train but always remember to take them out after eating and after play (as well as the million other times per day!)
Make your house puppy proof. Be clear about their toys and your possessions.

Oh and have a saying or word for when you want them to go to the toilet! My ones I’ve had from puppies can go out, be told to go to the toilet and they do within seconds. My rescue looks at me like I’ve grown 2 heads and spends 15 mins faffing around before he wees (all very funny until it’s raining!)

We arent into the teenage years yet so maybe it gets worse. We are 5 months in. Its been fun - no one has mentioned the fun. I have really enjoyed the puppy classes and doing games at home and we sent ours to a special lockdown puppy socialising group at a doggy daycare which he likes a lot. He was very bitey which i found hard but that seems to have passed. He pulls on the lead still but we are getting there with that.

@Sunsetsunshine we have a 3 year old Lab x Springer and the craziness and always wanting to play doesn't get any better

Pretty awful in some ways- expect a lot of poo incidents. Very cute but they are hard work. If they’re not pooing they’re chewing up something they shouldn’t be or tearing around the house like a loon. Once they can go out it’s not so hard but those first few weeks are pretty full on. I still remember hearing a sort of primeval ‘noooooooo’ wail in the early hours of the morning as my husband stood in a poo in his bare feet one morning when he went downstairs. That was a special day.

Ours has been a dream.
Initially it’s a big change in the family and I didn’t see much of the kids for the few weeks he was in the bitey stage.
It’s a readjustment having to consider them when you go out-even to pop to shop or something in case they get hold of something dangerous or important to chew. Ours is in a pen when left which has negated this but some don’t take well to being contained.
Also have to consider that some people don’t like dogs, especially annoying puppies so it might mean your social life has to change.
Ours was no problem to toilet train-we had one poo in the house when he was unwell and barely any wees but I imagine that’s stressful if you’re not as lucky!

We've had a puppy for four days and it's been ok. We're using a crate for nighttime and she likes it. Some accidents but that's to be expected.

I think you can overthink it. We had dogs as kids and it seemed a lot less stressful than now.

It's like having a baby who has very sharp teeth and no nappy and who misses his mum. He won't know when he's overtired so needs regular naps to avoid meltdowns.

The teen/preteens probably won't help as much as you think. I was convinced mine would but was wrong! I've never met anyone who has said different either. Mine didn't engage in the way I'd expected despite wanting a dog for years. They are great now he's older but found a bitey puppy quite overwhelming at times and not at all like they had imagined. They're all best buds and it's been lovely to watch their relationship develop but for the first 5 months or so they weren't very involved.

I found it very hard despite our pup being pretty easy to train (it was harder to train the kids what they should and shouldn't be doing!), non chewing etc. He's 1 now and is brilliant but it wasnt until he was 5-6 months that I stopped feeling like I'd made a big mistake. Wouldnt be without him now.

Don't bother with puppy pads, straight outside every time. Dog Training Advice & Support Group on Facebook has all the advice you'll ever need about the puppy stage. He slept in a crate covered over from day 1 but I slept next to him for 3 weeks gradually moving further away. He's slept brilliantly once he started sleeping through, 8pm-8/9am in his crate with a blanket over. His crate is always open during the day but he only tends to go in at night.

Praise/treat the behaviour that you want to see.

Long tuggy toys like a dressing cord knotted with a toy at the end.

Good luck!

It's how I imagine hell to be, but cuter.

Thank you! Feeling really nervous, did I mention my husband isn't at all keen and is also very houseproud!

are you fully committed or can you change your mind? how likely is he to fall in love and overlook the mess? we have changed all the flooring downstairs in part due to the dog....they are like children who dont take off muddy boots and moult. mind you she does lick all the food off the floor if anything gets dropped.

@Strokethefurrywall

Make sure you get the puppy used to being left alone for periods of time. If you’re there all the time you may have to deal with separation anxiety later on. The pup needs to know that when you go places it may not be able to, it is comfortable on its own and won’t howl or destroy the place.

Oh god this is so true! It's been almost a year since we got ours and thanks to WFH he has never been left for even a minute. We've got nowhere to go at the minute but it would be nice to go to the cinema or out for dinner. I think it's going to be unbelievably hard to train him now.

It's tough but very rewarding.

Be mindful of the fact that All dogs are different - some are nice and friendly towards other dogs and some aren't. Don't let your dog run up to other dogs and pester them. Train them that other dogs aren't the only entertainment, you're there on their walk too and are more important and interesting than those other dogs.

Get a trainer if you've not head a dog before - they'll be able to help you in and out the house. Boundaries and consistency are so important as a puppy but also throughout their whole life. Just because you taught them someone at 6 months old for a bit doesn't mean they'll remember it aged 4 if there has been no practice along the way.

Be prepared for some steps forward and a few back in the beginning.

And puppy teeth.... oh my the little needles that they are! Ours chewed on old toilet rolls, yoghurt pots, plastic bottles etc. Good luck!

I'd be concerned that your husband isn't keen and also houseproud. It was hard enough and my DH was keen and we were on the same page, although I was more hands on during the first month or 2 as it was summer hols and he was working. I don't know much about shitzu's, ours is a toy poodle so doesn't moult. Hard floors downstairs which are easy to clean, so muddy footprints aren't too much trouble. We kept him to the back room and kitchen for the first few months, only allowed in the living room after a few months once he was calmer and we were sure he wasn't destructive (he's never chewed anything other than his chews/toys so we've been lucky there). Playing never happens in the living room either, he knows it's a space to relax and be quiet. It is a big and permanent change to a household, I'd be speaking honestly to your husband about his expectations.

Also puppy proof everywhere, if you've left something out where puppy can get it then it's fair game (at first till they learn) and your fault if it gets damaged not the pups.

Sorry if I sound a bit negative, those first months were hard but our dog is part of the family now and we wouldn't be without him, he also brought joy to the wider family too not just our household, which is a lovely unexpected bonus.

Thats really really helpful. Thank you.