to say, no, having a puppy is not like having a newborn baby to look after!

[HellAtWork]

Lovely couple - no DCs as yet - we know got a puppy about 6 months ago when DS was 6 months or so (not a newborn any longer).

Puppy has own FB page. We all have to be friends with it . It posts amusing status updates and photos of itself over the park.

Now despite their loveliness (I can live with the FB page even if I think it strange and it can be quite amusing at times) AIBU to get fucked off with having a puppy constantly being compared to the hard work of a newborn?

I was lucky with my DS and he has turned out to be a good sleeper from about 4 months or so, so I know I did not have it bad at all and therefore did not do too much moaning about sleepless nights - I think.

I have sympathised with them being up all night (puppy sleeps in their room), trashing their house, and his apparent in ability to be exhausted even by 3 hour walks but the constant comparisons with "it's just like having a baby, it really is" are wearing thin. When we're on the phone for a chat (and DS is tucked up in bed) , friend can't really speak on the phone because puppy is growling and friend is constantly issuing instructions (get off the table, oi Tonto leave that alone, I told you not to chew those shoes). When friend visited with puppy it was a nightmare - I love dogs, have had a dog growing up and now enjoy my sister's dog from a distance. DS and puppy were fine (short interaction before bedtime) but we did not really get to talk, or even eat (puppy jumping up to table, taken out every 30 minutes in case Tonto "did a naughty" on the carpet, friend's words not mine).

So AIBU to say no it bleeding well isn't the same as having a baby (and you're in for a shock if you think so)?

In jest I have pointed out that if I left DS alone in the house for 3 hours at a time SS would want to have a word, but I am almost tempted to say (due to puppy's behaviour) actually having your particular puppy is much much worse especially after friend told me indulgent story about puppy running through family's picnic on a beach and how funny it was! (Reminded me of the dogshit picnic thread on here and I was outraged on family's behalf to him and said it was not on.)

there is no breed of dog which you cant train
terriers are dead smart and so are infact easy to train
are you sure its not a sheep? they ARE hard to train

HellatWork - are they really giving their puppy three-hour walks? This could be very bad for the dog, and cause all sorts of problems with its developing bones, hips, etc. A rough guide is that a puppy should only be walked for 10 minutes per day for each month of its age (ie. 30 minutes if it's 3 months old).

update:
My dogs first facebook friend is a cat, he has mixed feelings on this.

I've had babies and I've had puppies (medical miracle me! ) and seriously puppies are sooooooooo much easier, I mean they sleep through much quicker, they potty train much quicker, you can pop them in their crate when you need to do the shopping without SS getting involved, QED I'd say.

I have 2 kids and definitely don't want any more!

I have 3 dogs and I'm seriously broody for another

loving the face book page idea
and
Rye Raiku
is looking for friends too

and yes baby are harder than puppys
but only just

Puppies are very hard work - but only for a short while. They grow up quickly. But I have never seen a baby or young child race about the house as relentlessly as an excited puppy.

I have found the hardest to train dogs are the really thick ones. My previous dog was very cute and loveable, but very very thick and thus almost impossible to train. I spent ages trying to get him to obey commands as he simply looked confused.

When we had a conservatory built we had to ban him from there as he kept continually bumping his head into the glass. Our other dog got it after bumping her head once!

I do find people who have not had puppies usually have no idea of how much hard work they are. For example, very early on puppies have to be fed very frequently including during the night.

I'd have twelve babies if I could.
Wouldn't have a puppy if you paid me though. Dogs are much harder work than babies.

Competitive hardship thread! Haven't seen on of these for a while

Never had to have my fango stitched up with my puppies.......

A mumsnet pet facebook network is the future!

I thought my puppy days were harder work than having my babies but maybe they were jsut easy babies and the dog wa a nightmare puppy!

Puppies can run fast and you can't put a nappy on them - they are hard work!

And puppies wreck things. Like shoes. And telephones. And remote controls. And shoes. And did I mention that they destroy all your shoes?

Mine has had a go at the rug, he doesnt seem keen on shoes at all, it must be the smell.

Potty training was a nightmare the first day, cream carpets.. After that it was pretty easy tbh. He's a dachshund which are apprently hard to house train, so I think we were pretty lucky. Getting him to come when you ask is a whole different ball game though.

Lesley33 Is that really newborn puppies though? Would you expect them to be fed through the night from 8 weeks old? Think they only got their puppy when he was 8 weeks old (might be wrong but they were v excited and waiting for a while) and never mentioned feeding him in the night - he was just whimpering for his mummy

Puppy is now coming up for 9 months - when do they stop being puppies?

Lunabelly I know all about the shoes but what is it with remote controls? My sister's dog goes through about 1 every 6 months.

d0gface: I like the non-discriminatory way in which your dog is spreading the love, soon he will be friends with guinea pigs, goldfish, hamsters and all manner of other friendly pets - you might just have started the MN PetFriends Network!

HellAtWork Oh yes, remote controls. And cordless phones. And presents under the Christmas tree. And shoes. Especially the ones I'd saved up ages for and had owned for only 3.5 hours. Yes, those shoes.