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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder how anyone manages to get anything done with a puppy in the house?

48 replies

Allinson2014 · 28/05/2014 18:44

We got an 8 week old lab pup a few days ago. I haven't had a dog before and didn't realise quite how much work he would be. He is lovely and I wouldn't change him for anything but my goodness when am I going to be able to wash my hair again without either frenzied whimpering or listening out to see if he has woken up and chewed something up that he shouldn't have? He also cries in the night and I have to let him out at least once for a wee. It's like having another toddler in the house.

OP posts:

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murphys · 29/05/2014 08:54

Allinson. Oh I am with you all the way. Had our new pup for a week today. Got her when she was 6 weeks old and she slept in her own bed for the first time last night . Although we also have a black lab (he looked just like Oscar btw ) I have forgotten just how much work they are. I have to watch her all the time as she is like a blimming Houdini. She doesn't like to be indoors, she wants to be outside all the time with our Lab. We don't live in UK, so some things are done differently here. She was born outside and remained outside with her parents and siblings until the day we got her. She had never been in a house prior to that so potty training indoors is interesting. She knows to wee/poo on the grass already as that is what she is used to. There is no way I could consider a crate / cage for her as she does not know what is like to be confined to a small space like that. I really am surprized that it is suggested to not even let a pup outside at all, even onto your grass. How do they learn to poop outside or do you just do the newspaper thing? Doesn't that delay the house training as then you have to go from the paper to outside training? Really just curious, not a stab at anyone .

And our girl is going to be a big dog, so I am trying hard to not let the kids pick her up too much and carry her about as before long she will weigh more than them. Its very tempting to pick her up to lie on the settee next to you, but I am trying to teach her correct manners right from the start although she is so damn cute its very tempting.

Enjoy your pup Allison. Our lab is the most wonderful dog, just be firm as they do tend to try to take over if you let them .

BabeRuthless · 29/05/2014 08:56

There's a new puppy support thread over in the Doghouse, so feel free to come join the other sleep deprived, nerve shattered owners!

Jayne35 · 29/05/2014 11:04

Good luck with your puppy, looks gorgeous. I had a boxer pup and she chewed everything in sight - even pulled the carpet from the stairs - for about two years (I should have bought a crate!) Sadly was pts last year at almost 12 years old.

heraldgerald · 29/05/2014 12:17

Solo cute!!!

TheCatThatSmiled · 30/05/2014 02:15

I'm primarily a cat person, but he is so lovely, it's started me pondering how my two would get along with a puppy :)

craftysewer · 30/05/2014 02:54

Our Cocker Spaniel is now 12, but one of the first things I taught my DD's was that, if he went in his crate, that was his space and they weren't to bother him. Oscar looks adorable.

Ludoole · 30/05/2014 03:34

My yorkie (18 months old) follows me everywhere! He lies on the bathmat when I have a shower/bath and tries to lick my legs when I get out..
From week 1 he slept in my bed (the only way we got any sleep!). He starts off in his own bed but in the early hours likes a cuddle...
Hes 5 and a half pounds of pure joy!

Your pooch is adorable.
Enjoy the puppy stage and fix some patterns while you can! My dog knows im boss, but im a softie boss....

Want2bSupermum · 30/05/2014 03:43

I remember the early days with our golden. Far harder with him compared to the kids. For chewing I suggest you get some nylabones. My furry baby loved the chicken flavoured ones so never thought to chew on anything else.

2nd using a crate. Our dog sleeps ontop of me. When I was 9.5 months pregnant with a 10lb6oz baby it was rather uncomfortable.

zeezeek · 30/05/2014 19:31

Like others have said, my three dogs puppy days were so much more stressful than the DD's as babies!!! But they it is so worth having them and when they are all grown up you do tend to look back with rose tinted specs - kind of like with kids!!

BecauseIsaidS0 · 30/05/2014 19:42

I've got an 11 weeks old pug. He is gorgeous but OMG, the chewing! Still, I adore him.

BecauseIsaidS0 · 30/05/2014 19:42

(and no, I'm not getting much done either)

rumbleinthrjungle · 30/05/2014 20:00

He is gorgeous!

Mine's 19 months so we're out of that stage now, but I remember it vividly. She was the first dog I'd ever used a crate with and wasn't sure about it, she whined and cried hysterically at first if I was out of her sight, but it was definitely a good move. She still gets a lot of security from it now and sees it very much as her safe spot and takes herself there when she's tired or has had enough. She's got much less separation anxiety than my past dog ever had, and when she sees me get a kong out for her before I leave the house she goes and sits in her crate to wait for it.

It passes. You'll miss it when it's gone.

Mrsdavidcaruso · 31/05/2014 00:31

BecauseIsaidS0

Oh a Puppy Puggy how wonderful

buggerboooo · 31/05/2014 00:39

Our puppy is not 5 months old. He has settled very well. This is mostly because we have a very calm older dog. They have their funny little ways. During the day they will go off upstairs and snooze on the spare bed. The puppy was crate trained at night-just so he didn't piddle everywhere. He is however a giant breed and the crate took up most of our room. So now he does not have a crate, we trust him to be good at joght and fingers crossed there have been no accidents for 2 months!

BecauseIsaidS0 · 31/05/2014 12:09

Here is my little terror.

To wonder how anyone manages to get anything done with a puppy in the house?

Rhine · 31/05/2014 12:26

Puppy's are very hard work, however it WILL all be worth it in the end. Speaking from experience.

EvenBetter · 31/05/2014 12:38

Puppies are newborns who are teething intensely, tantrumming, toilet training all at the same time, and they don't speak English. They're hell.
If you don't want something destroyed, don't leave it in reach of the puppy. You have to kindly teach them the ways of our nonsensical human world while also keeping them safe and socialising them before 16 weeks.
Their bowel and bladder muscles aren't even fully formed until 16 weeks.

My rescued puppy is now 9months old, and a few weeks ago I tentatively set a basket on the bathroom floor, full of razors and shaving foam. It was ignored. I threw an egg box on the ground for her to ravage and she looked at me in disgust. Puppies are gruelling, hard hard work but it passes quickly in hindsight
Make sure you take loads of photos and videos, they're only weeny and cute for a few weeks, when he's old and grey and shuffles along, you'll want to look at the photos of his babyhood.

EvenBetter · 31/05/2014 12:41

This is baby in October, and now.

trashcanjunkie · 31/05/2014 13:16

I have a chihuahua puppy, she's almost 16 weeks old and she's been a doddle compared to what I expected. I think size has played a huge part. She has a crate which I use as a play pen as it's for a large dog. She spends time in there if I can't supervise her. I make sure she's been walked before hand, but before we could go out, we played fetch games in the house or on my balcony (which I'd washed and bleached, although no chance of foxes as on the first floor) If she's tired she settles much quicker in her crate, or her bed, which is a garden trug with a blanky in. I am completely in love with her.

As hassle free as it has been, I am still looking forward to the end of the puppy phase. I didn't get her because I wanted a puppy, I got her because I wanted a dog iyswim. Good luck with your big bag of fun op

alwaysblonde · 01/06/2014 17:48

Aww I've got a black lab called oscar.

He's 4 now but always been an angel.

Get yourself a crate from pets and home and a distraction- recommend a kong.

alwaysblonde · 01/06/2014 17:49

Here's my oscar

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 01/06/2014 20:42

Puppies are a LOT of work. Here's mine

Sallystyle · 01/06/2014 21:24

6 weeks old?

You never take a puppy away from its mother at 6 weeks.

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