Collecting our retriever puppy tomorrow afternoon and now absolutely terrified!

[LovelyMuffins]

Why? I feel overwhelmed and he is not even here yet . Is this normal?

help :-)

Yes, I felt sick when dh told me he'd reserved our dog at rspca, even though I'd wanted one for ages! I've had friends who've had same reaction. Big responsibility! But you'll love it I'm sure. Good luck.

Oh lovely that was quicker than you'd planned.

Don't worry after tomorrow you'll be to busy to be worried [ grin]

yes it is earlier than I had expected! A breeder had a pup returned so he hs become available. He is already innoculated so can go out otherwise I would not have considered a pup during the holidays. Excited and terrified!

Oh wow! What time are you picking him up?

I felt just the same before I picked up my puppy (as you can see from my new user name!).

We've had him for 8 weeks now and completely adore him but I have to admit to still having panicky type thoughts to do with the responsibility for however many years. Some days I just want to switch him off so that I can tune out but I'm sure that's normal.

Good luck and keep posting, it really helped me to know that I wasn't the only person feeling that way.

Oi Muffins

Stop playing with the bloody puppy

Is he utterly squeeeeee?
What is his name?
Why have you not posted photos yet woman?

Felt exactly the same, very normal, give yourself chance to get used to what is a life changing experience.

well, he''s here. He is beautiful. Clean in the house (mostly), sleeps all night (in my room He's awhirlwind of puppy vibrance then flops down with his head on his paws and gives you a look as if he is thoroughly cheesed of!He is cute beyond belief. But I am stresssed and anxious ALL the time . My anxiety levels are through the roof. I don;t even know why . It feels like the enormity is too much for me. The dc's are enamoured with him and even when we had visitors yesterday, he was absolutely unphased by it. Please tell me this feeling will pass.

Lovely, I promise I felt exactly the same as you. I stood at the sink on the second day at 5am and felt desperate. I almost wanted something to happen to him out of my control so that he wouldn't be there any more which sounds awful. He disappeared one day and as I was looking for him I was thinking well I certainly won't replace him.

8 weeks on, I still feel a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility but we are at training classes now and I'm taking him out and about a lot more and it has eased the anxiety massively.

He is sitting in his bed at the moment with one of my children in the bed with him and they are having a little cuddling fest and it really is so special.

Try and take each day as it comes - each minute even as you sound just like I felt.

I felt the same too! Advice on here saved my sanity! . I was so stressed and anxious, I never had those feelings when I had the children and I grew up with dogs and had wanted my own for years!

I remember thinking like puppypanic that I would almost want her to disappear . Well 4 years on and I love her to bits and can not imagine life without the mud, fur and wet dog smell!

I am still sane (just), my house is still lovely and not wrecked and my girl is my best friend. The death of my father was made just about bearable by the need to walk my girl and that warm soft head to cry into.

It will pass, honest, just take each day as it comes and soon you will be 'normal' again.

Thankyou both so much. At present ds is playing with him and it's lovely to witness but I feel like calling the breeder and asking her to take him back . I wont as he has been returned already by a couple who "could not commit" to him . I know how they feel but I will not be throwing in the towel. He is here to stay but I feel absolutely sick with anxiety. Why? ???? His name is Hero btw and he is beautiful

I was the very same. I stayed anxious and 'WTF have I done?!' for about 8 weeks. Then, I fell head over heels in love with my dog and now wouldn't be parted from him. It takes a while to get to know each other, create a bond and get used to all the chaos!

8 weeks?! I don;'t think I wil survive at this level for 8 weeks . WE can go out with him from Monday as he had his jabs already. That might be easier. I am stressing about the cats too as they are not v pleased! I feel like I don;t know what to do or how to do anything. I feel compeltely out of my depth but he is a dog ffs! He is happy anyway so why am i feeling like this . It is awful. I want him and I want to be saying that I cannot live without him but I can't see it within me. Early days I guess.

Lovely, I felt as awful as you for at least the first week or so, it has gradually decreased as I've got to know him better and adjusted to having a dog in the house. I like you was baffled as I hadn't felt that panicked over children and I had twins fgs!!

This sounds silly and irresponsible but it was just a trick I played on my mind, I kept thinking if the worst came to the worst I could always re-home him - unlike a child - but not really ever intending on going through with it. It was almost a comfort to allow myself to think that I had a way out if I needed it and made it easier to cope with the responsibility. I had researched and thought about it for ages too, not as though I did it on a whim.

It is a lot nicer when you can go out with them and meet other people and dogs.

Are you going to enlist in training classes? That helped me focus a bit more too.

Try not to think too far ahead, that was my problem.

How old is he? We got our "pup" almost exactly 2 years ago. In our case it was good having 10 days of the school summer holidays left with everyone at home to adjust (and buy extra essential things on-line!) before going back to the normal weekly routine.

I also felt completely overwhelmed at first, and lack of sleep didn't help, but, with a pup, things improve much faster than with human babies.

He is 11 weeks old. He's also quite big! He has been fed miracle grow I think! I love the way he suddenly flakes out and does a funny sort of 'hrumph' face. Mornings (only been two but ......) are manic! Outside, feed cats inside, supervise Hero weeing, inside feed him. sort ds out with breakfast. I cannot seem to relax about it. I was in a frenzy this morning because I needed a shower but didn;t want to leave him downstairs with ds in case he weed/pooed etc. I wish I could take an emotional step back and get on with it. Thousands of people get dogs and none o them seem as stresssed as mne. he really is beautiful. He is so mellow (for a pup) and seems totally non plussed by his change of home. He really is amazing. It's just me. I thought I wouod adjsut. \but i cannot see it. I feel like a neurotic. And i am sooooo tired

i need a crate maybe, but he wasn;t crated in his last home nor at the breeders

I would crate him Lovely for sure. Felt all the above as you are but it did help enormously to be able to pop him in his crate with a chew whilst I had a shower or whatever. You know then that at least he is safe, can't come to any harm or poo all over your kitchen.

It is such early days and I'm sure you will adjust. I remember waking up at 5am on the first morning and sitting bolt upright thinking shit he must be dead as he didn't howl all night - little chap was fast asleep and I just lie until I hear him ask to get up which is nearer 8.30am now.

I also remember a friend of mine who said that the first few weeks are a nightmare. Her dog is two years old now and she is getting another pup! Think of all your friends with adult dogs who seem fine now, bet none of them can remember how grim it was at the start or if they do remember it with a wry smile.

You need to get used to each other, you are both probably overwhelmed and wondering what on earth has hit you. Hang on in there .

Puppy panic. Thankyou. I'm in bed and he's on the floor in his bed. He's so beautiful and I feel so sorry for him. I don't know why. I Want to cry. I know I will love him. But this feeling is shocking!!! Keep posting. It's really helping! Night night :-)

Glad it's helping.

Can you try and think positive thoughts about why you first wanted a dog? Imagine taking him for long walks in the woods, that's what I do when it feels harder.

Are your family all ok with having a dog or are you on your own? My DH was neutral and to start with got quite cross when we were woken in the night or the pup pooed in the wrong place etc. He is now far more happy with the situation and his face positively lights up when he sees him!

I'm sure people who've had dogs longer will be more helpful as I'm not really that far ahead of you. My little chap is still a pup too and is still like having a toddler! I can only say that I feel a heck of a lot better than I did 8 weeks ago when I felt like crying and running away too.

I felt much the same with my pup - it seemed all he did was 'take' and was no benefit to me at all. Then one day I looked at him and it all seemed to fall into place.

Puppies are incredibly hard work, with apparently no good reason. Whatever I said to someone about how hard he was just sounded so, well, wet really! He is now nearly 12 months, still being a bit of a pain (but nowhere near as much) but he's starting to become my best friend.

Stick with it. Everyone in The Doghouse will be here to help if you want to moan again!

Hey! Come on, it shouldn't be so scary.

Can you define exactly what you're fretting about? What is the fear about? He will poo in the house - it's bound to happen, but it is not the end of the world.

You won't break him!

hi daisy (and all ) no I am not afraid of him pooing and peeing. he is really really clean already. It is nothing specific. it is the enormity of it all I htink. Though I thought I knew that before I got a dog. I feel sort of claustrophobic about him. I feel trapped! Does that make any sense? It doesn't to me . I want hm so much but I feel like I have a life sentence. I can't figure out what it is. I feel ridiculous

Lovely, I understand totally about the claustrophobic feelings. I do think it is because you have thought it through and ironically because you are a responsible owner you are possibly over thinking it.

I could have written all of your posts but I promise I feel a lot better now. It is beginning to get rewarding and I don't feel so terrified - he listens to me a bit and is so pleased with himself when he does something right.

Give it time, that's all I can say.