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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

If you've had a puppy, and you've had a baby.....

31 replies

HarrisHawk · 22/08/2017 18:22

....are they really comparable?

A friend has just texted to apologise for ignoring me for the last three months but says she's got a new puppy and it's just as hard as having a new baby, so she's sure I understand why she hasn't been in touch.

Now I've had 2 babies, and had difficult recoveries and PND with both (which she knows), but I've never had a dog.

She doesn't have children.

If I'm honest I'm a bit hacked off with the comparison, but thought I'd ask the experts!

So for anybody who's had both...is she right? Or exaggerating how hard a puppy is?

OP posts:

verysleepymum · 22/08/2017 18:25

It depends on the puppy or the baby

I've had both, they were easier/harder in different ways. Puppy's can be overwhelming though! It's hard work!

I currently have a 7 year old dog and a 10 day old newborn so not sure I will change my mind as dd gets older!

BestIsWest · 22/08/2017 18:28

No way. Have had 2 babies and 5 puppies over the years. Babies are much harder.

Original poster

HarrisHawk · 22/08/2017 18:43

So does a puppy need as much care as a baby in the early days? Is it really a valid reason to withdraw for 3 months?

OP posts:

harlandgoddard · 22/08/2017 18:45

Not at all. I had both at the same time and it was fine, if I'd have had twins it would not have been fine..

BiteyShark · 22/08/2017 18:46

Have a look on the puppy survival threads here to see how hard some puppies can be. Not all puppies are the same but I can honestly say for the first month I was on my knees caring for my puppy.
I know some people say their puppies were harder than their children and others say the opposite. It depends on the child and the puppy.

SharingSharer · 22/08/2017 18:47

In a way puppies are harder especially before they've had their vaccinations because you have to carry them around everywhere. Dogs aren't welcome everywhere but can't be left for long, whereas you can take a baby near enough anywhere you go.

I had pnd with my first baby and it was hard so having a puppy is different to that.

My puppy has restricted my social life a lot but I love him so I don't mind. He didn't stop me texting people back though!

theboud · 22/08/2017 18:48

I was prepared for the puppy being as hard as a baby. It really wasn't.

I could leave the puppy in his crate to do the school run. Not really acceptable to do that with a baby.

OrangeJulius · 22/08/2017 18:55

I got a puppy, and 8 months later had my first baby. They are comparable in many ways, IMO. But the puppy grows up soooo much faster, so is easier. But initially, puppy doesn't sleep through the night, needs toilet training, needs to learn acceptable behaviour, eats things it shouldn't, etc etc. And my baby (now toddler) initially didn't sleep through the night, needs toilet training, needs to learn acceptable behaviour, eats things she shouldn't, etc etc.

Puppies are definitely a lot of work, I found particularly for the first 6 months.

Wolfiefan · 22/08/2017 18:59

Depends.
My pup had separation anxiety. I couldn't leave her. Like at ALL. I slept next to her. I couldn't do the school run without her. Can't "wear" a giant puppy. Can't food shop with her. They don't wear nappies either. The mess. Good god the mess.
On the plus side I wasn't recovering from birth but my baby never ate a wall.
It's hard.

EezerGoode · 22/08/2017 19:00

I've had 4 kids,and have right now got a cute 5 month old pup..knowing what to do with babies come instinctively to me...puppies not so..I've found a puppy much harder.you can't take them places like you can a baby.equally they don't like to be left,so yr stuck in lot..the vets bills saps yr money as do puppy pads...I feel like I've got an extra child at the moment

Original poster

HarrisHawk · 22/08/2017 19:04

This is really interesting, I was a bit pissed off by her comparison, so appreciate hearing she might be right!

Am tempted to text back pointing out that at least she still has her pelvic floor, I think I'd have found my babies a lot easier if I wasn't also recovering.

OP posts:

roundtable · 22/08/2017 19:06

What I've found hard is that my children are portable so they just come with me from birth.

Puppies can only be left for limited times so I'm very restricted in the amount of time I can be out. Plus she's walked for 2 hours a day.

It's not harder but more constricting to home improvement.

roundtable · 22/08/2017 19:06

Imo not improvement!

LilCamper · 22/08/2017 19:07

Young puppies are just as needy as young babies but they have no nappies and have extra sharp teeth!

Mrscropley · 22/08/2017 19:09

Offer her some savlon - her nipples must be excruciating. . .

fleshmarketclose · 22/08/2017 19:14

I've had 1 puppy and 5 babies, the babies were a doddle in comparison not least because they couldn't move for ages, wore nappies and didn't have teeth. Needless to say that's why I have 5dc and won't ever have another puppy however much I love ddog.

BLUEsNewSpringWatch · 22/08/2017 19:14

I had one super easy baby (my 2nd DC) and one very difficult baby (1st DC). Puppy was much much easier than my super easy baby, even though puppy was very difficult to house-train (I did have 1&4yr old DC at the time which made that harder). Tbh I think a lot of people make it harder with a puppy than needs to be.

There is no way, even the hardest puppy possible, means you can't get back to a friend for 3months! That's ridiculous! It's also extremely insulting to say that to someone who has had difficult recoveries from births and pnd.

verysleepymum · 22/08/2017 19:16

Savlon might help with the horrible sharp puppy bites! Mine was like a ninja and obsessed with socks! Spent a lot of time trying to avoid getting nibbled feet!

flutterby12 · 22/08/2017 19:20

I was told by a few people that puppies are harder than babies. I've had a puppy (she's now nearly 4yrs old) and I have a 9 month old DS. They people who told me about them being easier are big fat liars! Babies are much harder!

OliviaBenson · 22/08/2017 19:23

I don't have kids but I think with puppies everything is condensed into 24 months (baby to teen dog) whereas with a child it's more spread out.

Anyhow, I can't really comment but having a pup did put me off having my own child!

KittyPuff · 22/08/2017 19:26

With a puppy it's a big responsibility but not quite as big as a baby so for me it doesn't have quite as much worry and stress involved. They are a lot of hard work and want constant attention, I'd say its more like having a toddler than a baby in terms of work. They are very active and need lots of supervision, teaching and play.
As a new mum you are also physically recovering from the birth which is a difference too.
But both are a big upheaval to your life and lots of work so I would forgive her but annoyed she didn't invite me over for puppy cuddles.

StarryCorpulentCunt · 22/08/2017 19:26

It is. I'd have rather had both babies at the same time than both puppies at the same time. I had the puppies first and I can honestly say that even with two dogs underfoot, the babies were easier.

Babies don't chew EVERYTHING they can get their teeth into and by chew I don't just mean a little gumming on your phone. I'm talking dining table? Looked like it lost a fight with a woodchipper.

Babies wear nappies. You don't get to spend your life cleaning up pee until they are toddlers. When you get up with babies in the night, you don't have to shiver your tits off in the back garden until they do their business.

Babies can be taken out places with you. Puppies can't but neither can they be left alone so you have to rush back or arrange someone to be there every 2 hours to let them out to pee.

They're a logistical nightmare and SO needy. I found them far more draining than kids although they were worth it. I love them to death and they are so well behaved now, they're a joy. Barely know they're here. Can't say the same for the kids.

Bythebeach · 22/08/2017 19:27

Ooh good question. Currently on day 4 of puppy ownership.....I've had 3 babies now aged 12, 9, 4.8. So far she is a lot of work but definitely less so than DC1 and DC3 were. DC2 was an exceptionally easy baby and our puppy is currently comparable to that!

Floralnomad · 22/08/2017 19:43

It's all relative , I found both puppy and babies pretty easy going but that's because I had very high maintenance horses prior to both , which were IME much more tiring and much more of a restriction .

AuntieMay · 22/08/2017 19:54

It's very difficult to compare, I've had 3 babies and 3 puppies.
The Airedale Terrier puppy we had when our youngest was 1 was a nightmare, ate so much of the kids toys, very mouthy didn't listen etc etc - they are not easy puppies to own ( but so worth the work) was definitely as hard as a newborn! Labrador puppy that came next was to put it bluntly " a piece of piss" in comparison - no effort at all.
We now have a new Airedale puppy and we are back to knackered but lovin it!

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