Puppy panic

[BlondeWrites]

Hi there, sorry if this gets a bit long and rambly.

DP and I picked up our first puppy on Saturday. We'd talked about getting a dog for ages, had lengthy discussions about what age/breed, etc, and have now got the delightful Noodle. He's 14 weeks old and can only have been with his previous owners a few weeks, as they got him from the breeder and then their work circumstances changed so they had to rehome him.

DP works from home, and while I work in an office, I'm going to be able to do a few days a week from home very soon, and we're close to the beach and have a garden, so I think we've got a reasonably good set-up for a dog.

I'm just panicking, I think, but today I feel paranoid that we're going to be bad dog owners. Noodle was housetrained when he came to us but has had a few accidents in the last couple of days - I'm not really surprised though as it's a big change for him and 14 weeks is still very young. He's very bouncy and jumps up at everyone and everything, but again, he's a puppy, and a Springer at that - I grew up with Springers so I know how full of beans they are.

DP is so laid back he's horizontal very calm, and kind but firm with Noodle, so I feel better when we're all at home together, but when I'm on my own with pup I feel a little overwhelmed and like we didn't think it through. Even though we did. Noodle's obsessed with eating snails which is distressing because I know he shouldn't, but he makes an absolute beeline for them so we have to watch him like a hawk when we're out.

There's a part of me that's thinking "the dog is fed, watered, exercised, cuddled, disciplined, insured, we need to relax" and there's a part of me that's absolutely paranoid about all kinds of potential disasters. I'm quite anxious by nature and also tired from having this furry toddler gallop into my life and not being quite used to him yet, so maybe it's the anxiety talking? Just being feeble and looking for reassurance really, sorry!

Feeling overwhelmed when you first get a new dog/puppy is completely normal. It's a big shock to the system, even when their arrival has been anticipated for a very long time. Just have a look at the puppy support thread here or do a quick google for "puppy blues" and you'll see just how common a feeling it is.

There's lots of great resources for new puppy owners on the Doghouse sticky thread which are well worth having a read through.

Normally a breeder (presuming they're remotely reputable) will stipulate that if a dog they've bred can no longer be kept, at any point in their lives, they will either take them back or at the very least assist in the rehoming of them. Did the people you purchased him from give you the details of his breeder or have they given you any registration paperwork? If they're at all responsible they will probably be very grateful to know where Noodle is and it would also mean you can check what health testing was done on his parents and what sort of start he had in life.

Thinking "WTF have I done!!" is a normal right of passage for a new dog owner IME.

You sound like you've thought it through properly.
You sound like you know what you are doing.

All will be well

You are absolutely nuts to have a Springer puppy - what were you thinking?!

You are a better person than I tbh - I did not particularly enjoy looking after babies, so I knew a puppy was not for me. We adopted a young adult dog

He's gorgeous ;)
It's entirely normal to have a few panics but it sounds like this lad has got himself a lovely home.

I would suggest trying to find out a bit more about where he came from, as "unexpected change in working hours" is a common way for unscrupulous people to sell puppies on. Do you have his microchip & vaccination records?

Perfectly normal feeling. It will get better, you are doing just fine so try not to worry. Join the puppy survival thread for ongoing support as we have been there and some are in the same phase as you .

Oh I have a cocker spaniel and yes spaniels especially springers are bouncy but make lovely dogs (mine thinks everyone must love him as much as he loves them )

When I got my dog as a puppy 5 years ago I actually sat and cried one evening and told my DH that we had made a massive mistake.

If he had been our first dog may have been understandable but we had had 10 dogs previous to him. The difference was they were all adult rescue dogs.

Puppy was actually a really good well behaved boy. House trained in a couple of days, never chewed anything (his toys from 2012 are still almost new looking) but I just felt overwhelmed.

Remembering to feed him 5 times a day, house training (even though he was a quick learner), sleeping downstairs with him for the first couple of weeks as he didn't like being alone, crate training him etc.

Teaching him to walk on a lead was a nightmare. He would be reasonably ok indoors and even in the garden but in the street he was like a crazy thing. He kept jumping in the air - I think he had his feet in the air for longer than they were on the ground! He would keep whirling round and round. He would get ridiculously excited at everything - another dog, a person, a bike, a cat, even a leaf or a piece of litter.

Everyone thought it was hilarious and looking back now I can see it was funny but at the time I was so frustrated and felt like a useless owner.

The other thing I found frustrating was that he hated being alone so he either had to come everywhere in the house with me including when I had a shower or went to the loo or he would cry loudly and pitifully.

So I can fully understand how you must feel as a first time owner. I've not got children but people have said it is very much like having a baby to look after. I think lots of people under estimate what hard work a puppy can be.

You sound like great owners and I am sure Noodle will have a happy life with you. I am sure the accidents indoors are just a hiccup. As you say, he is still very young and has had a few changes in his life already.

Can I just say one thing. Please do not let Noodle eat snails as they can carry a disease which is very dangerous to dogs

Good luck

Noodle is gorgeous and I am sure you will both bring each other so much happiness
When we got Poppy at the end of Jan aged just over 8 weeks . ( We knew the folk who own her mother and could have seen her father if we really wanted to.) There were times when I did wonder "What have we done" Puppy training was essential. But that said she is not perfect . Somethings we just accept and keep working on and others well great . But it is part of her nature. Despite only me initially wanting her , she is adored by us all.
We put puppy training pads down (cut in half as she a tiny puppy ) She used them most times with v few accidents. Praise when good and as the trainer told us. Always ignore when bad..
You will get there and don't worry or beat yourself up.

He's gorgeous! And as people have said, what you're feeling is totally normal. Our pup is 18 months now and I can't imagine life without him but I remember vividly in the first few days both me and DP thinking we'd made a terrible mistake. There are definitely things I'd do differently if I was to get another puppy but we've all survived and muddled through even though it's been hard at times.

You sound like you have a good setup so I'm sure it'll be ok. There's tons of advice on here if you need it too.

Thanks for all the reassurance - we've just had a really good 24 hours, no accidents, no snails, both me and Noodle in our respective beds by 11.30 with minimal whining.

We did get his vaccination records and microchip info, and have transferred the ownership and everything, so we're all good on that score. I'm at work today and DP's at home with Noodle, am trying not to sit here and fret. DP's more chilled than me, so they're probably fine.

Thanks again :)

I too am feeling like WTF have we done. We have just acquired a 9 week old cocker spaniel pup. We already have a 6 year old cockapoo. Pup is stressing older dog and it's so upsetting seeing her so stressed. Hoping they settled down together soon.

This thread is sooooo good to read - we have had a whippet puppy for 3 weeks - she is nearly 12 weeks - and I have had many a wtf have we done moments! She is bloody hard work at times and very cute and easy at others.
Tilly also likes to eat snails and generally any crap the garden that she shouldn't.
I am about to post a thread asking about pet insurance ....