Really struggling with new puppy

[Buddytheelf85]

We have recently become the owners of a lovely Labrador puppy. He is 13 weeks old, so we’ve had him for 3 weeks. And I’m finding it so. hard.

It’s absolutely not his fault. He’s a beautiful, intelligent, affectionate little thing. Yes, he bites, chews, and has accidents indoors but it’s obvious he has a lovely nature. He’s actually doing comparatively pretty well with his house training even though he does have the odd accident. He’s learnt to sit and his recall is (currently) pretty good.

We did do our research beforehand. I know everyone says that but we did. (I had dogs growing up but I’ve realised now how much bloody work my parents must have done behind the scenes to make them into the gorgeous friendly well-trained dogs that they were!) None of this stuff has come as a surprise to me, I knew it all in theory - the night time whining and toilet trips, the chewing, the biting, the jumping. But the theory’s different to the practice. It’s a bit like how when you have a baby, you go to all the ante-natal classes, you read all the books, and yet when the baby arrives it still knocks you for 6 even though you thought you had it sussed.

I keep thinking about re-homing him. Or asking the breeder if she’ll take him back. I feel so tearful and ashamed at the thought. I don’t want to be that dick who buys a cute ‘Andrex puppy’ then gives up after 3 weeks because the reality doesn’t match the advert. But equally I really can’t cope with things the way they are.

Has anyone got any words of wisdom? Will it get better, and if so, roughly when?

Thank you in advance!

[willdoitinaminute]

*tlc not tec