puppies does it get any easier?

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I'm astounded by people who have puppies and toddlers, or children. It's my and DH and I'm being driven to distraction by a 12 week old bundle of fluff and teeth.

She sleeps till 6am. She eats OK. House training going OK. But she won't settle down in the day willingly. Always one eye open. So gets really tired, grumpy, turns into a whirling gnashing dervish. Then flops.

Well I've never known anyone so unreasonable!!

Do you honestly expect replies when you've not attached a photo of said puppy 😀

They do eventually - I say this with my two once naughty little cockerdiles snoozing away on the bed!

Do you have a crate for her? Overtiredness is definitely a thing in puppies, some are quite good at taking themselves off for a nap, others need a bit of encouragement and associating a crate with relaxing sleeping time is a great way to make sure they're getting the rest they need. Puppies can need up to 20 hours of sleep a day!

It does get easier once you can take them out for walks, but those first few weeks of being housebound is dreadful, I will admit!

Yep. Puppies are bloody hard work. Biting little buggers who are only made cute so you don’t strangle them.
It gets better!
When they can be tired out mentally with training and get out and about and see the world a bit more then it all gets a bit easier.

She takes herself to her crate sometimes. But she's also inclined to naff about to delay it 'but I need a snack, one more toilet, ooh dangerous bird in garden''

getting her to settle for a nap unless she's absolutely knackered is hard.

I'd put a picture but she's black and almost unphotographable.

I don't think anyone, we didn't, realises how much work and how difficult a puppy is until they get one and biting/nipping is one of the big problems especially with very young children.

ds was 9 when we got our labrador and he really didn't enjoy the puppy or even teen stages. It was only when the dog settled down into adulthood they really started to get on.

I totally understand what you’re saying. DS is 10 he really struggled when we first got the pup. We’d taken him to visit him at 7 weeks old. In the 3 weeks between then and us getting him home he’d changed from the sweetest, gentlest little fluff ball into a biting, scratching monster. DS could barely interact with him as pup was so excited by him he’d get into a complete frenzy.

He’s 6 months old now and much better. He does still bite when he’s over excited but it’s gentle and the needle sharp teeth have gone.

I don’t know how anyone with younger children cope.

Hang in there.

my youngest has just turned 12....thats how long we waited

we have a 5 month old labrador....he's adorable, and i've found myself a new interest with the training

but yes, hard work! we have between 5 and 7 adults in the house to take turns (young adults and various partners) and its still hard

I was walking pup yesterday and there was a lady, she looked mid 70’s with a 4 month old lab. Her arm was covered in cuts, she said her skin was really delicate and the pup was breaking it everytime he bit her.

I’m in my 40’s and I know I’ll never get a very active breed again. We do plenty of walks now and he’s certainly going to keep me fit for the next decade but any puppy afterwards will be a slow, low energy, easier to handle type.

As above, they are a complete pain in the backside at first. However, I look at my 4 year old now (dog, not DC!) and knowing how short their lifespan is comparatively, wish I could turn back time to then for her! God this sounds daft, please excuse me!

Sounds perfectly normal to me!

Mine was a pain in the arse until five months, then we had about six weeks of peace, then teenage hell started

He was two last month and he's settled right down now. He comes back when called, is calmer in the house, is pretty obedient for the most part and has finally stopped chewing my house!

It's well worth it, just be persistent and keep at it. He'll get there. Everything I thought he wouldn't grow out of, he has.

Yes! It gets better but it will take a while. I had a puppy when the dc were 1and 4 years old! Not sure what I was thinking! But.. it all worked out. Ddog is 5 now and the best behaved of the 3 of them

She’s been better today. Because dh cam home from being away. And dh looked after her for the afternoon and he fussed less. So he had a better afternoon but she also pooed under our bed.

Puppies are hard work 🙈 It gets easier from around 5 months old, I promise! 🤞

There is nothing as savage as those puppy teeth mixed with OTT exuberance 🙈

Make sure your pup gets enough physical exercise and mental stimulation and be sure to teach him how to settle.... small cubes of cheese, and lots of patience, is the answer. Good Luck! 🍀

How do you teach to settle? I mean what has worked for people...

But also make sure he gets plenty of sleep as well. Enforce quiet time because an over tired, over stimulation puppy is a nightmare. Eat...sleep...play repeat.

I think the idea is that any time pup is naturally sitting or lying quietly in their bed, even for a second you casually drop in a treat. I think they call it shaping-any time you see a natural behaviour that you like you treat or praise. I think they do just naturally settle down as they get older though.

Another good tip I picked up from puppy class is to make a ‘kissy kissy’ noise and give them a treat. If they’re doing something you don’t want them to do you can then make the kissy noise and they’ll come running. Better than them constantly hearing ‘no’.

One last tip is kau wood or any puppy friendly wood. You can buy it on amazon and they can chew it until their hearts content, it doesn’t splinter. Our pup loves sticks so this has bought us hours of peace.

We encouraged settling by basically making him settle down and giving him a treat for it.

We had a house line on him for a long time as it would make him lie down - then we'd treat the behaviour and add a command. Now I can ask him to settle and he typically will - either in his spot on the sofa or curled up by someone's feet.

It's a great behaviour to teach and he will now settle under tables in pubs or cafes as well as at home. It's perfect for when we have visitors who don't want a dog sniffing and licking them too!

I got two puppies when I was 4 months pregnant with my first child. Lots of people seemed horrified and told me I was nuts.
It was fine. We cope with what we want to cope with. Just embrace the variety of your day.
16 years later, I still have one of those puppies. His much-loved sister died at 13 of cancer, it was like losing my best mate, she had been with me through the best days of my life: my 3 children being born, 4 house moves, thousands of wonderful walks. I still miss her. I have three teenagers now and they have never known a time without animals in the house ( currently 2 dogs, 3 cats and a couple of ponies). They all adore animals and we share such love for them all that it brings our family really close together.
Given my time again I wouldn't change a thing.

Mine was a pain in the arse until five months, then we had about six weeks of peace, then teenage hell started

Ditto

What breed?
Routine
Wee, food, walk, play crate you decide the times, the dog will soon pick it up and know what to expect and when.
Some breeds need more stimulus than others, toys?
Kong type thing with a difficult to get out treat jammed in side carrot is good, Pizzle its a dried bulls penis dogs love them can keep them quiet for hours, ours has half when we are in restaurant, good as gold.