What is it really like having a puppy?

[Nosuchthingastoomuchcheese]

We are hopefully getting a shitzu puppy sometime next year. We are getting it from family friends who have bred them for years so we are reassured that it's coming from a loving home not a puppy farm.

But what's it really like? My kids are 9 and 13 so very much old enough to do a lot with the puppy. I am prepared for sleepless nights and accidents, although we have some flooring that wont cope well with accidents so I was thinking laying duvets down and lots of puppy pads?

We are quite house proud so will need to puppy proof and we havent had a dog before.

Any tips gratefully received. We have thought about this for a long time, definitely not a rush decision.

One of the things I see on here all the time is .... when will they sleep later in the morning.
Puppies are like babies. They don’t let u lay in. You will be up early. You will be up in the night. And no this will not stop after a few short weeks. You are doing the right thing asking questions. Puppies are hard work. My washing machine was always going. Think baby but harder as u can’t leave them and u can’t take them with u

Crate train safer for you safer for the dog.
Kids will loose interest, but No1 son has an invisible bond with our Little Lady, he does most of the work, walks etc
Routine and setting standards is key.
Just make sure holidays etc are covered, we have in-laws and breeder takes her back if required.
Get a grooming table and get it used to being brushed and bathed our breeder taught us how and also took her for car rides in the crate so she was used to it when we took her home

@Nosuchthingastoomuchcheese

How long does toilet training take usually? Or is that a ridiculous question??

I've heard they can be a pain to house train like Bichons don't know if it's a small breed thing. My last dog i took out everytime he ate and drank and I used to wake up in the night to feed him and take him to the toilet and he was trained within a week. Puppies are not easy but they soon grow into dogs and they are worth it. Dedication is a must.

Thank you that's really helpful

Shitzus tend to have their special person anyway, more than other breeds. I'm happy to be that person.

Most dog breeds have their special person not just shih tzus but don't be in denial that it will be you. A woman on here thought she was going to be THAT special person but wasn't and she was heartbroken.

Thats ok I also dont mind if I'm not. Not a lot I can do is there!

Following this thread with interest as we too are thinking about getting a puppy next year!

Some commented up-post that you have to expect not to have the evenings to yourself when they are puppies. How long does this stage last?

As an older dog, I presumed he/she would come and sit with me and DH in the living room??

They are all different, a bit like DC. We are on Puppy No. 4 and she is proving a pain in the arse to housetrain compared to earlier puppies, but she's proving easier on the lead.

They soon learn that the world chills out in the evening and fall asleep - ours has kipped in the living room in the evenings from about 4 or 4 1/2 months (as soon as we trusted her not to chew everything instantly and then pee on it - she's still never in there unsupervised though).

The best things you can do are cuddle and play with your puppy, to build a good bond, and to train it from the time it's a few months old. Honestly, they're never too young to start learning recall, sit and stay - ours has been able to wait when we open a door since she was about 5 months old. Find a good training class where the puppies are taught to walk nicely on the lead and sit next to you etc while ignoring distractions: it will really help you have a well-mannered older dog.

Also, let your puppy off, with a trailing longline if you want the reassurance or if there are people and other dogs about, as soon as you can. The pup won't want to lose you and if you have tasty treats and are ready with cuddles and praise, you'll be able to lay good foundations for recall.

Puppies are very hard work, but they are charming and a lot of fun - and their behaviour improves rapidly, too.

The face book group Dog Training and advice has some good units to read on puppies and what to expect. Along with the Easy Peasey puppy squeeze book, I got my 13yr to read that. We have had a puppy for 4mths now, the first 2wks it was like having a baby (broken sleep & constant 24/7 vigilance), next 2 weeks a toddler and now it’s like having a pre-schooler. She knows the rules, still needs enforced naps in her crate but loves following me around to “help” but sleeps through the night and is toilet trained it can feel like relentless hard work at times, but when’s she snuggled up for a cuddle on the sofa or training really well in the garden it’s lovely. My kids love her and yes they lost interest in weeks 10-16 when biting was bad, they now love hanging out with her and I can see glimps of how much easier it’s going to be as her temprement is lovely. I’m just hoping the teenage phase 9-18mths goes ok...

Mine was rather easy compared to many I think. We didn't use puppy pads or anything, but took her out to the garden literally every half an hour in the day, and always as soon as she woke up. ..she was water tight within a fortnight and never ever pooed in the house. Night times I slept on the sofa with her next to me on the floor (in her bed) for the first two weeks and only once she was sleeping through did I move upstairs (she slept downstairs til she was 6 months)
Have stair gates..prevent access to carpets, or anywhere you can't clean easily. Also.. puppies need about 20 hours sleep a day when tiny.. make sure the children leave him/her alone to sleep as an overtired puppy is a nightmare.
Puppies have a mad hour most nights (known as the zoomies) when they run around like they are possessed and they bite, shred, trash... have chewy toys and tugs to redirect those teeth! Then just as you are about to sob that you can't cope, they flop asleep and look adorable!
Teach your children to put their stuff away. Mine wasn't a chewer but many are and vet bills for a blocked bowel cos the puppy has swallowed a sock or toy isn't fun.. prevention is key! We have a young adult diabetic in the house and I had to really get cross and remind him not to leave needle caps lying around!
It IS hard work, but the early weeks pass so fast (mostly in a blur of exhaustion) and they are cute enough that you forgive them the bad bits.
Mine's 18m now, and she's far from a perfect dog but I never knew how much I would love a dog until we had her :)

We've raised two dogs from puppies, both totally different.

It is amazing fun having a puppy but extremely hard work at times.

Our last puppy was a dream. Properly house trained (as in indicating when he needed out) around 5 months. Never wee'd overnight but he was crate trained and we used to get up with him.

Kids most definitely loose interest imo, though they all loved the dogs it's was on their terms only. Definitely weren't keen on walking/picking up poo etc.

The thing I found hardest with both is that I was tied to the house as couldn't leave them until they were much older.

The first few weeks are hard as your up in the night taking pup to the toilet but it passes very quickly.

I would definitely recommend the KC good citizen training, if your able to attend mind you with Covid. It starts at puppy and moves through to gold level.

As pp has said I would start how you mean to go on, so if definitely don't want pup on bed/chairs etc make sure everyone sticks to that from day 1.

Enjoy your pup!

Thank you!
Lots to think about.
Hadnt really thought about the not leaving them at all, I know its obvious. But we do like to go out for tea sometimes. Maybe after a few months my mum or someone could stay with pup if necessary. She's happy too. I'm going to get the easy peasy puppy book for my kids for Christmas.

Its exciting and terrifying all at the same time!

@BaconAndAvocado it was me who longed for normal evenings. It doesn’t last too long, our problem was that every time our puppy’s feet touched carpet she peed. Fine on hard floors, don’t know why that was. We therefore had to spend evenings in the kitchen for three or four weeks.
She’s 17 months now and snuggles up nicely while we watch TV.
The other thing we weren’t expecting was separation anxiety. She’s getting better now and can manage an hour or two by herself but while we’re at work she goes to daycare which is costing a fortune!!

@Spiderpop

It changes your life to an extent in the same way having a baby does. It’s a massive responsibility and I used to long to have my evenings back where I could sit and relax and not worry about what the puppy was doing/eating/chewing on/peeing on etc. My kids were reasonably willing to watch the puppy while I went for a shower or whatever but the puppy actually only wanted me so would cry at the bottom of the stairs until I came back. It’s totally worth it, she’s 17 months now and is a lovely dog. It’s more intense than I ever could have imagined in the first couple of months though.

@Spiderpop - the crying at the bottom of the stairs whilst I have a shower is where we are with our 6 month old puppy!

Is that better now? Did you do anything specific to help that process or was it just an age thing?

@Nosuchthingastoomuchcheese It was the feeling trapped that I really wasn't prepared for. Trapped in the house and sometimes even trapped in a particular room. Our puppy is totally attached to me so if I leave a room she'll follow, if I go somewhere she can't go (upstairs or in the bathroom) she'll sit and cry until I come back. It's draining and really annoying tbh.

We're now working with a trainer 1-1 to try and improve things. So it's expensive too!

@pistachioicecream hi, yes the crying at the bottom of the stairs has pretty much stopped now. During lockdown she didn’t go to daycare so much and I’m not sure whether it was her seeing far more coming and going helped or whether it’s just because she’s older.

We have done a couple of the Absolute Dogs online programmes and some of their games build confidence so that too may have helped.
I think really it’s
Probably just as she’s getting older she’s getting more inclined to take herself off to her bed if we’re all boring her by ironing or being upstairs.
It does get better xx

I've actually found it ok. I read loads of things like you'll get the puppy blues, you'll regret it and will cry loads. None of that was true for me. Don't get me wrong, it's bloody hard work and knackering but so worth it. I got a trainer on board straight away so we got crate and toilet training sorted really quickly and she is such a gorgeous puppy and I completely adore her. I didn't use puppy pads but used a training bell and she will ring it now when she wants to go out, she's 15 weeks old.
I had 1-2-1 training sessions, expensive but so worth it as you will learn lots of tips for early puppyhood.

My son (18) was keen, but he only wants the good times, when she's barking and biting he has no interest but she was always a dog for me anyway so that doesn't bother me.