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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

How long until you enjoyed your puppy?

43 replies

leanmeancoffeebean · 05/07/2021 10:55

Just looking for some perspective! Got a 9 week old boy, and he's very good in lots of ways. But he's hard work (of course!), and we haven't really bonded yet. I know puppies are tricky, and that hopefully we'll have a lovely dog at the end of the slog, but just wondering at what point you felt things turned a corner?

OP posts:

BusterGonad · 06/07/2021 06:23

And yes she's very strong and pulls on the lead and is hard work to do 'any' thing with, like taking tablets, defleaing etc..

Literaryseed · 06/07/2021 06:38

DPup is almost 8 months (cocker spaniel) and we're starting to enjoy him. I'd say for the first 6 months we regretted it every day and I still wouldn't say we had a strong bond with him but he recently had a health scare that made me realise I do actually quite like him. We'd waited about 10 years to get a dog, always planned to get multiple dogs. But he's been such a nightmare DH says never again.

Halfwreckedbykids · 06/07/2021 06:59

I didn't want a dog...pester power won the day. On the condition that the family were to pitch in...I m not doing it all bla bla bla.....

Collected pup and she was 12 weeks and wasn't in great condition....nothing huge but not great skin had a reaction to the shampoo the breeder used. (We had to delay pick up and he was moving so his dad minded the dog and washed her...he hadn't a clue)

Few days of anti b just to be safe and daily washes with a special shampoo.

So I washed her and snuggled her up in a towel on my chest till she dried... I was the one up with her at night...so the whole in it together didn't pan out.

For one that didn't want a dog I felt a huge bond with her.
Shes my absolute baby.
Shes 3 and the absolute best dog that's ever existed...apart from barking at anyone who walks by the house. (It's her nature)
Shes so gentle and patient.
Kids adore her and my husband calls home during the day to see her.
Shes added so much to our lives.
She loves everyone but she stares into my eyes and cocks her head when I talk. She understand ABSOLUTLY everything I say...and she listens which is amazing.
I love her so much I get a big gush when she comes down after her sleep and stretches...she's beyond cute

Halfwreckedbykids · 06/07/2021 07:05

Ps I felt the bond immediately.
But the fun came about 6 months because she could play with us. Just rolling a ball.
Now the fun is unreal...

NotQuiteUsual · 06/07/2021 07:44

I was super smitten for the first two months and then the puppy blues hit! Around the time she got too big for my to carry anymore. Then at 5 months I felt like we had it. It doesn't help that DH doesn't get her and makes very poor efforts to bond. She's an anxious girl and tries so hard to reach DH but he just doesn't get her. He's not bad with her but their love languages are just very different and DH is shit at toileting her so gets frustrated which upsets her.

LadyLolaRuben · 06/07/2021 07:49

It was 18 months until he stopped being a handful but he was a fantastic dog after that

InTheNightWeWillWish · 06/07/2021 07:54

About 6 months with both for puppy stage. Then with the older one, we entered the teenage phase at about 14 months and left it at 2.5 years - which is when I really enjoyed having a dog. So much so I got a second Second dog is 10 months, so I like him at the minute but we’re starting to get some teenage behaviour creeping.

warmfluffytowels · 06/07/2021 08:29

From day one - but we brought him home at 12 weeks so he could go straight out for walks and was practically toilet trained already

Claudia84 · 06/07/2021 21:28

About six months we turned a corner. Puppies are hard and not at all the cute little things the Internet tells you. I still find him hard I’ve learnt so much from him and wouldn’t be without him. No way would I get another puppy. Absolute buggers they are.

Derbee · 14/07/2021 01:24

We fell in love with our puppy on the first day, at 8 weeks. We love him more and more every day, and have never regretted him for one second. I joined the puppy survival thread, and realised I had nothing to say - I have loved every second of having him, and don’t understand the puppy blues etc

DoubleTweenQueen · 14/07/2021 09:22

@Halfwreckedbykids She is gorgeous! Can understand why you've bonded with that cutie :)

BarkingUpTheWrongRoseBush · 14/07/2021 13:26

First month I'd have handed her back to the breeder without a second thought - but my husband fell in love the first moment he saw her.

But he also buggered off on a work trip for the first 2 weeks.

About 3 months in I was coming round.

Now at 18 months, wouldn't be without her.

She comes out on huge long walks, settles in the day, is calm most of the time, sleeps through the night (apart from last night when she woke me up so she could take her toy out and bury it.)

She's gorgeous, absolutely part of the family and we are thinking of getting another one.

BarkingUpTheWrongRoseBush · 14/07/2021 13:28

It's much easier when you can start taking them out properly, also housetraining properly kicks in about 6 months and they just get it.

wishawish91 · 14/07/2021 13:34

I was deeply in love from the minute I looked at him 😂 he came home to me 3 weeks later and we've been best friends ever since. I honestly can't say I was at my wits end with him once, I either was very lucky or a good dog trainer 😂😂

pistachioicecream · 14/07/2021 13:52

We're 13 months in and it's still complicated.

She adores me and I feel utterly responsible for her and do care and worry about her but if I had a time machine I would absolutely not have caved in and got her. I miss the freedom of my old life more than I imagined possible and she adds massively to the stress of life.

But she's here now and we're making the best of it. I do like the walking so that's good. Am hoping the rest of it will come in time and she'll become less needy because that's what I struggle with the most. She follows me everywhere and it's claustrophobic.

I'm taking her to her first agility class tomorrow which I am looking forward to and am hoping that will have a positive impact on things.

But at 9 weeks things were very stressful - it's definitely better than that now! Good luck.

TeenageCockapoo · 14/07/2021 16:09

@pistachioicecream I could have written your post except we are 11 months in. A very complicated type of love...I wouldn't give her up for anything, I can't even fathom it but absolutely had I known what I know now I wouldn't have done it.
Absolutely follows me everywhere and cannot be left, I feel constantly aware that I have a dog and that dictates my life.
It is massively easier than at 9 weeks, that goes without saying! It was really difficult until 12 weeks- then easier until 6/7 months and then tricky again as she matured.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/07/2021 16:20

Once he stopped teething and getting me up for a pee twice a night. I'm not as young as I used to be and the broken sleep absolutely killed me. I found it harder than a newborn.

Once the teething stopped and he stopped savaging me at every opportunity I enjoyed him a lot more.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/07/2021 16:20

Now he is 2 and has calmed down a lot and is very affectionate - more so than any female dog I have had and I really enjoy that about him.

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