Toughest puppy stage?

[Lou573]

I’m in the very early stages of first time puppyhood - some parts have been tougher than expected, others easier, but she’s a lovely laid back pup so far. The most difficult thing is logistics as she can’t be left at home for more than 10 minutes and not yet fully vaxxed so can’t go anywhere. Wondering what’s to come - i’m interested which stage other people found hardest?

For me puppy stage was fine... I was lucky pup only ever had a couple of toilet accidents, slept reasonably well, wasn't a destructive chewer in the house (she dug up the garden though!) and she picked up training really quickly. BUT teenage stage at nearly 8 months.... barking randomly, she is selectively deaf so will ignore me if she doesn't feel like doing something, recall which was good has gone so she's back on the long line. I'm hoping it passes quickly as she is a lovely pup really.

Various stages up to 1 year old

First few weeks were brutal, and we were lucky with toileting and sleeping. It's just an adjustment to always have to be on the lookout and supervising them, plus trying to socialise them, train them etc.

Gets easier and easier but 1) I'm more used to it and 2) we haven't hit the teenage phase yet 😬

About 5.5 months - second lot of teething but this time he was bigger and stronger. Quickly followed by adolescence, selective hearing, secondary fear, being an independentgit at times... Our perfect recall still hasn't returned 6 months later 🙈

Love him to bits though.

Various - biting in the early days then, when he had perfect recall and was a delight, around 7-8 months we had 4 weeks of him being a total prick. He didn’t ever run off, just sat slightly too far away to get back on the lead and refuse to come when called (testing teens). At 16 months he’s fab. I prefer dogs to puppies. They’re cute because otherwise you’d never tolerate the first year!

Thanks all, heard the teenage stage is a toughie!

Mine is only 19 weeks but the worst bit is the nipping and biting. It hurts, it's very hard to deal with and can't wait for it to stop!
Absolutely adore him though and can't remember not having him.

8 weeks to about 16 weeks were hardest for us. She was an insane puppy, 'laid-back' was not a word you could have used for her. She barely slept and couldn't be left alone at all. She just demanded all your attention. But she settled down and since 16 weeks she's been a delight and she's 1 now so even adolescence hasn't been noticeable really. I wonder if an easy puppy leads to a difficult teen, and vice versa? Or if it's just luck! They're all different anyway.

Definitely the teenage stage.

I didn't really struggle with the puppy stage apart from the teething and mouthing. But from about seven months until 12-13 months was really bloody hard for me. I cried - a lot.

But it was absolutely worth it now he's all grown up :)

Out of interest what puppies do you have, the people that have commented? I’m hopefully getting mine soon

I think from 0-18 months, then it gets better

@Pumpkin5piced

Out of interest what puppies do you have, the people that have commented? I’m hopefully getting mine soon

We have a beagle.

Cocker spaniel.
He's 11 months, but he's under a veterinary specialist due to immune mediated polyarthitis and on steroid treatment.
He's been unwell since July & I think developmentally he is more like 9 months as he has missed out on a lot recently & developed some separation anxiety since staying in the hospital for a week.

Photo for cuteness

Shih tzu. He's like a teddy bear.

Biting stage was the worst for me. I was tired and felt I was giving all my love and hard work to this creature that just wanted to attack me. Can't remember when it finally stopped but it just gradually reduced until I noticed it wasn't happening any more.

Mine was super calm and chilled for few weeks, I was so smug! Didn't last!

@Pumpkin5piced A working cocker

Pumpkin5piced Working cocker spaniel

Teenage stage. It eased about 2.5 years with dog1. We’re at 14 months with dog2 and becoming a very angsty teenager, so potentially a long way to go yet!

@AwkwardPaws27 don't say the recall never returns 😩😩 this pup needs to run free in the woods and the long line doesn't cut it lol!

Aria20 we're about 80% there, but it's not the instant 100% of the time recall we had at 4-5 months. He definitely stops and thinks about whether the treat is worth the effort now!

@Pumpkin5piced we have a working cocker spaniel (my cocker-dile). Recall returned with very high value treats (hot dogs) and a whistle.

Teenage twat phase is definitely the worst and you never get the same dog twice. Mobile mops main teenage twat tricky was poor recall - no let's be honest no recall at all, but he never chewed anything. Mullet dog currently 9 months still has good recall, but chews really badly oh and likes to go in the utility room, shut the door behind himself and then be mortified that he is shut in. Shut doors are no problem to him as he can open then.

Early puppy hood. Just because of the sheer neediest of it. Plus having to have eyes in the back of your head. I found it quite isolating and very restrictive.
I still enjoyed it to a degree but found it difficult transitioning to having a pup around again.