New Puppy Blues

[QuietLifeNC]

Hello

Posting here for a bit of a vent really, and in hopes people might have some encouraging words.

So my puppy arrived a week and a half ago, at 12 weeks old. She is gorgeous and I love her to bits, but yesterday I hit a bit of a wall of being emotionally overwhelmed by it all. It's silly really - we have been making some progress on peeing outside, so last night I let her roam around the living room thinking I had nailed the toileting. I felt such a failure when she then had some accidents.

It also doesn't help that at the moment I'm feeling a bit isolated. I thought I had found a good very local dog walker/sitter but they've turned out to be a flake. My mum is local but is not reliable at all.

To cap it all I have toothache so I have no idea what I'm going to do about that. Also I am back on the ciggies - I needed to quit as I was recently diagnosed with a condition that could lead to rheumatoid arthritis in the future. I was doing good but now back on the fags with the stress

To recap, the puppy is gorgeous and I wouldn't be without her, but I am having a bit of a teary wobble. At the weekend she'll be able to go our for walks and I have puppy classes lined up, so I'm hanging on to that. Being cooped up in the house/garden is not ideal for either of us.

Anyway, if you got this far thank you for listening to my pity party :-) And any words of encouragement much appreciated!

It will get better!!

I'm sure you will fall in to a new routine and it will all come together!

What breed is pup?

Reading with interest as I pick my new pup up toMorrow, equal measures of excitement and nervousness!

Xxx

She's a Coton de Tulear - adorable floofball.

Good luck with your new arrival :-) And yes, I know it will get better - just having a bit of a wobble. I'm normally very level headed so it's unusual.

Onwards and upwards!

This is so normal. Once you have her walking, toilet training will become easier, and should tire her out too. Not sure what breed you have but our lab was full on! We had many moments of despair when we thought what are we doing wrong, but he is now a lovely, gentle still slightly bonkers 2 year old.

It gets easier !

Thank you all for the kind words :-)

To echo others, it does get better. Our puppy has been a handful but seeing our older dog become the adult dog that she is reminds us that it will all hopefully come good. Seeing them improve with training etc will spur you on and help you bond. Although we’ve come a long way with our pup and still have a ways to go before he matures I try and look to the positives. For example he used to be wild around food but will now wait until his bowl is on the floor and he is ‘released’. I could not have pictured that when he arrived and was leaping several feet in the air to try and steal a treat 😂

At about 1 and a half weeks in, I was ready to hand my puppy back. You are not alone!

Keep persevering.

The pup will suddenly turn a corner with toilet training. Just keep going. Decent anti odour floor cleaner. Consistent routine. We're down to almost no accidents now and he indicates to go out.

It is exhausting. Do you take the pup for carry walks? Good socialisation just to sniff different air, walk past buses/bikes etc.

Do you have any vaccinated dog friends you can have for a puppy play date?

It will get better.

I had exactly the same feelings as you, all the puppy blues and putting pressure on myself and the puppy to be toilet trained etc asap but the feelings will pass I promise. I was seriously considering if a puppy had been the right decision for me. I promise you it does get easier after the first few weeks, the puppy will settle in and you will get used the change and into a routine. We had got our puppy just 4 months after moving into our new home, brand new carpets and everything, we were stupidly so stressed she would ruin the carpets with pee, poo and sick stains but we quickly learned you just can't ever be too house proud with dogs. She is now 13 months old and we absolutely adore her. Your dog will love you unconditionally, more than any person ever can. Dogs are so wonderful xx

I had some very kind words re puppy training here - you may want to look at my thread - yes they are exhausting but it does get better as they get older.

My Pup can be the Lord of Misrule - but he can be the cutest floppiest boy ever.

Re training - the advice I was given was do not use puppy pads - I ditched them - that worked , and also take puppy out more than you think you need to and praise them when they do something.

We have 2 older dogs 12 and 13rs old - they obviously turned a corner - so I suspect this one will ( 5 months )

Good luck & all best - it is exhausting but it will be worth it

Perhaps be a bit stricter with yourself and only let her roam the sitting room once she has been outside to do her business. Also get her out a lot more often that you think is necessary.

Toileting for us didn't become reliable until around 5 months. So expect accidents.

It definitely gets easier and tbh the puppy days now seem like a distant memory. But during the slog it can feel relentless. I found the isolation of it quite difficult but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck

We spoke to a dog trainer and used crate training to help get toilet training in hand, along with a few other issues. The pup is watched all of the time and when we are not able to like when it’s the kids bedtime, goes in the crate. When taken out of the crate they then go straight outside for the loo. If we see the dog attempting to go to the loo in the house we pick it up and put it outside. We still have some accidents but they are very few now. Pup is 5 months old. Treats and huge amounts of praise work wonders. Keep at it! It’ll get better.

Wow thanks again everyone!

I'm actually feeling much better today about it all. Yesterday it felt like we were really getting into our evening routine - good call above about limiting roaming unless they've been out. I already don't use puppy pads except one by the back door.

And making progress on the outside toileting . The vet recommended some liver paste as a treat, so she gets a wee lick of that when she's had an outside wee. She seems to be catching on :-)

Also I have blocked off the part of my garden with flower beds and nasty bulbs and plants she was trying to eat. So I don't have to run around constantly after her when she's outside - she's confined to a safe spot unless I supervise. That's a relief - I can work at my desk and keep an eye on her out the back door.

So today we have had no accidents so far :-) She has now gone to sleep in her crate behind me - the wee dote.

Thanks again to everyone for your kind replies - looking forward to the weekend!