Regret getting puppy - 6 days in

[sukiwh]

Hello everyone, I’m really just looking for some reassurance here. First puppy in many years, had dogs before but do not remember it being this hard. The cats are furious, I feel so guilty that I have ruined their peaceful little lives, and if I could go back in time, I would not get the puppy. I can see she is objectively cute and understand she is 8 weeks and 6 days old, so can’t expect much from her in the way of understanding. I just wish I could go back in time and not get her. I feel depressed.

Please tell me these feelings will lift. I feel resentful towards this tiny sweet thing. Lots of support from DH and DC, I have no idea why I feel so negatively. I can’t see a future where this decision turns out to be a good one.

Im so glad you got such great responses! Puppy blues is definitely a real thing, as pps say. Honestly, everyone regrets it. Wait until you're bonded with him and then you won't care about the accidents/chewing etc! My dog is my best bud now (see my name!) . Although I do now feel a huge weight of responsibility on my shoulders purely by how he looks at me, with such love in his eyes. Im not sure im worthy of such utter adoration but he seems to think i am!!

Please,please do not leave your pup shut up in a room without you for extended periods. You have already said the cats have each other,well dogs are pack animals and without another dog,you are its pack. This cute little bundle of joy has already been taken from mum, now you are sticking it in a room on its own behind a gate.Many folk swear by crate training because it speeds up house training,that’s fair enough if you use only at night or say when they need to not be under ,a workman’s feet or the cooker.But let’s be brutally honest,the crate is for your convenience not the dogs. The dog should be with you during the day and frankly the night,not just taken out when you want a bit of cuteness.Most of the folk I know let the dog(s) have free run or have a companion dog. I also know folk that crate trained their dogs and they will shut them in a room or outside when they’re sick of them,and that dog will howl,bark ,cry because they know you’re there,cannot get to you,and desperately want your attention.
Puppies are hard work,and it generally gets easier, but the dogs that don’t get enough attention are the ones that develop problems down the line and end up being rehomed,you have to put the work in.I’ve had dogs for over thirty years and have spent the last 15 rescuing elderly ones, to see a dog that’s lost it’s family and doesn’t know why is just heartbreaking, they’re totally broken and you have to build them back up.
I wish you well,please tough it out.

@sukiwh Puppy regret is completely normal. Thing is the puppy stage doesn't last long, so ask yourself if you want a dog, and take it from there.

https://www.oodlelife.com/puppy-regret/

Most people would give back puppies in the early days. Persevere you deserve to give her a chance. They take training. Mine was a nightmare but now I love her so much. It is hard it does get better.

6 days in? That's a low tolerance level.
You could always contact the breeder and return her.

Oh, OP, I can certainly empathise with the “I don’t remember it being like this!!”

All through the toilet training of my current dog I was thinking "But with Olddog it was all over so quickly, why is this taking so LONG?" and then AS SOON AS my current dog had got it sorted I started to look back on that period and think of it as being over in a flash. Strange tricks our brains play on us.
Above all, looking back, I found the period before the pup could go on walks the most frustrating. Exploring the world together is suh an important prt of bonding. I'm sure things will be more fun after the pup is old enough for walks and classes.

This is the type of response that make me well up! Makes me think of the 14 blissful years with my old boy, he was the perfect gentleman, and my first true love. I think it has been quite shocking to me that I do not immediately love this new puppy in exactly the same way, but I’ve calmed down a little! Time and patience ♥️

Wow really, my puppy does't switch off, he needs to rest and so therefore goes to his crate, young puppies need 20 hours of sleep, my boy was over tired and a nightmare, he wasn't happy, I wasn't happy but in his crate he will sleep and rest and will emerge a happy little pup, you obviously do not understand the concept of proper crate training and benefits it has!

'Makes me think of the 14 blissful years with my old boy, he was the perfect gentleman, and my first true love. I think it has been quite shocking to me that I do not immediately love this new puppy in exactly the same way, but I’ve calmed down a little! Time and patience '

Yes I think it is incredibly hard when you've lost a dog whether recently or a while ago, you know you can't replace them but if youve loved having a dog it's normal to want another.

To go from an easy dog who sleeps in on a morning, walks calmly by your side to a crazed puppy crying, constantly attacking feet and damaging everything is tough but apparently gets better.

You've just got to remember they probably all start out as annoying puppies 😬

It took me a good 6 months or so to adjust to having a puppy, I felt as tied and as tired as when my kids were newborns. I loved him from day one, he was so cute but he brought total chaos with him! 6 years on and I'm thinking of getting another! 😬

Well, it's not too late to return pup to the breeder or rescue you got it from and say it's not working out.

Any reputable breeder/ rescue charity would prefer that, for the dogs sake. Then they can find it a better home with a committed owner.

Sorry, I’m just laughing at “the cats are furious”. Just imagining two little cats giving you an absolute bollocking 😂 “Did you consider us Suki???”.

You must never have been on the receiving end of a furious cat! They really let you know about it if their staff (you) have fallen short of the high standards they so richly deserve (demand).

If the cat isn't happy, nobody is happy.

They were giving me the worst silent treatment and the dirtiest looks 🤣🤭

Pup sleeps in our room in an open crate. She’s not a morning puppy 😂 So to help wake her up we let her cat brother in (he sleeps on a bed on the landing) who casually saunters past, then jumps onto the bed just close enough for her to NEARLY kiss him. Not quite. Once she’s wiggled herself awake he nonchalantly moves just that bit further away to curl up and clean himself whilst she loses interest and flies down the stairs for breakfast.

Cats are amazing.

My cat still likes to assert her position over the dog - she’ll go and sit right by him and he gets a bit worried and just gives me the side eye imploring me to save him 😂 if he moves she’ll give him a whack!

My brother recently got a puppy. Shes just about 4 months old now.
He has had many regrets. He said, several times, that if she wasnt so damn cute at times, he would have taken her back.
Hes now starting the house training, which isnt going great, as shes so used to doing everything in the balcony (at least she now very rarely does anything inside the house).
Her biting is also getting better, but still challenging.
But it has gotten better! And she is the cutest thing!

Our brains definitely trick us in to forgetting the bad stuff. It's why we have more than one pet and more than one child!

A couple of years from now you'll be saying "do you remember how cute pup was when she was little? Shall we get another one?"!

😂Always a spaniel! My DB has had Springers and Cockers for years and they've all been absolutely terrified of my cats! The side eye plea for help looks very familiar!

I also know folk that crate trained their dogs and they will shut them in a room or outside when they’re sick of them,and that dog will howl,bark ,cry because they know you’re there,cannot get to you,and desperately want your attention.

If it's howling and barking, they haven't crate trained it. The whole point of crate training is to create positive associations so the pup ENJOYS their time in the crate, and sees it as a cosy place to rest. I've never had a pup who's hated the crate or been distressed by it, they all go in of their own accord and snore their heads off.

Gets better!

If he could see me he would cry for a few minutes before going to sleep then i could leave the room and he would sleep for 20/30mins. If i tried to leave the room before he was asleep he would cry for longer.... 10/15mins..... then fall asleep.

Cats will be fine once they learn to jump onto higher ground! If they aren’t allowed on the countertops and tables, buy them a cat tree so they can escape a bit..