First puppy for a first time owner

[BeSpunkyJoker]

Hello!

I am interested (and have been for a few years) in purchasing a puppy. Unfortunately, the last time we purchased one, we had to return him to the breeder due to the puppy having an illness that we were ill-equipped to take care of.

However, we did notice that during our short time with the 9 week old puppy, he had a very hyperactive nature. In other words, the puppy would only sleep for 15 minutes at a time before awakening and wanting to play for an hour or 2 . This happened all through the night for a week. As my husband and I are both working people, we found his schedule to be hard work to say the least. We're not afraid of hard work but we are wondering whether this is typical behaviour of a puppy that age?

Which leads me to my next question. How long does this behaviour last before they settle into a routine of sleeping through the night?

Lastly, would leaving the purchase of a puppy for an extra month until they are at least 12 weeks old make any difference whatsoever in terms of a regular sleeping routine?

Thank you very much for your help in advance!

Well, they are babies so you have to train them. They need an incredible amount of sleep and stimulation- you have to teach that. Dh took 2 weeks off work when we got our puppy even though I work at home as a childminder as we knew he'd need dedicated 1-1 whilst settling. He slept through reliably form about 5 months old.

He's now 3.5 and very calm and amazing. They perfect dog for us that we carved from the puppy we were given.

Yes, puppies are hard work. We have a Labrador who is nearly two, and he can still be hard work (although is easier). They are hyperactive, and need supervision, day and night They do settle into a routine, but this can take time.

My (adult) son and dog wfh for two weeks, but really they should have taken time off, for this period (if not longer).

It does depend on the breed but a lot of puppies need to learn to settle. Constant play with one will leave to an overtired dog and will make the hyperactivity worse.

I think in terms of settling down, again depends on the breed but most people I know with their first puppy think they have cracked it at 6/7 months… and then the teenage stage hits and that’s usually about 10 months -2 years….

You gave a puppy back at 9 weeks? Jeez. Don’t get another.
All puppies need close supervision and distraction or preventing them from doing what you don’t want them to do. For months.
Breeders sell puppies. Not dogs who are q year old. So not sure what you’re suggesting.

If you are both working does it mean the dog, let alone a puppy, will be left at home all day?

Puppies are hard work and yes they can sleep for short periods, or longer periods, it will all depend on the puppy and how you are with it. It doesn't matter what size or breed it is, you are not going to get a pup who is not full on at some point of the day and night. It is a baby after all.

8 weeks or 12 weeks will make no difference, it will still be a puppy.

Preparing to work hard is good but if you are concerned about how hyper a puppy is and that was only for a week, I am not sure if getting a puppy now is the right thing to do - they hyperactivity can go on for months and years dependant on the breed.

Puppies are hard.

I’ve had three from the same breeder over 20 years (golden retrievers). She doesn’t let them go before 12 weeks. There is a big difference between picking them up at 12 weeks and the ones friends have had at 8 weeks. They have been far easier.

I have always been at home all day though.

My 18 week old puppy has just had her mad, hyper hour as she does every evening.

What breed of dog did you have, out of interest?

I've had both, total lunatic and pretty chilled puppies. (All the same breed, so there isn't a magic formula for choosing the right one!)
But having said that all needed time to settle in: 1-2 weeks, then needed time to house train day & night: 14- 20 weeks.
Puppies are like toddlers and do need a playpen or close supervision.

In your shoes, I would do a lot of research, go to dog shows like discover dogs and talk to owners/ breeders. Then talk a bit more to breeders or even people who do different K9 sports at these events. And before I forget, talk to breeders. Don't worry about being a nuisance, dog owners love talking about their dogs all day long!

Puppies are hard.

the only way picking a pup up later will help is if the breeder does the hard work with training and socialisation. If they don’t your pup may be harder to housetrain etc.

You need to go to the library or bookshop and get a book on getting a new puppy. Then you need to go online and read all you can about keeping a puppy from reputable sources.

This is a huge commitment and you don't seem to know the first thing about it.

Your puppy will depend 100% on you, 24/7, for about 12 years. It will establish a routine only because you help it to do that. If you don't do ALL the work, it will never do that.

You and your husband really, really, really need to know what you're letting yourself in for and what your responsibilities will be.

Asking us and the little bits of information we can give you isn't really going to help you with the enormity of what you're taking on.

I think it may be easier if you can explain what you can do to settle your pup, socialise and train it. Have plans in place, don't just wing it and hope for the best.

Our dog was HARD work until 4/5 months - we thought we'd cracked it then from 6 months it escalated as puberty kicked in. He's now much calmer at age 3. They can chew ANYTHING whilst teething (you'll need to puppy proof your home), can shed fur, smell, bark at any hour, whine/cry, growl, dig holes in the garden etc.

It really is like having a child - you need to dedicate significant time and energy moulding it into the adult dog you want it to become. You will need to take this new family member's needs into account in anything you decide to do (go out for the night, go away for a weekend, holidays, and finally, working etc)

Adopt an adult dog, much better.

I did put in my original post that the puppy was ill (blood in his waste) which the breeder never told us about first.

English Bulldog :)

No, we are self employed therefore someone would always be home with him.

Thank you for your help!

You also said you were ill prepared to take care of the sick puppy.

you know dogs get ill? And it’s not always congenital or the breeders fault.

if it develops an illness at 1 or 2 years old what will you do? You need to be prepared for that.

was there a diagnosis? Blood in poo seems relatively minor, could be as simple as a change in food.

Our puppy cried a little for the first week. She was placid and I spent a lot of time with her, training her carefully. She was extremely keen to please. Only drawback was a lot of shedding. Golden retriever. Our children had a special bond with her.

I don't mean to be harsh but definitely don't get a puppy till you've done a lot more research.. I have a wonderful dog but he required (and deserved) a huge amount of input for the first year. No way could I have done it if I was working.

@BeSpunkyJoker I am afraid if you cannot deal with a puppy with blood in its poo, then once again I would think carefully about getting another puppy.

Pups and adult dogs, can and do become ill, from very minor to sadly major issues - how are you going to deal with that? At what point, do you decide you do not want the dog anymore and return it to its breeder?

I, and others, are not trying to be harsh, but I am not sure if you are right for getting another puppy at this time.

English Bulldogs are lovely dogs, and their health is improving considerably, but they and other dogs do get ill. A dog which has an upset tummy, or eats grass, or has constipation and strains to poo, all can cause blood in their poo - are you going to be able to deal with it this time?

A Bulldog? Ahh! So you are prepared for years of the dog suffering (due to negligent breeding that means it cannot breath properly), the dog dying young, the fact it's actually not a good breed for children or friendly with other dogs, the fact it is (despite it's serious health issues) a really energetic breed that wants lots of attention/play?

Then, of course, once you get over all that you have the bloody expensive chronic health conditions:
dermatitis - because of the inbreeding that has led to unnatural skin folds
eye issues (cherry eye) - oh, again because of the awful inbreeding
BOAS - Oh, again because of the awful inbreeding
Joint issues - Oh AGAIN because of the inbreeding
Overheating - AGAIN because of the inbreeding that has led to breathing issues and skin fold issues

So, what you're going to effectively end up with is a defective dog that suffers its entire life, dies young, can't breath properly BUT still needs lots of attention and stimulation?

No. OP. Even if you were prepared to take care of a dog, the fact you can't handle a bit of blood in a dogs poo (or a simple week of a puppy being a puppy)means you are not equipped to take care of any dog, let alone a one prone to as many issues as a Bulldog.

FWIW that 'puppy' behaviour can last upwards of two years in some breeds.

Puppies are hard work, exhausting, tie you down, alter any plans you have, and take over your life until they are about age two, and then, depending on the amount of time and effort you put into them when they were puppies, turn into calm, loyal, well trained best friends.

Blood in stools isn’t necessarily an illness. Puppies can be very stressed going to a new home. Change in food. One of mine had horrible stools for a few days, had been vet checked - it was stress of a new environment, different feeding schedule. I’m surprised the breeder did not tell you that it can be perfectly normal when you first bring a puppy home and not a sign of anything sinister.

As a PP pointed out, the breed you had isn’t the easiest to care for and can have health issues.

A friend of mine had a retired greyhound as a first dog as she was nervous about getting a puppy (after seeing the hours I was putting in with my previous dog as a pup!). She had 6 wonderful years with him, he was a lovely dog. Obviously fully house trained, happy to sleep all night, she could happily heave him for a few hours and he would just sleep.

If you work from home, that might be a good option for you.

I really wouldn't get a puppy. They often have upset stomachs as they eat everything. They roll in shit and are foul.
If you want a dog you need to be prepared to deal with whatever illness they have.
They're seriously hard work. Honestly, dealing with some blood is the least of it. They need input every day, they restrict your life, they wake you up... some are easier than others but they all have their own problems and personalities.
Honestly, you have to be prepared to throw yourself into it. Dealing with a sick dog is the same however experienced you are - vet then follow their advice. That's definitely not the hardest part, nowhere close, and if you're not prepared to do that please don't get a dog

Please do not get a puppy if you can’t deal with things like this. Puppies and dogs can get ill for all manner of reasons and when you can’t palm it back onto the breeder you will no doubt be looking to palm it on a rescue which isn’t fair on anyone.

from your posts it’s clear you have absolutely no idea about dogs or how to care for them, your only concern is how much effort they might take. Gently, get a fish if you need a pet.

But yes, if you returned a puppy due to something as common as blood in stool then possibly a dog isn’t for you. I’ve had golden retrievers all my life, grew up with one. I can’t recall how many times they have had stomach upsets after eating something awful on a walk, a couple had bad arthritis as they aged. Dogs get ill and you have to be prepared to cope with that.

A dog may not be the best option for you, and certainly not a puppy. What you described about the first week being full on is absolutely normal. It would have carried on for a few weeks more if you were lucky, and a lot longer depending on the dog’s personality.

In all seriousness, if you must have a pet, a couple of young cats (not kittens as they can also be full on), might be better companions and they tie you down far, far less than a dog. But they get sick too (again, many do have stool issues in a new environment, just like dogs), you need be prepared to deal with illness in any animal you take on.

All animals take effort and care - even my rabbits do! Part of taking on any animal to care for is being prepared for the work of caring for them and any sickness that crops up.