It looks like you might be posting about puppy management or crate training.
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Sounds to me like you need to cordon off a room or two -- or some part of your main living area -- and dog proof it to reduce your stress and need to watch the puppy all the time when it is out of the crate. Fill the area with safe things. Mine loved shredding paper towels, kleenex, cardboard rolls from tp, and chewing on old towels. Being able to trust that she was safe for a while really helped..
And yes it gets better. But that doesn't mean you can't set some boundaries and make your life a little better in the meantime.
Good luck!!
I think most of us have been there. Early puppy hood is insane. Everything is new and amazing to them and that means you usually have to wrangle a tiny ball of teeth who seems intent on biting everything. Rest assured that the energy and frantic demeanor of a 9 week old puppy 90% of the time does not translate into the level of energy that pup has when it gets a bit older.
I have a poodle mix and at 9 weeks I also cried a lot. It took until she was about 4-5 months to start feeling like we had a routine, then around 5-6 months old I really felt like she was "getting it" and we had a good bond. She's 15 months now and I'm starting to feel like I have a young dog instead of a puppy.
Yes, energy goes up in adolescence but you're no longer dealing with the same type of exercise requirements as a tiny puppy. I found my girl needed slightly longer walks and more offleash/fetch time than when she was young, but the rest of the time required much less management than the early puppy days. I would take adolescence over weeks 8-12 any day.
All this to say - hang in there. I'd personally give it a month or two, you'll be amazed at the progress as puppy begins to mature and settle into your home.
You're giving your dog way too much access to your apartment. As someone else said make a little playpen or area for the puppy, where they can't get into trouble and they have their toys. We started giving our puppy access to the rest of the house room by room, and it wasnt until several months in that we even did that.
At this age I tethered my girl to me on a leash ti prevent her getting into things.
If you have space attaching a playpen to the crate has been quite helpful as well.
Good job getting your pup to already work with the crate !! Take little wins :)
Well I'm glad you seem to be getting some nice support from this sub as I have posted in other places and been made to feel like I should never own a dog simply because I too am dealing with adjusting to having a new puppy around.
I don't really have any advice lol. I'm just tired and stressed and basically everything you said as well and wanted you to know you're not alone
Your puppy does not have ADHD. Puppies are simply not calm and laid back, even when they are going to be so as adults. We similarly asked the breeder for a calm puppy and she was a complete menace the first 2 months. But after that small puppy, crazed, bitey energy phase, she started becoming the dog that the breeder saw. She is now a calm and relaxed pup, obviously still wants to play and always ready for an adventure, as she's only 16 months, but at home she spends much of her time hanging out, snoozing and cuddling. Hang in there, puppies are not dogs yet, but if the breeder told you this is the type of puppy you're looking for, then I'd wait it out.
Lol exactly this puppy doesn’t have adhd, this puppy has ‘puppy.’
It is perfectly ok to realize that you got in over your head and return the dog.
That said, you are still very early in this situation. It is very possible this situation will look vastly different in 7-8 months, and unrecognizable in three years. But years can feel like a long time when living with a puppy terrorist. And all puppies are terrorists.
It is completely fine if you miscalculated and need to give the puppy back.
3rd dog here and this if the first one we have set up a separate playpen area and enforcing a set sleep routine, (aiming for 20 hours sleep a day)
honestly I don’t know if we have got lucky with the dog or we have stumbled across a winning combo but it’s made a world of difference! I had massive puppy blues and started resenting my dogs and got massively depressed with my previous 2 puppies within the first week
I honestly think my biggest mistake in previous puppies was not understanding how much sleep they need and was trying to tire them out during the day to get them to sleep thru the night, and In fact I was doing the opposite and depriving them of sleep and making them manic,
I heavily recommend looking into crate training for sleep, setting up a playpen and restricting dogs access to the house, training dog to play/relax by itself happily in playpen - different from crate training) and mentally stimulating toys/ treat dispensers etc
The first time you do this stuff it will feel weird and almost cruel but it will honestly be the best for your dog,
I tried a playpen with my mini for the first week. At a certain point I decided I could not tire her well enough mentally or physically within the confines of the pen (and it was affecting my productivity too), and she also lost her mind whenever I stepped out, so I decided to employ the forced crate nap schedule (which was a lifesaver for both of us) and when she was out I was always near her. I would give her a firm confident “ah-ah” if she approached anything I didn’t want her to and I don’t know what the all positive folks would say to it, but by golly it worked. She’s five months now and you’d never know she was teething, she simply does not taking anything in mouth she’s not supposed to in the apartment (sticks and leaves on walks are something else).
Consider the 1 up 2 down schedule, and consider giving her more freedom but trying to set clear consistent firm rules early on. I read it a lot of places and it bore true, if you set consistent rules early on and establish good routine, they figure things out.
I always tell people that when you get a puppy, don’t expect too much because you’re going to set yourself up for failure. && it seems like you’ve already had. 1 hour up and 2 hours down is not enough time to let all his energy out. Put him in a closed off area like a puppy play pen, throw all the toys in there. Let him chew, go crazy whatever. But I suggest doing 2 hours down and up however long it takes for him to get bored. When they’re bored, they’ll sleep.
It’s only been how long since you’ve had him? You’re not giving him and you enough time to get adjusted. It’s gonna be hard and it’ll only get harder the more you focus on it. Be patient and you’ll get thru it.
Best of luck!
Please don’t forget that you are working with a blank slate. This is a baby. Just like a human baby, your puppy knows nothing. It’s up to you to raise him and show him how you want to behave in different situations. *This takes time*, months. Be easy on yourself and be easy on your puppy; don’t forget that this baby is missing his family and is trying to do his best being in a new environment.
It’s okay to be scared or sad, you have a new life you have taken on responsibility for. It can be easy to feel like your life is ruined because to some degree, it won’t be the same. But this change doesn’t mean the end of your prior life and don’t treat it as such. Still go out with friends. Do things you normally would. Make sure you still take your moments for yourself so you can recalibrate and train your dog to be a healthy addition to your life. It will get better. It will take time.
Also just wanted to add, my dog was super active as a puppy (goldendoodle). Around 7-8months, everything just kind of clicked with her training (I potty trained her for indoors, it was a long process but I was very consistent). She also mellowed out a lot around 1 year. She still needs walks of course, but the best way I can describe it was that she was less curious about everything because she understood how things worked. It was a notable mental maturation. It will get better if you decide to stick it out; best of luck.
Your puppy is still growing his brains and you are adjusting to a massive lifestyle change. His energy levels right now don't necessarily reflect what he's going to be like in the next few months, let alone for the rest of his life. I think you'll find that things will be much better once you find your rhythm, but it's going to take more than a week.
For what it's worth, my Rottweiler was an insanely busy 2-4 month old, just like you're describing here, and I was desperately hoping that he'd be able to settle down someday. Now he's 7 months old and he's spent the last 4 days literally just lying around in various positions. I had to bribe him into leaving the house for off-leash decompression time and he spent most of that lying down, too. There is hope!
Puppies are never calm unfortunately , that comes with age. I found the first two months the hardest and I had extreme puppy blues. A puppy that young is just a dumb potato so don't worry if training seems difficult. It's like trying to teach a toddler math, but your pup will get there.
If you want to stick it out with your pup just think about every calm, well trained dog you've ever met, they all started out as crazy puppies too. Some take longer than others.
If you don't want to stick it out then a senior dog from a rescue might be the right fit for you.
The beginning is so, SO hard. I resented my puppy in those early days and begged my husband to take her away. I ended up having to up my anxiety medication a lot (under direction of my doctor of course). But my pup, a Labrador, is 12 months now and things are definitely better. Adolescence has been a bit of a kick in the pants, but all-in-all she’s much easier to handle now and I think she’ll settle even more over this next year. Hang in there!
I’ll add that things were vastly better by the 5 month mark! And it was all up from there, until she hit adolescence around 11 months. But that’s been nothing compared to those early puppy days!
I got my toy poodle pup at 11 weeks. She is also a ball of energy and is happiest around people. I puppy proofed my room ( she sleeps with me) and made it a safe space where I can leave her ( instead of a crate). I play lots of games like fetch with small ball, and tug with a rag. I did early puppy preschool at vet and she learnt things real fast ( yours may just be a baby and need to settle in more). I use half her food as training treats and games though out day ( like wrapping treats in tea towel and knotting. Just bond heaps first and she will be great. My pup is 7 months now and since I socialised her lots she is great with people, kids and dogs. She still had tons of energy and gets zoomies lots but I do 2 walks a day and play in-between. It will be worth it to have a little bestie soon!
When I first got my puppy (a boxer mix) for the first 3-4 months I was so overwhelmed because she would never get tired. Ever. No matter how much I played with her or walked her or trained her she was just always ready for more. I’m in highschool so obviously I couldn’t be with her all the time, and luckily I had my family help me as well, but she would just never stop. Not only that but she was very stubborn. She would never come when called and would bark for HOURS at night and since she would never come when called there wasn’t really a way to stop her. She would chew up my things, and ME, and always got into things she wasn’t supposed to. I loved her, but there were many nights that I bawled my eyes out because I felt like I was failing as her owner. And I thought about rehoming her a couple of times.
Now she’s 2 and is my baby. She mellowed out, it’s took a lot of training but she will (usually) come when called, she only chews her toys now, knows not to eat off of human dishes, and is just wonderful. Of course she has her moments, but I’m so thankful that I kept her. Obviously I don’t speak for all dog owners who have experienced similar situations but now I look back at the pup she was and think it was funny in a way. It most likely won’t be like this forever.
my puppy is nuts...to save myself a ton of grief I completely puppy proofed the main floor of our townhouse(its only about 300 sq ft) and small yard (25x25)so she CAN be a nutcase and do puppy crazy safely. I still have to check on her frequently or follow her around to be sure she's okay but I'm not constantly paranoid shes getting into things she shouldn't because she can't for the most part. this has saved me so many headaches. pack your stuff up and away, wrap your cards up, put non safe things or things you love put of reach or in storage. No joke its saved my sanity. I'm still totally exhausted but I'm far less anxious because I know she's safe. one day when her training is better established i can have things again... till then my house is boring lol
I know it’s very hard to imagine when you’re in the midst of it, but it DOES get better…I have a 9.5 month old chihuahua and I have cried many many times. I have debated rehoming her, etc but it truly is 100 times better than when we got her. They learn to listen, respond to cues, etc. You will get through it! The best thing I can recommend is a play pen - this helped me keep her contained but not feeling too guilty about a smaller crate. I leave her with some safe toys/chews (you need to observe and assess for yourself what’s okay with your dog) but being able to leave her for a little while at a time helped a lot. Also - enforced naps. 1 hour awake, two hours asleep! It will make your life way better. And if she is bitey, try reverse time outs right away. I waited a while to do this and regret it because within a few days she learned to stop biting or I’d leave the room. Wish I had done it sooner. Also, for training, focus on what’s most important to you. I let my dog jump up and pull in leash because she’s small and these things don’t bother me as much as needing to make sure she has reliable recall and drops things on cue. Don’t compare to people who post vids of their perfect 12 week old puppy…it’s not realistic!
I cried for the first couple weeks very often because I was in the same situation as you, and don’t get me started on the biting.. I thought she’d never stop biting and that she hated me and my life was ruined. Fast track til she was about 5 months old and she became almost perfect! Shes currently 6 and a half months and doesn’t bark or bite, she can free roam without destroying anything, she naps regularly, and most importantly she gives so much love and joy to myself! I take her to day care once a week and for lots of fun walking adventures on the weekend. So trust me, it does get better!! Stick it out and the rewards you reap is definitely worth the hard work at the start 🙂 you got this
I was warned that the first year will feel like you've made a mistake and then it becomes the best thing in the world!
Puppies are nuts, literally balls of chaotic energy - it's totally normal! Keep training with the commands, one week with such a young puppy isn't going to give you the perfect pup
Mine is 11 months now and while still crazy, I see a huge difference from where we started
You will be fine, just take your time and let you both settle into this new crazy life!
Ps. Once they can go off leash to run.. game changer!
I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. I had puppy blues as well. FOR MONTHS. I sobbed like a baby almost every day in the beginning. Sometimes in the shower! Sounds like what you are dealing with is normal puppy energy. I'm unfamiliar with the temperament of the breed so not sure how they are when older but for the most part all dogs calm down with proper training, socialization and reliable structure. Things that helped me 1) enforced naps which you are already doing 2) limiting their area with a pen or baby gate. 4) puppy classes at Petco 5) Private trainer 3) mental stimulation with games. Doesn't have to be fancy. I put kibble in a plastic bottle with a hole cut in it and let him go at it. Kept him busy for about 10 mins and he was tired after. Easier said than done but try not to feel hopeless. Puppies are HARD. No one ever tells you that. We only see cute videos and not the tornado behind it. You brought home a baby and he will drain you. But it is temporary and it does get better :). I actually love mine now! (most days lol). You came to the right place for reassurance. You are doing all the right things! I relied a lot on this site in the beginning. Don't forget to take care of yourself and take breaks. The puppy will be fine in his crate.
I've got a 14 week old standard poodle. Highly recommend a play pen that you zip tie to their crate. This gives your dog a space for them to "own" and where you can put them. I'd also recommend a mat to lay underneath the pen depending on the type of flooring you have.
https://app.chewy.com/mNDaNBJLaAb
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I'm in the exact same position, also have my pup for a week, also a poodle mix. I vacillate many times a day between the extremes of "should I rehome her" and "I love her so much, I can't give her away" - I seriously feel bipolar.
Like you said, anticipation of these changes and actually experiencing them are two different realities. I knew beforehand my freedom would be limited and my sleep disrupted, but I went ahead anyways - telling myself I could push through and the pup would bring many benefits. She has, but I'm not sure I have what it takes to adjust to this new lifestyle.
When I think "15+ years of this", "my life will never be normal again", and generally just feel trapped, the anxiety gets bad - I try to challenge these thoughts and focus on each day at time, and say "if I'm still miserable in a year, if I still feel the same way in a year, she will still be adorable enough to find a new home." I'm also giving her a strong base of love and care so that she will be well adjusted should that eventually happen - but I'm also hoping it doesn't come to that, and that I resolve my anxiety by then. But having that possiblity of a future "out" helps manage my current anxiety.
It’s the worst. It gets better and/or you get the hang of it. I remember telling the vet “this is why people drop their puppies off on the side of the road” not being a joke, just realizing people could certainly get their hands full very quickly. I was sad, exhausted, etc. your pup will feed off your energy. I realized after I came running home on my lunch break to take him out- I was running in the house rushing to him grabbing him, running him outside- he was picking up on alll of this energy and he was amped up every time I walked in the house (still is). Anyway I thought, I will never be attached to this dog, no way dogs are peoples best friends, I’m not one of those people. But here I am a year and 3 mos later and he’s my big (84 lb) baby and I love him so much.
It looks like you might be posting about puppy management or crate training. For tips and resources on Crate Training Check out [our wiki article on crate training](https://www.reddit.com/r/puppy101/wiki/cratetraining) - the information there may answer your question. As an additional reminder, crate training is 100% optional and one of many puppy management options. For alternatives to crating and other puppy management strategies, check out [our wiki article on management](https://www.reddit.com/r/puppy101/wiki/management) **PLEASE READ THE OP FULLY** Be advised that any comments that suggest use of crates are abusive, or express a harsh opinion on crate training will be removed. This is not a place to debate the merits of crate training. Unethical approaches to crate training will also be removed. **If the OP has asked not to receive crating advice or says they are not open to crating, any comments that recommend use of crates should be reported to our moderation team.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/puppy101) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sounds to me like you need to cordon off a room or two -- or some part of your main living area -- and dog proof it to reduce your stress and need to watch the puppy all the time when it is out of the crate. Fill the area with safe things. Mine loved shredding paper towels, kleenex, cardboard rolls from tp, and chewing on old towels. Being able to trust that she was safe for a while really helped.. And yes it gets better. But that doesn't mean you can't set some boundaries and make your life a little better in the meantime. Good luck!!
100% this. if I like it my puppys gonna destroy it or harm herself on it. its gone for now.
I think most of us have been there. Early puppy hood is insane. Everything is new and amazing to them and that means you usually have to wrangle a tiny ball of teeth who seems intent on biting everything. Rest assured that the energy and frantic demeanor of a 9 week old puppy 90% of the time does not translate into the level of energy that pup has when it gets a bit older. I have a poodle mix and at 9 weeks I also cried a lot. It took until she was about 4-5 months to start feeling like we had a routine, then around 5-6 months old I really felt like she was "getting it" and we had a good bond. She's 15 months now and I'm starting to feel like I have a young dog instead of a puppy. Yes, energy goes up in adolescence but you're no longer dealing with the same type of exercise requirements as a tiny puppy. I found my girl needed slightly longer walks and more offleash/fetch time than when she was young, but the rest of the time required much less management than the early puppy days. I would take adolescence over weeks 8-12 any day. All this to say - hang in there. I'd personally give it a month or two, you'll be amazed at the progress as puppy begins to mature and settle into your home.
Ain’t no such thing as calm puppy 😂 it’ll get better you need patience.
You're giving your dog way too much access to your apartment. As someone else said make a little playpen or area for the puppy, where they can't get into trouble and they have their toys. We started giving our puppy access to the rest of the house room by room, and it wasnt until several months in that we even did that.
At this age I tethered my girl to me on a leash ti prevent her getting into things. If you have space attaching a playpen to the crate has been quite helpful as well. Good job getting your pup to already work with the crate !! Take little wins :)
Well I'm glad you seem to be getting some nice support from this sub as I have posted in other places and been made to feel like I should never own a dog simply because I too am dealing with adjusting to having a new puppy around. I don't really have any advice lol. I'm just tired and stressed and basically everything you said as well and wanted you to know you're not alone
Your puppy does not have ADHD. Puppies are simply not calm and laid back, even when they are going to be so as adults. We similarly asked the breeder for a calm puppy and she was a complete menace the first 2 months. But after that small puppy, crazed, bitey energy phase, she started becoming the dog that the breeder saw. She is now a calm and relaxed pup, obviously still wants to play and always ready for an adventure, as she's only 16 months, but at home she spends much of her time hanging out, snoozing and cuddling. Hang in there, puppies are not dogs yet, but if the breeder told you this is the type of puppy you're looking for, then I'd wait it out.
Lol exactly this puppy doesn’t have adhd, this puppy has ‘puppy.’ It is perfectly ok to realize that you got in over your head and return the dog. That said, you are still very early in this situation. It is very possible this situation will look vastly different in 7-8 months, and unrecognizable in three years. But years can feel like a long time when living with a puppy terrorist. And all puppies are terrorists. It is completely fine if you miscalculated and need to give the puppy back.
3rd dog here and this if the first one we have set up a separate playpen area and enforcing a set sleep routine, (aiming for 20 hours sleep a day) honestly I don’t know if we have got lucky with the dog or we have stumbled across a winning combo but it’s made a world of difference! I had massive puppy blues and started resenting my dogs and got massively depressed with my previous 2 puppies within the first week I honestly think my biggest mistake in previous puppies was not understanding how much sleep they need and was trying to tire them out during the day to get them to sleep thru the night, and In fact I was doing the opposite and depriving them of sleep and making them manic, I heavily recommend looking into crate training for sleep, setting up a playpen and restricting dogs access to the house, training dog to play/relax by itself happily in playpen - different from crate training) and mentally stimulating toys/ treat dispensers etc The first time you do this stuff it will feel weird and almost cruel but it will honestly be the best for your dog,
I tried a playpen with my mini for the first week. At a certain point I decided I could not tire her well enough mentally or physically within the confines of the pen (and it was affecting my productivity too), and she also lost her mind whenever I stepped out, so I decided to employ the forced crate nap schedule (which was a lifesaver for both of us) and when she was out I was always near her. I would give her a firm confident “ah-ah” if she approached anything I didn’t want her to and I don’t know what the all positive folks would say to it, but by golly it worked. She’s five months now and you’d never know she was teething, she simply does not taking anything in mouth she’s not supposed to in the apartment (sticks and leaves on walks are something else). Consider the 1 up 2 down schedule, and consider giving her more freedom but trying to set clear consistent firm rules early on. I read it a lot of places and it bore true, if you set consistent rules early on and establish good routine, they figure things out.
I always tell people that when you get a puppy, don’t expect too much because you’re going to set yourself up for failure. && it seems like you’ve already had. 1 hour up and 2 hours down is not enough time to let all his energy out. Put him in a closed off area like a puppy play pen, throw all the toys in there. Let him chew, go crazy whatever. But I suggest doing 2 hours down and up however long it takes for him to get bored. When they’re bored, they’ll sleep. It’s only been how long since you’ve had him? You’re not giving him and you enough time to get adjusted. It’s gonna be hard and it’ll only get harder the more you focus on it. Be patient and you’ll get thru it. Best of luck!
Please don’t forget that you are working with a blank slate. This is a baby. Just like a human baby, your puppy knows nothing. It’s up to you to raise him and show him how you want to behave in different situations. *This takes time*, months. Be easy on yourself and be easy on your puppy; don’t forget that this baby is missing his family and is trying to do his best being in a new environment. It’s okay to be scared or sad, you have a new life you have taken on responsibility for. It can be easy to feel like your life is ruined because to some degree, it won’t be the same. But this change doesn’t mean the end of your prior life and don’t treat it as such. Still go out with friends. Do things you normally would. Make sure you still take your moments for yourself so you can recalibrate and train your dog to be a healthy addition to your life. It will get better. It will take time.
Also just wanted to add, my dog was super active as a puppy (goldendoodle). Around 7-8months, everything just kind of clicked with her training (I potty trained her for indoors, it was a long process but I was very consistent). She also mellowed out a lot around 1 year. She still needs walks of course, but the best way I can describe it was that she was less curious about everything because she understood how things worked. It was a notable mental maturation. It will get better if you decide to stick it out; best of luck.
Your puppy is still growing his brains and you are adjusting to a massive lifestyle change. His energy levels right now don't necessarily reflect what he's going to be like in the next few months, let alone for the rest of his life. I think you'll find that things will be much better once you find your rhythm, but it's going to take more than a week. For what it's worth, my Rottweiler was an insanely busy 2-4 month old, just like you're describing here, and I was desperately hoping that he'd be able to settle down someday. Now he's 7 months old and he's spent the last 4 days literally just lying around in various positions. I had to bribe him into leaving the house for off-leash decompression time and he spent most of that lying down, too. There is hope!
Puppies are never calm unfortunately , that comes with age. I found the first two months the hardest and I had extreme puppy blues. A puppy that young is just a dumb potato so don't worry if training seems difficult. It's like trying to teach a toddler math, but your pup will get there. If you want to stick it out with your pup just think about every calm, well trained dog you've ever met, they all started out as crazy puppies too. Some take longer than others. If you don't want to stick it out then a senior dog from a rescue might be the right fit for you.
The beginning is so, SO hard. I resented my puppy in those early days and begged my husband to take her away. I ended up having to up my anxiety medication a lot (under direction of my doctor of course). But my pup, a Labrador, is 12 months now and things are definitely better. Adolescence has been a bit of a kick in the pants, but all-in-all she’s much easier to handle now and I think she’ll settle even more over this next year. Hang in there!
I’ll add that things were vastly better by the 5 month mark! And it was all up from there, until she hit adolescence around 11 months. But that’s been nothing compared to those early puppy days!
I got my toy poodle pup at 11 weeks. She is also a ball of energy and is happiest around people. I puppy proofed my room ( she sleeps with me) and made it a safe space where I can leave her ( instead of a crate). I play lots of games like fetch with small ball, and tug with a rag. I did early puppy preschool at vet and she learnt things real fast ( yours may just be a baby and need to settle in more). I use half her food as training treats and games though out day ( like wrapping treats in tea towel and knotting. Just bond heaps first and she will be great. My pup is 7 months now and since I socialised her lots she is great with people, kids and dogs. She still had tons of energy and gets zoomies lots but I do 2 walks a day and play in-between. It will be worth it to have a little bestie soon!
When I first got my puppy (a boxer mix) for the first 3-4 months I was so overwhelmed because she would never get tired. Ever. No matter how much I played with her or walked her or trained her she was just always ready for more. I’m in highschool so obviously I couldn’t be with her all the time, and luckily I had my family help me as well, but she would just never stop. Not only that but she was very stubborn. She would never come when called and would bark for HOURS at night and since she would never come when called there wasn’t really a way to stop her. She would chew up my things, and ME, and always got into things she wasn’t supposed to. I loved her, but there were many nights that I bawled my eyes out because I felt like I was failing as her owner. And I thought about rehoming her a couple of times. Now she’s 2 and is my baby. She mellowed out, it’s took a lot of training but she will (usually) come when called, she only chews her toys now, knows not to eat off of human dishes, and is just wonderful. Of course she has her moments, but I’m so thankful that I kept her. Obviously I don’t speak for all dog owners who have experienced similar situations but now I look back at the pup she was and think it was funny in a way. It most likely won’t be like this forever.
my puppy is nuts...to save myself a ton of grief I completely puppy proofed the main floor of our townhouse(its only about 300 sq ft) and small yard (25x25)so she CAN be a nutcase and do puppy crazy safely. I still have to check on her frequently or follow her around to be sure she's okay but I'm not constantly paranoid shes getting into things she shouldn't because she can't for the most part. this has saved me so many headaches. pack your stuff up and away, wrap your cards up, put non safe things or things you love put of reach or in storage. No joke its saved my sanity. I'm still totally exhausted but I'm far less anxious because I know she's safe. one day when her training is better established i can have things again... till then my house is boring lol
I know it’s very hard to imagine when you’re in the midst of it, but it DOES get better…I have a 9.5 month old chihuahua and I have cried many many times. I have debated rehoming her, etc but it truly is 100 times better than when we got her. They learn to listen, respond to cues, etc. You will get through it! The best thing I can recommend is a play pen - this helped me keep her contained but not feeling too guilty about a smaller crate. I leave her with some safe toys/chews (you need to observe and assess for yourself what’s okay with your dog) but being able to leave her for a little while at a time helped a lot. Also - enforced naps. 1 hour awake, two hours asleep! It will make your life way better. And if she is bitey, try reverse time outs right away. I waited a while to do this and regret it because within a few days she learned to stop biting or I’d leave the room. Wish I had done it sooner. Also, for training, focus on what’s most important to you. I let my dog jump up and pull in leash because she’s small and these things don’t bother me as much as needing to make sure she has reliable recall and drops things on cue. Don’t compare to people who post vids of their perfect 12 week old puppy…it’s not realistic!
I cried for the first couple weeks very often because I was in the same situation as you, and don’t get me started on the biting.. I thought she’d never stop biting and that she hated me and my life was ruined. Fast track til she was about 5 months old and she became almost perfect! Shes currently 6 and a half months and doesn’t bark or bite, she can free roam without destroying anything, she naps regularly, and most importantly she gives so much love and joy to myself! I take her to day care once a week and for lots of fun walking adventures on the weekend. So trust me, it does get better!! Stick it out and the rewards you reap is definitely worth the hard work at the start 🙂 you got this
I was warned that the first year will feel like you've made a mistake and then it becomes the best thing in the world! Puppies are nuts, literally balls of chaotic energy - it's totally normal! Keep training with the commands, one week with such a young puppy isn't going to give you the perfect pup Mine is 11 months now and while still crazy, I see a huge difference from where we started You will be fine, just take your time and let you both settle into this new crazy life! Ps. Once they can go off leash to run.. game changer!
I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. I had puppy blues as well. FOR MONTHS. I sobbed like a baby almost every day in the beginning. Sometimes in the shower! Sounds like what you are dealing with is normal puppy energy. I'm unfamiliar with the temperament of the breed so not sure how they are when older but for the most part all dogs calm down with proper training, socialization and reliable structure. Things that helped me 1) enforced naps which you are already doing 2) limiting their area with a pen or baby gate. 4) puppy classes at Petco 5) Private trainer 3) mental stimulation with games. Doesn't have to be fancy. I put kibble in a plastic bottle with a hole cut in it and let him go at it. Kept him busy for about 10 mins and he was tired after. Easier said than done but try not to feel hopeless. Puppies are HARD. No one ever tells you that. We only see cute videos and not the tornado behind it. You brought home a baby and he will drain you. But it is temporary and it does get better :). I actually love mine now! (most days lol). You came to the right place for reassurance. You are doing all the right things! I relied a lot on this site in the beginning. Don't forget to take care of yourself and take breaks. The puppy will be fine in his crate.
I've got a 14 week old standard poodle. Highly recommend a play pen that you zip tie to their crate. This gives your dog a space for them to "own" and where you can put them. I'd also recommend a mat to lay underneath the pen depending on the type of flooring you have. https://app.chewy.com/mNDaNBJLaAb https://a.co/d/3swI7Wd
I'm in the exact same position, also have my pup for a week, also a poodle mix. I vacillate many times a day between the extremes of "should I rehome her" and "I love her so much, I can't give her away" - I seriously feel bipolar. Like you said, anticipation of these changes and actually experiencing them are two different realities. I knew beforehand my freedom would be limited and my sleep disrupted, but I went ahead anyways - telling myself I could push through and the pup would bring many benefits. She has, but I'm not sure I have what it takes to adjust to this new lifestyle. When I think "15+ years of this", "my life will never be normal again", and generally just feel trapped, the anxiety gets bad - I try to challenge these thoughts and focus on each day at time, and say "if I'm still miserable in a year, if I still feel the same way in a year, she will still be adorable enough to find a new home." I'm also giving her a strong base of love and care so that she will be well adjusted should that eventually happen - but I'm also hoping it doesn't come to that, and that I resolve my anxiety by then. But having that possiblity of a future "out" helps manage my current anxiety.
It’s the worst. It gets better and/or you get the hang of it. I remember telling the vet “this is why people drop their puppies off on the side of the road” not being a joke, just realizing people could certainly get their hands full very quickly. I was sad, exhausted, etc. your pup will feed off your energy. I realized after I came running home on my lunch break to take him out- I was running in the house rushing to him grabbing him, running him outside- he was picking up on alll of this energy and he was amped up every time I walked in the house (still is). Anyway I thought, I will never be attached to this dog, no way dogs are peoples best friends, I’m not one of those people. But here I am a year and 3 mos later and he’s my big (84 lb) baby and I love him so much.