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Raising a Puppy

Raising a Puppy

When thinking about getting a dog, you probably are thinking about getting a puppy.  But, before you do, you should think about what raising a puppy actually mean.  The wiggly little things are so cute; they are almost too much to resist.  But some of us know how much work raising a puppy can be and know how much easier it is to bring home an adult dog

But, then again a they are so cute and well, maybe raising a puppy would be a great experience. 

Before you decide, here is a little reality check about raising a puppy.

Attention

Raising a puppy can take almost as much time as a new baby.  Feeding three or four times a day, bathroom trips hourly (yes, really – hourly,) training classes, observing him constantly - the only time they can be out of your sight (ie. attention) is when they are in their crate for a few minutes at a time, socialization, vet visits.  Raising a puppy adds up to a lot of time and energy.  Talk to anyone who has spent time raising a puppy.  This can go on for six months to as many as two years depending on the breed. -- i am currently helping to raise a Great Dane and we are all counting the days until the little darling turns two.

Interrupted sleep

You can’t expect a the little guy that has been sleeping with mom and litter mates in a puppy-pile to not cry and whine for the first week or so.  Also for the first four month or maybe even a little longer, he won’t sleep through the night reliably and he will need a trip outside at least once or twice.  After a week or two of interrupted sleep, the fun of raising a puppy will begin to tarnish.

Potty training - house training or whatever you choose to call it.

A puppy can be potty trained fairly quickly, at least so that he understand what you want of him – to potty outside or on a potty-pad, but he has very small bladders and doesn’t  do so well holding it.  This means that part of raising a puppy will be cleaning up messes for a few months.  Also if he has accidents anywhere it can be a job to get him to not potty where he isn't suppose to.  Check out my book "_____+ on the how to potty train your puppy.

Baby Destructo

Your new puppy is probably teething, and he can chew everything-in-sight if they aren’t monitored constantly. and I mean constantly.  You have to “puppy proof,” just like you would “baby proof.”  Puppies don’t know the difference between your $600 Italian pumps and flip-flops.  I have had a Maltese who used his tiny lttle teeth to chew my antique rocking chair, a Ridgeback who ate Italian pumps and the above Great Dane who recently ate the carpet in the sun room.  I have also had dogs that I managed to keep from chewing what they weren't suppose to chew, just know it is hard.

Young Children

I know the fantasy of what it is like raising a puppy that the movies and commercials put out there.  The pictures of the cute, wiggly puppy, cuddled up with the small child.  It rarely works that way.  Puppy’s have sharp baby teeth and they don’t know to not jump up until trained, overwhelming a toddler who’s face is closer to the excited puppy.   Also, if you are getting up at night with the child, even occasionally, adding getting up with a puppy to that may just too much.

Raising a Puppy May Not Work Out as Planned

It’s hard to say how the toddler or the puppy will turn out when they are older.  Will he be calm or noisy and rambunctious (I don’t just mean the dog.) Will he be bigger than you expected.  Although getting a purebred dog can eliminate some of this, it is still not a certainty how his size and temperament will be when he grows up.  With an adult dog you can know what he is like; his looks, size, exercise requirements, shedding, training difficulties, and things you can’t know with a puppy. 

Raising a Puppy to a Dog Can Take a Year or More

If you are looking for an exercise partner, jogging buddy and many other things, you will need to wait until he matures, has his full growth and has some obedience training under his belt before you can do many things with him and have him behave reliably. Raising a puppy isn’t a quick process, it will take time.  You should also remember, the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is so wrong - a adult dog trains just as easily as a puppy. sometimes, a lot easier..

So if you are determined to raise a puppy, just do as much research as you can so that you are prepared to be the best puppy parent you can be, because you do not want to end up turning this puppy over to a shelter because raising a puppy is not what you expected and it isn’t working out.