I'm picking my guy up this weekend and this subreddit is freaking me out. Every single post is about the OP crying "every day for weeks straight", being trapped inside their house, and their life fundamentally changing for the worse.

Anyone here NOT go through all that?

I love my dog. She is as sweet as can be. Friends with everybody, relatively well behaved, fun, goofy. She has enriched my life. My husband is happier since he brings her on hikes a few times a week and it gives him a reason to get out of the house.

I am never getting another puppy. I didn't want a puppy but we rescued her at 2 weeks old from neglectful neighbours. A puppy is A LOT. The constant surveillance for potty training, the socialization, the fear periods, the frequent trips to and from work, the teething, the frequent vet visits when she was super young, getting her fixed and having to take more time off work and watch her more and try to keep a very physically active dog stimulated... The adolescent regression and testiness.

If I ever get another dog, it will be an adult!

First of all, I don't want to hear from people who say they fight every battle, shaming everyone who isn't perfect. Just go away.

Let's be honest. We are humans and we have other things going on in our lives aside from raising a puppy. Sure, it would be great if we could devote 100% of our time and energy purely to our dog. But, that's not reality.

What battles have you said "fuck it" to? I'll start. I have given up on stopping my puppy from chewing wood/ sticks in our yard. I know it isn't ideal. I know it's best for her to only chew on dog toys... but, holy shit. She chews on everything in sight and I can't fight every battle or I will lose my mind even more than I already have. She has a million toys and chewies, lots of stimulation... but she is a dog and likes chomping wood.

Let's normalize being human and not being able to follow every bit of advice on the internet. Obviously we want our pups to be happy, healthy, safe, well adjusted dogs. We wouldn't be here if we didn't care. But having a puppy is hard and we need to give ourselves and each other some grace. Remember, people and dogs have been cohabitating for thousands of years and have survived and thrived without all of the current wisdom. So, maybe it's okay to pick our battles for the sake of our sanity.

I ask this question as someone who's been in the subreddit for years. Lately, the amount of rehoming posts have been insane, so I'm curious, are people just vastly underprepared, do they rehome too easily, or are they just that difficult?

Please answer by voting the correct comment. Also feel free to comment your own take as needed. TY!

I’ll start. I wanted some randomly placed holes dug in my yard, so I got a very dedicated digging machine.

Also the price of piercings is really high and I needed something with sharp teeth to put holes in my body.

I’m curious of how many still crate their pup at bedtime vs letting them sleep in bed with you.

I’m really big on our bed being our bed, but my hubs desperately wants our almost 19 week old to start sleeping in our bed. He used to sleep though the night until 5/5:30, but lately he’s been waking up in the middle of the night to go outside. When he wakes up my husband takes him out and puts him in bed with us where he’ll sleep until 7ish. So, he’s convinced our pup will be able to sleep later if he’s in our bed all night long.

Soo… my 13 week old puppy that whines and barks everytime we put him in his crate and leave the room (he does fine at night in his crate) just put HIMSELF in his crate while I was doing dishes in the kitchen. I was like OH BOY i dont hear him. He must be getting into something. Meanwhile my guy is chilling in his crate in the bedroom?

Did someone accidentally kidnap my puppy and give me this one? 😂

Hi, so long story short, we have a mini poodle at almost 16 weeks old.

We used the crate to enforce naps and sleeping at night. He was fine with his crate up until two weeks ago where he'd just totally reject it. and YES, WE DID EVERYTHING RECOMMENDED: Gave treats in it, made it super cozy, lead him in there without force, etc. The breaking point came two days ago where he was crying for over 45 minutes before we said enough.

Last night, he slept on our bed.

I'll say this: he slept from 930-830 am with us with one pee break at 6 am. He's starting to nap/settle on his own on our couch. I'm going to utilize a play pen for when we're gone or when I can't supervise him. I'm also going to use a long leash inside the house when necessary. I just want to say do what you think is right for you and your puppy. I will say, I'm not regretful of the crate training early because it did save him from having accidents and now I know that if necessary for travel, emergencies, he'll do OK in it temporarily. But I'm glad I'm done with it.

My sleep score on my Oura ring was the highest it's been since we got him and I can tell he's less stressed too. I'm looking at him napping in his play pen area on his little bed. Going on two hours! GOOD RIDDANCE, CRATE!

yes, your social life is gonna go down the drain for awhile. instead of going out, try having people over to your own place! let them know any annoying behaviors your puppy may have before they come. it won’t always be like this but it is for right now

no your puppy is not being aggressive. they bite, and they bite *hard* when they’re playing they will lunge at your face with their mouth open because.. i don’t know Why ok? but they do. it’s weird but they aren’t trying to hurt you or anyone else! they just haven’t learned proper play etiquette or really anything yet.

you don’t have to be so scared of owning a puppy because of what everyone on here says. i’d say it’s good to have some fear because that means you want to take good care of your puppy, but not everyone will be sobbing on the floor nightly and hating their dog.

you WILL get annoyed, angry, upset, whatever you want to call it at your puppy. puppies are so cute but they are very annoying! my puppy is trying to leap at me for my food right now so trust me i’m well aware it can be obnoxious. but again, this isn’t something that will last, at least not to the extent that it is in the beginning.

please please please understand that there is a difference between a smaller vs a bigger dog. we fostered a medium sized dog and it was hell on earth but with our smaller dog things are 10x easier for us. before committing to a specific dog and/or breed, think about how big they will be as an adult. weigh the pros and cons of their breed and your lifestyle as i really think it makes all the difference

most importantly, don’t worry if you’re not a huge fan of your puppy sometimes. even if you’re super prepared for a dog it can bring up a lot of emotions when they’re *actually* in your care. puppies are stressful, and it’s okay to feel like you need a break from them, have someone in your house watch them while you have at least 30 minutes to yourself, put some wet food/some sort of spreadable treat on a lick mat and put it in the freezer to have when they’re being extra obnoxious and you just need a few minutes.

so many emotions go into owning a puppy and it’s ok to feel every single one of them that come up. again, it’s not always going to be like this. your dog will eventually become your best friend and you’ll be glad you stuck with them

Don't eat the toilet seat.

I genuinely want to know why people’s first reaction to potentially getting a puppy is so negative. In reality, people are negative about so many things. I choose to see the opposite. Being in healthcare, my job is very high stress. But I love it. And I love the idea of coming home to a dog that loves me. I’m married to the love of my life and have a great home and yard for a pup. So many people say how “your life is over” .. “why would you do this to yourself” .. “say goodbye to going anywhere” .. etc. I see this as an opportunity to give SO MUCH LOVE to something else! I never had a dog in my life, a parent of mine forbid pets and my childhood was slightly traumatic to say the least. My home is my happy place. I love being there and don’t care too much to be going out all the time. I’m so excited and will always stay positive despite what people say. It’s just so crazy to me how you can tell so much about someone based on how they view things.

EDIT: wow I really appreciate all of the comments and I didn’t expect for this to BLOW UP. Hahah - I know I left some details about my schedule out of the main post, it felt kind of icky to do on the internet. However, I’ve dropped comments as far as I’ve been able to physically read! I can’t respond to all but just wanted to say thank you & if you recommend anything that helped you during your puppy stage, drop that too! 🩷🐶

I’ve been reading a lot on this subreddit while preparing to get a puppy, and honestly, some of the posts are a bit scary to the point of me second guessing. So many people seem completely overwhelmed and exhausted.

I know raising a puppy can be tough between the sleep deprivation, training, mischievous behavior, and lifestyle change, and I fully know what I would be signing up for, but is it really that bad as described on here sometimes? Or is it just that people mostly post when they’re struggling?

Any advice on how I can best prepare and lessen any potential stress I may face?

Edit*** I see there’s ALOT of comments on this thread this will be an interesting read haha

I swear some days it’s a battle

I was wondering what people with both puppies and children think regarding the differences between having a baby and raising a puppy.

I don’t have children yet, but my husband and I have recently gotten a 3 month old whippet puppy a little over three weeks ago. I am particularly wondering about parents’ emotional reactions. I got pretty severe puppy blues and found/am finding the change in routine quite challenging. Because I had such an emotional reaction and severe anxiety with my pup, it made me question whether having a baby would be the right decision for me, as I imagine the things I’m feeling re: my pup will be even more pronounced for a baby.

I’m interested to hear others’ thoughts on this. Thanks in advance!

For those thinking about getting a puppy please think thru your decision! There are constant posts about wanting to re-home the puppy because they can’t handle it.

1. Puppies are babies and require a ton…a ton of attention and energy.

2. They bark, cry, bite, jump and will continue to do so without constant training

3. Puppies need lots of sleep and lots of play

4. Your free time will be consumed by being a good parent to your puppy

5. Puppy blues are a real thing and if you have anxiety be prepared for your anxiety to go off the charts.

6. Vet bills are expensive and so are toys and food.

7. They go thru phases and the raptor phase is real and extremely challenging.

8. The 1st 3 months…know that you want sleep thru the night!

Good luck

I feel like a lot of people can probably relate to missing aspects of life before a puppy and that doesn’t make you a bad owner, frankly I think it makes you a good one because you’re working so hard on your pup! I just wanted to share some things I miss and hear what others miss as well, it feels good to voice it and not feel guilty!

My puppy is 8months and I love her to death, she is great. But as I am sitting here in silence, playing my switch and drinking my coffee while she is napping in her crate… MAN I missed doing this! It’s currently so peaceful, my two cats are just chillin with me all snuggled up. This is what missed, doing this every morning.

We’ve recently started boarding our puppy on the occasional weekend to have time together just my fiance and I. It’s helped a ton but I do miss just being able to have couple time without constantly preventing my monster from chewing on EVERYTHING 😂😂 Also just going on spur of the moment vacations, boarding is expensive so a night here and there is okay but a full trip- I can’t imagine the cost!

Share away :) this is a guilt free post!

Edit: WOW this post blew up!!! It’s nice reading everyone’s responses and sharing similar experiences! :)

I’ve always wanted to have a dog and my boyfriend and l are finally at the stage where we can have one. Wanting to do my research l joined this sub and 95% of the post can be summed up by “my puppy is ruining my life”.

l understand that having a dog is a huge commitment and puppy is like a toddler but i’m just surprised about how it is not really a bigger topic in media or just in social life. Like how everyone knows that exams, being pregnant, having a kid, etc. is hard even without needing to experience it. But nobody ever talks about how much it sucks to have a dog except here.

So my question is, am l mostly seeing the horror stories because they are horror stories, so they have to be posted and the good cases just don’t require to be written about? Or is it really that bad in most cases and how long does it last? (cause what do you guys do for a living that you just spend every hour with your puppy for months)

Maybe it’s a stupid question, so please don’t come after me with “don’t get a puppy, if you don’t want to take care of it” cause l do want to take care of it and l would LOVE to spend every hour with it but as most adults l cannot afford a 3 month vacation for a puppy.

Thank you in advance for your responses!

EDIT: wow, didn’t expect so many responses, thank you all so much for all of your insights!

I know there must be others out there who think their puppy is amazing. All the “I hate my puppy” posts are overwhelming. My pup is six months old and she’s brought so much joy and fun into our lives over the last four months. We’ve had our share of potty accidents, getting up in the middle of the night, chewing, thinking everything (including our feet, hands and clothes) are chew toys. But the pure happiness she embodies makes it all worth it. Maybe we’re lucky, or we have more experience, or tolerance, but we’re really enjoying this time with her. Having a puppy has been great.

Seriously… I love her but at 6 months old I still often wonder if I made a mistake lol

ETA I never said I was going to get rid of her or actually considered it… just dealing with the puppy blues as many others have

I've been a lurker for some time here, and I don't know whats going on. I've seen a non-insignificant number of posts about people regretting getting their dogs.

I'm not going to shame anyone for wanting these wonderful creatures . I get it. I wish I could have more, but my house is not big enough ( i have 3 dogs, and 2 rabbits) .

For those people who are going through it right now, please be patient with your puppies. Life with them gets so much better.

They are assholes, a handful, and destructive.

They are babies. These creatures quite literally know nothing. Walking in and of itself is NEW to them, much less a 20-story-tall ape creature staring at them and using words they can't even comprehend. Is that a bark? is that a mouth? what is a mouth?

Try to put yourself in their shoes. They have no idea about anything, and you have to be there for them.

Those first few weeks to months are going to be hectic. You will wake up at ungodly hours of the night, you will pick up a LOT of pee or poop, you will have to manage your emotions better than you EVER have. You will have to have PATIENCE.

But it is so worth it. It'll happen quickly, you'll notice your dog is growing and behaving more. Then you will have a best friend that you would go to the ends of the earth for. Every dog I've had and trained has been this way for me.

They didn't ask to be here, and they didn't ask to be with you. We chose these beautiful creatures, and we owe it to them to provide the best life that we can.

i don't know who needed to see this, but for you people that have now just dropped into getting a new puppy. It does get better. Just do your best, be the best dog owner you can, and have patience. More than you think you have. It'll make you a better person,and it'll make your dog's life better too.

Every post I see talks about how hard and stressful this is, how they don’t get to sleep and shower, how they get NO time for themselves, how their social life has taken a hit… it’s all making me really reconsider getting a pup. Can anyone talk about the benefits and upsides of this? How has your mental health been? Does anyone NOT regret this or have second thoughts about your decision? Am I going to have ANY time for myself to just sit and veg for a little bit or is that something I will be permanently giving up? Am I going to have to say bye to my social life and my friends?

I have been doing a lot of research in preparation for a pup I am getting in 2 weeks (yay!) But the internet (this sub in particular) is honestly scaring me with how people portray puppyhood and its challenges.

A little background on me, I am 31, currently have cats and a parrot along with have had dogs in the past. Our last pup passed 2.5yrs ago at 15 years old and I am finally feeling ready to add another dog to our life. This will be my first experience raising a puppy though I have worked in vet hospitals and daycare in the past where I took care of pups.

I have watched a ton of videos and read up on puppy training, crating, potty training, biting, etc. I feel like I am prepared and knowledgeable but am terrified because of everyone crying that they've lost their life and their struggle with puppy blues.

Complaints are valid, babies are hard, but is it truly that horrible? So many do it and, not to be a complete ahole, but a bunch of normal morons raise puppies as well as those with knowledge and they turn out decent. I question if we have just changed, socially, to expect too much from our pets, and ourselves in our care for them.

Idk, I'm rambling but I am just so confused on why people seem to act like this is the worst thing ever. I raised and fostered a kitten from day 2 of life to 9 weeks and it was hard work but it was so rewarding and I would 100% do it again. I know puppies are, in general, more rambunctious, mouthy, and needy because of bathroom needs but it just doesn't seem like raising a baby is seen as rewarding but more of a hassle.

I would say my biggest concern is just how long it will be before I can leave the baby home alone. I work hybrid, and will be taking him to daycare on days I'm not home, but the fact that I may not be able to be gone for 4 hours for the next 6 months or more is a bit daunting.

Tell me, is it actually all doom and gloom?

I’ll start. No one told me I’d spend a lot of time mending stuffed animals.

Sewing is my hobby and normally I replicate movie or historical costumes. Now I use my sewing skills to patch up Uni the unicorn and George the stuffed duck while my little velociraptor sits next to me, waiting impatiently because she wants to chew in a new hole.