26 Secrets That Current Puppy Owners Want Future Puppy Owners To Know
It's extremely hard, but worth it.
Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell me things that no one told them before they got a puppy. Now they've spilled the secrets and we all get to learn them. Here's what they said:
1. You're going to have to learn your dog's personality:
"I had my last dog for 16 years, and I knew everything about him; weād lock eyes and I just 'knew.' No one told me that Iād have to get to know my new puppyās personality! What does she like/hate? What is her motivation behind doing this/that? How does she show love/dislike? What can I trust her/not trust her to do? Itās been a totally new, wild, and joyful experience."
2. Some love to eat poop:
"The whole poop eating thing. My first dog never had that issue, but my current dog has earned the nickname shit lips. We've tried pills, scooping every day, but she still loves to snack on her own poop. The worst was when I came home after working all day, eager to eat my dinner only to see she vomited all over the living room and there were whole pieces of poop in the vomit. I love my dog, but dear God she is nasty. And there she is, peter peter poop eater herself."
āmonikap6
3. That apparently everyone on the street is eating chicken and throwing the bones on the ground:
"There are somehow chicken bones everywhere. And your dog will try to eat every. single. one."
āabilee987
4. Anything about the teenage phase:
"People don't realize that your cute little puppy who follows you everywhere becomes a 'teenager' at about six months. They are still a bit dumb but have noticed there are many things to do that are more fun than following mommy and daddy. They still have puppy energy but are big enough to start doing real damage. And they learn that pushing your buttons is a great way to get attention. That is why you see so many 6- to 9-month old dogs in shelters, when people are overwhelmed by the sometimes defiant little menace that their adorable little fuzzball has turned into. Patience, lots of exercise, and about another year or so is required."
ādogdaddy
5. Seriously, teenagers are scary:
"One word. Adolescence. I was not prepared for the satanic monster that replaced our wonderfully well-behaved puppy at seven months. Thank god (and our dog trainer) that they grow out of it, but MY GOD it was hell.
Here he is, still love him, even when he relapses back to spawn of Satan."
6. That you need to be assertive:
"Even if you're not assertive or strong willed...learn to be with them. A dog needs an alpha to see you as the leader of your pack. If not, many will assume the alpha role and will run you for the rest of their lives."
7. Clever potty training tricks:
"Itās easier to train a puppy to ring a bell to go outside than to train them to go on a potty pad. It prevents barking and accidents!! We trained both of our Alaskan Malamutes to ring a bell when they want/need to go out and itās awesome."
āsunbun14
8. Puppies are like silly puddy:
"They will blow your mind with the weird shit they do, and let me tell you they WILL be okay, honest. I have a 7-month-old whippet puppy who bends and falls in ways I didn't even know possible and he gives me a heart attack every time, but he is always okay!"
9. A sleeping dog is a GOOD thing:
"A tired dog is a good dog. A lot of times, they chew things out of boredom. I have two high-energy dogs and when theyāre tired, they sleep in the house. When they havenāt had enough exercise, they start getting in trouble. Time to get them outside and exercised. Once you get them through the puppy phase, they will be your best friend. Just remember, you are their everything. You can do it, lots of us rooting for you. Hang in there. Every dog is different, thatās what is so great!"
ālorriwright
10. That your puppy will grow out of that "puppy look" very quickly:
"Puppies grow very fast and they donāt stay little for very long. The cute stage ends very quickly. Savor it while you can."
11. The whole baby teeth situation:
That they lose teeth, just like human kids, and have what I called ādeath mouth.ā Essentially, the open sores in their mouths from the missing teeth harbor bacteria and smell like rotting flesh. Lasts about a month or so. š¤¢
āclebk
12. And allll the nipping (with their razor-sharp puppy teeth!):
The biting! I was prepared for the energy. And I was prepared for the barking while he was finding his voice. And I was prepared for him to chew things, BUT I had no idea I would be one of the things he wanted to chew! My boyfriend discovered that puppies nibble on each other and so they nibble on us too as a way to play and learn, so we worked with him on chewing less and lighter so that he didnāt hurt anyone. Heās seven months now and still loves to chew, but not nearly as much!
āeveylane
13. You are basically getting a forever toddler:
"A puppy is just like a newborn for the first couple weeks...and I had no idea, especially since I wasn't a mother yet. She cried all night (even though the crate was in our room) so I would have to get up and get on the floor with her, open the door, and touch her. I slept on the floor many times during the first couple weeks. I was up every couple hours to take her outside to use the bathroom (which is the best way to get the puppy house broken, IMO). I was exhausted. I cried. I even contemplated giving her back. But I didn't. I stuck it out. I was patient. Now she never leaves my side and is my son's bodyguard. A pet is a forever addition to your home. Please be responsible when adopting/purchasing a pet. Make sure you can provide for them. You are all they have."
āmbramer304
14. Food can be complicated:
"That not all dogs like food and can be super fussy eaters. I think I tried every brand of food out there because this stubborn little doggo was so fussy. We finally managed to find some structure and good habits around eating ā but I made a massive assumption that all dogs just wolf food down. Apparently not."
ālemonplum
15. Raising a puppy is NOTHING like the movies:
"People in movies and on TV get puppies and then go about life as normal. This is so inaccurate! A puppy disrupts your life the same way a human baby does. They bite, and bark incessantly, throw tantrums and eat things they shouldnāt. You canāt get anything done and your life is completely overturned! But, for all the awful stuff, you love them and wouldnāt give them up for anything."
16. The human is to blame for accidents in the house, sorry:
"If your puppy has an accident in the house, it's not their fault ā it's your fault. Get them on a potty routine and watch and learn their body language."
āsitkal
17. Energy is everything:
"Having a puppy can be as exhausting as having a baby or toddler in the house. And even after puberty, a grown dog still has a sort of āmental capacityā of a toddler. Meaning: it will learn from you when to feel safe, when to be scared, when itās time to play or sleep. Also, puppies (and adult dogs) react to the energy you project. If youāre calm, confident and caring, they will trust you. The best practical tip is crate training from the start: a crate is not a punishment, but a safe place."
ābeenl
18. Your puppy might want a job:
"Keep in mind what kind of breed(s) your dog is. A working or hunting breed will need more exercise and stimulation than expected.
My dachshund, for example, hates plain walks. They're pointless for him. He won't walk until I give him a task like, 'Show me the way to the bakery/post office/pharmacy.' (When we're not heading to the woods for a digging and sniffing sesh). Some dogs just need a job to doš¤·āāļø."
ākaa
19. Some days will be good and some won't be:
"My top tip when getting stressed about thinking whether Iām good enough or not is to remember dogs are like people ā everybody has bad days and nobody is perfect! Everyone starts somewhere when getting a dog, just like learning to drive, it takes some time for both of you to learn and then youāll be amazing together! :)"
ārandom-liker
20. Dogs get their period:
"I didn't know that an unspayed dog will get an actual period. I was living abroad when I got my puppy and didn't get to spay her until after she went into heat for the first time. I was vaguely aware that she would have a cycle and maybe some spotting; I didn't know she would bleed all over the place, leaving my apartment looking like a crime scene."
21. That you'll definitely suffer from some feeling of "what have I done?????":
"Puppy blues is a real and scary thing. After I adopted my boy, he was a lot more high-energy and bity than I remember. I adopted him alone, I had no one to help me, and for a while, I hated him. I considered bringing him back since they had a 14-day return policy at the shelter, but I ultimately decided to keep him and now I love him so much. I canāt imagine my life without him and I miss him when Iām out for too long. To anyone experiencing the puppy blues: It gets better! Trust me! This is my troublemaker, such a handsome boy."
āaurelieg2
22. That you should definitely get pet insurance:
"Pet insurance is one of the best things ever. My first puppy was diagnosed with epilepsy at 1 year and without pet insurance, I wouldnāt have been able to give him the best vet care before he passed."
23. How important training is:
"Training. Training. Training. No dog is born perfectly well-behaved. Train your dogs. Do not give up on them. Pay attention to their needs and body language. Work together and build a relationship with them."
āsrkallas7
24. Dogs have a mind of their own:
"Just because you want your dog to sleep in bed with you, he/she may not want to. You canāt stay up all night to make sure the dog doesnāt leave."
25. How hard it is:
"Honestly, to raise a puppy on your own, you gotta have unending determination and patience. The first year is similar to having a baby or toddler.
You have to be okay with dragging your tired body out of bed like five times every night to let the dog out, you have to have a work schedule where you will be home every few hours to let them out, you canāt be afraid of wild zoomies and VERY painful biting/mouthiness, plus they potty in the house, cry, and eat/chew things constantly.
I was only 20 when I first got my puppy and I lived alone (without roommates or a partner), and I was genuinely unprepared for how incredibly difficult it was. I felt like I was almost a zombie I was so tired, I really thought I was gonna die for a while because of how much work it was.
I think people need to know about how really tough the first year is, since I also worked in a dog rescue for a few years and the most common age we saw given up was about 6 months, when the cute little puppy phase was gone and the hard work was starting to be too much. If people were better prepared, theyād be able to see past the adorable puppy phase and know if they can actually handle getting a puppy or not.
Also, I should note too, the first year will pass! If you can make it through the first year, everything will get better!! My dog is 3 now, and sheās my best friend. I love her more than anything, and the difficult puppyhood was 100% worth it!
(Also, the photo is from the day I adopted my dog!)
26. They will take over your life, but one day you'll realize it's better that way:
"Dogs will fill your heart. Dogs will kill your bank account. Every time you go anywhere, you will have to think, 'can I bring my dog?' But when you are walking on a beach with your dog some place in the Northwest Pacific, you will think, 'this is the best life possible.' You will, eventually, prefer dogs to humans."
āpvc3313