Please tell me it gets better

[Anonymous]

We just adopted a puppy and despite doing so much research and sticking to a strict training schedule, I am miserable and overwhelmed. I took off two weeks from work to acclimate the dog. She gets up multiple times a night (which I expected) so I am getting no sleep, and when I try to crate her for even fifteen minutes she barks her head off which can’t go on since we have neighbors. We are taking her out every hour and there are still accidents in the house.

I feel like my life is over and I’ll never be able to leave the house again. Please tell me it gets better or I will have to find a better home for her. I have had dogs before and they were not this difficult.

[Anonymous]

Crate train the dog. Pick a time, mid-day, and let her bark it out. Don't give in. She'll stop eventually.

Not crate training a puppy is a fast pass to insanity.

[Anonymous]

Of course it gets better, OP! It's a baby, it will grow up. The weather will get nicer and you'll go outside more anyway for walks and hikes and puppy will get exercise it needs. It will take a few months though. Hang in there, and in the mean time hire a trainer to come help you.

[Anonymous]

Of course it get better but puppies are like infants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it gets better, OP! It's a baby, it will grow up. The weather will get nicer and you'll go outside more anyway for walks and hikes and puppy will get exercise it needs. It will take a few months though. Hang in there, and in the mean time hire a trainer to come help you.

Trainer is coming this weekend! Looking forward to it…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crate train the dog. Pick a time, mid-day, and let her bark it out. Don't give in. She'll stop eventually.

Not crate training a puppy is a fast pass to insanity.

Just curious, why do you say mid day? Is this just so people won’t be home, etc.?

I will say she is good in the crate at night.

[Anonymous]

Yes, when you've given up all hope that they'll ever stop waking you up and biting all the time. Remember they are teething and can't hold it, so if it seems like they are not getting it, they are. They just can't obey as well because it's physically too difficult. You think nothing has sunk in but boom all at once they act like they've known how to hold it and not bite all along. Be kind and patient about it and it will happen faster.

[Anonymous]

It gets so much better. I hear you, OP. I thought the puppy stage was much harder than even having newborns. At least babies don't destroy your house! Some things that helped me were puzzles/snuffle mats/ things that would keep a puppy engaged. Remember that a tired dog is a good dog. Getting puppy comfortable in the crate during the day will help a lot, too. We would feed whole meals out of puzzles rather than a dog bowl. The crazy stage passes, but it does take a while.

[Anonymous]

It does but it took our dog about two years to calm down but she still gets up at least once at night to pee or poop. She has to sleep with us. Crate training was an epic fail. We tried for months.

[Anonymous]

Teething help: Roll up a wet, but clean of course, washcloth, then place it in the freezer. Puppies love to chew on a frozen, rolled-up washcloth when teething.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It gets so much better. I hear you, OP. I thought the puppy stage was much harder than even having newborns. At least babies don't destroy your house! Some things that helped me were puzzles/snuffle mats/ things that would keep a puppy engaged. Remember that a tired dog is a good dog. Getting puppy comfortable in the crate during the day will help a lot, too. We would feed whole meals out of puzzles rather than a dog bowl. The crazy stage passes, but it does take a while.

Thank you!!

I do not yet have children, but want to, and this had me questioning my ability as a parent as well, hah.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it gets better, the puppy blues are real though.

A few days into having my puppy I was a crying, inconsolable mess. I told my boyfriend he had to take her back to the rescue. I thought my life was over and I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

He reminded me that sleep deprivation is a form of a torture for a reason.

And yes, getting a puppy taught me that in no way can I have a baby in my 40s. The disrupted sleep was too much for me to handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crate train the dog. Pick a time, mid-day, and let her bark it out. Don't give in. She'll stop eventually.

Not crate training a puppy is a fast pass to insanity.

Just curious, why do you say mid day? Is this just so people won’t be home, etc.?

I will say she is good in the crate at night.

Yes. OP wrote "...when I try to crate her for even fifteen minutes she barks her head off which can’t go on since we have neighbors." So, out of consideration for your neighbors, mid-day would be the better plan. Put the dog in the crate and go run a short errand. Come home, and if the puppy is quiet, take it directly outside to pee. If it goes, keep it out and play for a bit, then outside to pee again, then back in the crate.

Puppies should never be left unattended, and should drag a leash for easy catch/correct until they have verbal command control.

It is a rough couple months in the beginning, but if you do it right, that's all it is. They grow up fast!

[Anonymous]

Be sure you use an enzymatic cleaner on any "oops" spots. Dogs will habitually pee where they've peed before. Nature's miracle or some other enzyme-based cleaner will break up the scent so the puppy is less likely to think your carpet is it's toilet.

But the best way to potty train a dog is a crate just big enough for them to stand and turn around in. No extra room; they'll use one side as their potty place and sit/sleep on the other.

If you're home to take the dog out every hour, crate training should be no trouble for you.

[Anonymous]

I am a dog foster and I had to stop taking puppies lol. They are so cute, but they are little terrors! And being a foster you never get the pay off of having a well trained calm non-puppy 😂 so yes, it does get better! The things I’d say to do would be more exercise and more brain games. Also learn your puppy’s schedule - ex they are somewhat predictable, like wake up - take out to pee. After a big play session, take out to pee. I’d find (depending on the age of pup) you could do somethinf like play for 20mins, pee, crate for nap, nap an hour, wake up, take out for pee, etc repeat repeat. Brain puzzles to feed helps slow them down if you have a crazy eater, and also works their brain to tire them out. You can buy food puzzles but there are lots of free/cheap ways like towels rolled up with kibble etc.