While most of us are familiar with the ‘Puppy Blues’ have you ever heard of the ‘puppy blues’? Introducing a new family member into your home can be an overwhelming experience. It is not uncommon to experience some post puppy depression no matter how prepared you are. This has a profound effect on everyone in the family.
After the excitement of the first few days has worn off, and tiredness has set in. A bit of depression may set in. A puppy’s body isn’t awash in hormones like it is after giving birth, and the enormity of the responsibility is not the same. There can be a period, however, following the arrival of a puppy when all is not well.
Puppy blues
We are now a few days into the first week. ‘His cuddliness’ has got his feet firmly under the table, so perhaps things aren’t quite going as you expected. A scent as heavenly as puppy fur is no longer enough to lull you to sleep. You want nothing more than to drift away to your bed, which hasn’t seen much ‘sleeping’ lately.
There is often a feeling of tiredness associated with welcoming a new puppy into the family. This always seems worse than you anticipated. Its effects can be insidious when they last longer than a few days.
In addition to your stress, chances are that your puppy’s behavior won’t be what you expected, and the whole housetraining process will not go as planned. Maybe you’re wondering if the puppy is normal.
Does he have any problems?
You may be losing patience with your puppy if he keeps emptying his bladder inside your kitchen after ‘supposedly’ emptying it outdoors within five seconds.
He may be deliberately saving a bit so that he can decorate your carpet. Peeing in his bed and eating his poop may have you wondering what to do. It was not what you expected. There was also the biting and growling.
My puppy doesn’t love me
By the end of the first week, you may be feeling a little worried. Your puppy was supposed to make you fall in love, but right now, you aren’t even sure if you like him.
There is no sympathy among friends. They think you are unappreciative. We would love to have him, they say half-jokingly, “Give him to us”. In a way, you secretly wish you could. All that stands between you and being a ‘failed puppy owner’ is your determination.
Your puppy does make you happy. There’s nothing wrong with him, he’s a normal puppy. If you feel like this, you are probably just experiencing a touch of puppy blues.
Feeling low
It doesn’t take long for puppies to grow up. Despite the trials and tribulations of puppy ownership soon being over, it is not unusual for some new owners to feel quite depressed during these first few weeks.
Remember this if you feel this way and secretly wish you’d never bought a puppy. There is nothing wrong with you. Not even slightly. It’s just that other people don’t talk much about your feelings because they are common.
It is normal to feel this way when your life dramatically changes. Hang in there, because this too shall pass, and help is close at hand.
Aligning your expectations
Your priority right now is to gather as much information as possible. If you want to find accurate and up-to-date information on puppies, you should set aside some time. A key component of this is matching your expectations with reality. Make sure you know how puppies behave and what’s normal for them.
Not days, but weeks are required for housetraining. A puppy eats everything that fits in its mouth, bites like a crocodile, and growls like a tiger. They cannot be taught otherwise. It is just part of being a puppy. It can be very comforting to know that your puppy is just like all other puppies. Knowing that your puppy won’t stay this way forever can also be very comforting.
Information gathering
If you want to make your naughty, biting, piddling puppy into a ‘real’ dog, you only need a little information, sometimes, and a little support. At the end of this guide, you will find a few links to get you started.
Sleeping
Getting a good night’s sleep is next on your list. You won’t be immune to the effects of sleep deprivation, so don’t plan on being immune. There is no need for new puppy owners to suffer from sleep deprivation, which is a common complaint. Most importantly, people who have difficulty sleeping make poor decisions.
It is not a decision you should make based on two hours and forty minutes of sleep snatched between trips to the garden if you are tempted to return the puppy to his breeder or give him away to your neighbor. Decisions should be made later after you have slept.
How to sleep well
Hearing a puppy yelling makes it impossible to fall asleep. During the first few nights, your puppy can sleep in a box next to your bed if he is afraid of sleeping alone or if he hates being shut in his crate. You may prefer that he sleep alone at the other end of the house, where no one can hear him cry if your house is large enough and your neighbors are far enough away.
Truth be told, it will do him no harm to let him cry for a few nights. You don’t have to sleep with your head on the crate for the next two weeks. It won’t spoil him rotten if he spends his first few nights in your bedroom, right next to your bed. Leaving him in a large pen with newspaper for him to relieve himself will save you from getting up in the middle of the night. As a long-term strategy, this has its disadvantages, but if you are feeling miserable, you ought to sleep.
Don’t worry, just go to bed! OK? Once you’ve done that, you should begin housetraining and working on those tiny teeth.
Help is available
Lastly, but most importantly – get some help! It is possible to do this alone, but it is not necessary! You can seek comfort and advice from a whole community of Labrador owners.
Get involved. When you have made it through the next few months, you may find yourself dishing out sympathy and advice to the next batch of shell-shocked puppy owners.
Puppies can turn the world upside down for many people. It can be overwhelming for some. It’s not necessary. It’s not necessary to teach your puppy ‘sit’, ‘lie down, and ‘walk to heel’ during its first week.
For now, forget about obedience and focus on what’s important. Pay attention to what matters. Start housetraining and socializing your pup now. Using modern, effective, and fun methods, discover how his puppy mind works. Get to know the theory before you begin putting it into practice.
On this website, you will find everything you need to know. There is a superb support network just waiting to assist you. You don’t have to go it alone. Together, we can get you through it – and it’s going to be fun
Is it normal to feel depressed after getting a puppy?
Having a new puppy can be a bit of an emotional roller coaster at times, but it’s often the lesser talked about reality of new puppy parenthood. It can leave you feeling a little isolated, frustrated, and even perhaps regretful. It’s the puppy blues in full effect!
How long does it take for puppy blues to go away?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that puppy blues are generally most intense in the three weeks following their onset. After that, symptoms may remain but feel more manageable, often resolving entirely within three months.
Is it normal to be stressed after getting a puppy?
it is very normal for puppy owners to feel overwhelmed in the first weeks and months with their new addition. The vast majority of overwhelming issues are related to puppyhood and are able to be resolved with training and time.
Can getting a pet cause depression?
Five studies reported that pet owners were more likely to be depressed than non-owners. A couple of studies obtained mixed results. One reported that unmarried women with pets were less depressed than no-pet counterparts, but the reverse was true of unmarried men.
Does everyone get puppy blues?
Yes, to some extent – but it’s definitely more consuming for the likes of me and you than it is for others – but please do not feel like this makes your feelings any less valid. Puppies are hard work.
How long do the puppy Blues last?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that puppy blues are generally most intense in the three weeks following their onset. After that, symptoms may remain but feel more manageable, often resolving entirely within three months.