Well, the boards are flooded right now with all sorts of brand new puppies (either right now or soon to be coming home). I just love those lil puppy faces!! It got me to thinking about last year when I got Brody. It was also a time when a lot of forum people were getting new puppies. There were a whole bunch right around the same time I got Brody and for about a month afterward as well. As the posts and pictures came fast and furious I remember thinking that it seemed like everyone else was just so much better at this than I was. I felt like I was the only one who had any problems or who felt tired/frustrated/overwhelmed at times. Looking back, I can clearly see I wasn't the only one, but I had blinders on and didn't see that others had their problems too. You know how it is - worrying that you aren't the best possible pet parent you can be.
So, it's interesting to see how things stand a year later.
Most of those problems have disappeared. Brody is pretty much reliably potty trained although occasionally he does something stupid and I'm thinking "what on earth possessed you to do that?", but I can't remember the last time he got it wrong. He also doesn't pee on himself anymore. His aim has greatly improved!!
He sleeps in now, so no more 5am wakeups. Mommy feels much less tired!
He pretty much outgrew the chewing thing and honestly he wasn't really too bad with it anyhow. He still loves his toys and playing fetch. He also figured out that treats were good although he's still really fussy about treats.
He still does better in his crate/Xpen at work than left out. He still barks at people and this has been an uphill battle which really kicked into gear when he hit 7 or 8 months and found his "voice". I wish he'd lose it again!
I can shower on my own although typically he does still like to be able to come check in on me to make sure the shower monster hasn't gotten me.
He doesn't sleep on my feet so much anymore. I got abandoned for the back of the sofa. He does still like to be near me at all times. And he still thinks that bedtime is the best time ever, especially now that he gets to sleep on the bed!
If I have errands to do I leave him at work because he will bark and I'd rather not get evicted.
Sadly, I gained the 7 pounds back.
Anyhow, the aggravations pass (okay, sure some new ones come up too) and they pass more quickly than we think. At the time it seems like it is going on forever, but really it's not. Sometimes I even find myself missing it. At these times, I dig up an old post and remind myself to be thankful for the sweet boy I have. Puppyhood is great, but it passes - thank goodness!!!
Here's a post from way back when: From May 21, 2011
http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=14354
So, it's interesting to see how things stand a year later.
Most of those problems have disappeared. Brody is pretty much reliably potty trained although occasionally he does something stupid and I'm thinking "what on earth possessed you to do that?", but I can't remember the last time he got it wrong. He also doesn't pee on himself anymore. His aim has greatly improved!!
He sleeps in now, so no more 5am wakeups. Mommy feels much less tired!
He pretty much outgrew the chewing thing and honestly he wasn't really too bad with it anyhow. He still loves his toys and playing fetch. He also figured out that treats were good although he's still really fussy about treats.
He still does better in his crate/Xpen at work than left out. He still barks at people and this has been an uphill battle which really kicked into gear when he hit 7 or 8 months and found his "voice". I wish he'd lose it again!
I can shower on my own although typically he does still like to be able to come check in on me to make sure the shower monster hasn't gotten me.
He doesn't sleep on my feet so much anymore. I got abandoned for the back of the sofa. He does still like to be near me at all times. And he still thinks that bedtime is the best time ever, especially now that he gets to sleep on the bed!
If I have errands to do I leave him at work because he will bark and I'd rather not get evicted.
Sadly, I gained the 7 pounds back.
Anyhow, the aggravations pass (okay, sure some new ones come up too) and they pass more quickly than we think. At the time it seems like it is going on forever, but really it's not. Sometimes I even find myself missing it. At these times, I dig up an old post and remind myself to be thankful for the sweet boy I have. Puppyhood is great, but it passes - thank goodness!!!
Here's a post from way back when: From May 21, 2011
http://www.havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=14354
<snipped for length...to be continued>