Having a puppy has been fun. She plays hard and sleeps a lot, which is good. I haven't had a dog in a long time and haven't actually ever gone through the first stages of dog ownership - sleepless nights, potty training and the worry about her!I wasn't prepared for the sleepless nights - for how pathetic her cry can sound and how much she dislikes being in her pen at night - at least at first. I wasn't prepared to not talk to her, not rush to her when she cried, and to teach her that it's not okay to get up and play at 1:00am every day. Whether it's her getting a lot better at it, or our exhaustion finally catching up, she has quickly graduated to sleeping about 6 hours straight through the night (as of today). This is a good thing. Although I do find myself wondering if she's okay when she hasn't made a peep for that long.
Housebreaking a dog that is only 2 pounds is not going well. She has to pee ALL the time, and most of the time she's already peeing before we even realize what she's doing. Hopefully some strong dilligence over the next couple weeks will help us make great strides toward having her housebroken. And, because you're asking, we didn't and aren't using a crate. Trust me I've read all the benefits, and I think they're very legitimate - but with Tim and I working all day through the week, it's just not conceivable for one of us to come home every two hours to let her out to do her business.
That being said, we did buy her an exercise pen - some place to keep her safe and confined while we're gone during the day. It has food, water, puppy pads, toys and a bed. All the comforts of home. Here's the other thing - she has already figured out how to move & climb out of it. Talk about stressing her 'momma' out!
I have also realized i have a somewhat unhealthy attachment to the little ball of fluff. I am constatly thinking about her, worrying about her, and hoping she's okay. When we're home, I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor with her, watching her every move and trying to convince her not to bite my toes and fingers. When we're gone, my stomach is in knots worrying that she's okay, that she's eating, sleeping, and hasn't been crying the whole time I'm gone. Stress!
Do other dog owners get this stressed or am I just taking it TOO much to heart?!?! I don't know, but I know I've got to stop obsessing so much about her and just continue to live my life and do my thing while she's growing. She'll make it through puppyhood. I'll make it through this. Tim will make it through. And, we'll have a normal life again!
I love her, but man, no one told me it was going to be this stressful and this much work!
Well, as you know, I wasn't quite that in love with our puppy. The sleepless nights took me by surprise! But to be completely honest, pretty much everything you wrote here sums up having that first baby. :) Especially the constant worry and thinking about her.
ReplyDeleteSoo adorable Emily. I like your blog.
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