A stressed mommy!

[DisneyWhirled]

Hello fellow Intercotee's-

I come to you today because I am very stressed, and could use a good cheering up!

My DH and I talked for a while about getting a puppy for our family. Specifically, I wanted a Puggle. We found an adorable puppy about seven weeks ago, and brought him into our home (he is now 5 mos).

Since then, I have been miserable.

My DH, DS8 & DD5 love, love, love this puppy. I love him, too, but I feel that my entire home/family dynamic has changed. I have deduced that I am not a dog person :(.

House training continues, and has improved, but he still has accidents if we don't bring him out every hour (when he is not in the crate, we are crate training). So, every hour one of us is going outside...

I hate to leave him in the crate when we are home, but I can't get anything done while he is out (we have baby gates that keep him in our large kitchen/dining room w/hard wood surface). He barks, cries, rattles the gates if we don't hang in the kitchen/dining with him.

We are always telling him "NO" and chase him b/c he chews all stuffed animals, gloves, shoes...etc. In addition, he nips when playing.

I tried last night to bring him in the living room and have him sit in the recliner that he always chills in w/ DH while I did my exercise...but I couldn't even do that, he kept taking off, and I had to get off my eliptical numerous times to chase him b/c he had a stuffie of the kids.

Finally, we had a vacation booked and paid for before we got the dog (I know poo poo to us for getting a dog before vacation) and now I am finding to have him well cared for while we are away is going to cost $300!! None of our family/friends are willing to care for him while we are gone. I know that it is not their responsibility.

I would NEVER hurt the dog....and getting him a new home is not an option.....my DH, DS & DD would be DEVESTATED....but I am suffering here. It seems so stupid, I know, but I feel that my freedom is forever gone.

I just wanted a dog that my family could love and protect, and everyone says it will get better b/c he is still a puppy, but I can't see that happening.

We are starting training classes this week, hopefully that will help with some of it, but I just don't know!

I think all the above is just puppy behavior, but I don't want to resent my dog, I want him to be my buddy!

Any advice??

[Marilyn Michetti]

This is more normal than you think. You sound like you have enough to do without puppy training, but....A puppy is a living creature, and, like a child needs constant attention and stimulation. Training is hard, but it will be O.K. soon. By a year, most puppies are settled and compliant.

Our Chow Lab, Cody, is the love of our lives, but our children are grown, and there aren't any grandkids. She's the Princess, and she knows it.

You may NEVER be a dog person, but don't beat yourself up. You've committed, but so has your family, at least emotionally. I say, sit your family down and designate chores. Get the puppy some of it's own toys. If she chews the children's stuffies, maybe they'll pick them up. (Hope that doesn't sound too harsh).

Your trip might cause a setback with the training, but it will pass, and you'll get a break. You're right about the $300 - it's a lotta $$$$, but you don't want to cancel a trip.

I hope this works out for you because I know how much I love my dog, but if it doesn't happen for you, it's O.K. - YOU'RE NOT A BAD PERSON !!!!!!!!!

Good luck, REALLY:paw::dog::paw:

[DizNee143]

omg i felt exactly the same way when we got our beagle puppy (Lucy)..back in july...
i wanted a puppy so bad...but wow that went away about 7 hours after we got Lucy...
the next like 3-5 months were rough...i wanted to so hurt her..she was bad..and i swore she just wasnt getting the whole house training thing...but now today she is 10 months old and wow..life is sooooooooooooo much better..she still has an accident every now and then..but very rarely...i think her last one was like a month and a half ago...those first few months are rough..just get through those and im sure you'll be loving the puppy as much as the rest of your family!!! hang in there...:thumbsup:
and keep us updated..

[kakn7294]

I really feel for you Karen! We have a dog too - one that I really wanted 11 yrs ago. But (you knew that was coming), I didn't realize how much you are tied to them. I do love my dog, but she can be a royal pain and I think I'm not as much of a dog person as I though I was either. We had a terrible time with housetraining, she barks and whines too much for me (I know, she's a dog, it's what they do), she's always underfoot when not in the crate, she's expensive to care for properly, and the cat hates her (and I do mean hates - you'd think he'd get over it after 8 yrs living together and having know each other for 11 yrs). On the flip side, she loves me unconditionally and would be glued to my side 24 hrs a day if she could. She's great with the kids and actually very well trained. Overall, she's really a great little dog. However, when she's gone, there won't be another dog for quite a while. BTW, the chewing will eventually stop unless you let him develop it as a habit. You can try those sprays that they aren't supposed to like but in my experience, they never really worked. My best advice to you is: TRAINING!!! Definately attend that training course and stick with proper training until he gets it right. Make sure he understands that he's the dog and you, John, and the kids are the bosses (Maggie thinks she doesn't have to listen to the kids). It will make him a better dog in the long run and give you a better understanding of him and his needs. More than one course might not hurt either, one before and one sometime after your trip. He's at a good age to learn some basic manners but he won't get it all right just now as he's young yet. Use the people at the training facility - get plenty of training advice from them and stick to it. You may never become dog person, but you can make him a good dog that even you can enjoy. Good luck to you!

[SBETigg]

Is it me or does it seem like boy dogs are so much harder to train than girls? Just like with people! (kidding, guys). I have one of each (male pug, female corgi) and the male had a lot more trouble training than the female. When we moved, we had to retrain him. Hugs to you and I hope it gets easier soon. :hug:

[Disneyatic]

I have read a few articles about Puggles and how hard they can be to initially train and get into a good routine. But they are supposed to be great dogs after you get the training in place. I bet that the training classes will make a huge difference. Also with spring coming you will be able to keep him outside more and that will hopefully help to expel some of that energy.
We have 3 dogs (A lab, a chow mix and a chihuahua) and they always get restless (and sometimes annoying) in the winter because they can't be outside as much.
Hang in there and try to spread the responsibility out and hopefully it will get better soon. :fingers:
:dog::pixie:

[Tygger7]

First, let me say how happy I am to hear that you are committed to working through the problems with your puppy. I do a lot of work with the local Pug Rescue and I'm amazed at how easily people can discard their pets.

I am a total doggie person...in fact, I prefer them over people. :D Bless my DH...he tolerates me and the pugs, but has said if I bring one more into the house, he's moving out. For him, 4 pugs are more than enough. For me, I could have 10 and still want more. So, I'm held to a 4 pug limit.

All that being said, pug and puggle puppies can be a challenge. The first 6-9 months will be the toughest, but once you get through that, things will improve. Remember, keep your expectations realistic. A puppy is like a small child....and you can't expect a child to act like an adult any more than a puppy to act like a mature dog that's out of the puppy stage. Be consistent in everything....when you let them go potty, when you crate them, how you disicipline them. And, I know this is tough, but be patient. I'd also like to add that a crate is not a punishment. I used to think it was mean to put a dog in a crate, and then I got my first pug from the rescue. Long story, but he was a nervous wreck until I bought him a crate/cage. That's his place to get away from the other dogs, and he feels secure there.

I can go on and on, and I would be happy to talk to you in more detail, and give you more encouragement...and some survival tips. :thumbsup: Feel free to PM me and we can set up a time to chat on the phone. I'll do everything I can to help you and your Puggle through this!! :here:

[bleukarma]

First, congrats on opening your home and heart to a dog!!! I know you might regret it now, but the unconditional love you receive back will eventually be worth it! Right now he’s just a puppy and just like a toddler he will grow out of it. You are doing the right thing by taking him to training classes. Just stick with it and work with him and hopefully he will get it and start to behave. But you have to be dedicated to practice with him. Also, is he neutered? I don’t know what the typical age to get him neutered is but I heard that once a dog gets spayed or neutered they calm down a lot.

Our Charlie (a terrier mix) was neutered when we rescued him from the shelter, and he was already around 2 years old. But I think because he was pent up in a cage for a week he acted out when we first got him. The first few months I thought “what did I get myself into?!” but after some training work, some time, and some love Charlie turned into a very good little dog! One of the best I’ve ever had!! At first he would chew ANYTHING but we learned to not put our expensive watches or eyeglasses within Charlie’s reach. Now we can lay down anything and he doesn’t even bother them. We worked with him and I think he just grew out of his bad habits. So, it does get better!!! Hang in there until the day comes that he won’t be so wild anymore. :mickey:

[DisneyWhirled]

Thanks so much for the support! I tell you it has been a very lonely 7 weeks. DH just keeps saying "he's a puppy"...the funny thing is that the darned dog listens to DH, but not to the kids and I!! You should see him curl up with Daddy.

Kathy-I hear you about the being tied down, I think that has been my biggest obstacle. I knew going into this that we would be more tied down, but I guess I didn't realize how much. Not that we went out all the time, but I think that I have spent more time at home the last 7 weeks than I did for the entire year 2007 :) We often go out as a family...dinner, groceries, movies, etc., but we haven't lately because of you-know-who.

Tygger7-I keep seeing those commercials that talk about a dog's owner moving and not being able to take it and it ends up in a shelter. They are so sad...I have to make this work for me and the dog.

It is sooo good to hear that IT WILL GET BETTER!!!!

Thanks again!!

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I know the feeling. My lifelong dream was to own a dog. My husband and son have allergies and we thought it would never possible. Well, we did some research and bought a Shih Tzu. She was just a pup when we got her last January '07. I stay at home so I figured she would be a great companion. OMG, was I wrong. It was not her it was me, I found out very quickly I could not do anything. Going to the store was now scheduled around her pooping schedule, I started to resent her, which made me feel worse. I could not wait till my husband came home to have a break. The guilt was overwhelming and making me have anxiety attacks. I felt so bad, I loved her to death, why was I feeling like this. She was a very good dog. We only kept her till she was 8 months old. We found her a wonderful family who had a Shih Tzu already and Tayah took to him immediately. She is healthy and happy and my stress levels are way down. I was warned about how life would change but you never really know till you try. I still get to see her and miss her everyday, but I know she is happy and now know we were definately not cut out to be dog owners. For me it was not the care involved with her it was leaving her, I quit doing things I loved or had to do since I felt bad leaving her in her crate. I am sure your feelings are absolutely natural.

[bleukarma]

Tygger7-I keep seeing those commercials that talk about a dog's owner moving and not being able to take it and it ends up in a shelter. They are so sad...I have to make this work for me and the dog.



Oh my goodness....those commercials get me every time!!! I can't get through it without crying!!!

I have also heard that the dog considers the dominent one in the household their master. Does your DH do the punishing? That could be why. It's true with Charlie, my aunt will let Charlie get away with anything but I'm the one that tells him "no." But Charlie will always come to me, he will even ignore my aunt if he is next to me and my aunt is calling him.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I know the feeling. My lifelong dream was to own a dog. My husband and son have allergies and we thought it would never possible. Well, we did some research and bought a Shih Tzu. She was just a pup when we got her last January '07. I stay at home so I figured she would be a great companion. OMG, was I wrong. It was not her it was me, I found out very quickly I could not do anything. Going to the store was now scheduled around her pooping schedule, I started to resent her, which made me feel worse. I could not wait till my husband came home to have a break. The guilt was overwhelming and making me have anxiety attacks. I felt so bad, I loved her to death, why was I feeling like this. She was a very good dog. We only kept her till she was 8 months old. We found her a wonderful family who had a Shih Tzu already and Tayah took to him immediately. She is healthy and happy and my stress levels are way down. I was warned about how life would change but you never really know till you try. I still get to see her and miss her everyday, but I know she is happy and now know we were definately not cut out to be dog owners. For me it was not the care involved with her it was leaving her, I quit doing things I loved or had to do since I felt bad leaving her in her crate. I am sure your feelings are absolutely natural.
I agree with others about shelters, I don't believe in them, you just never know what might happen or who will own them. For us we knew the people and are updated all the time about her, it works well. I wish you luck, there are other options besides shelters.

[Dakota Rose]

You described my life last winter (2006) to a tee! I had to have the dog, and about a week after getting her, I was losing my mind.

Is he fixed yet? That may help calm him down.

Go to the library or pet store and find some books on his particular breed. They will have good advice on how to train him and address is annoying behaviors. The training classes will help too.

Who is caring for him while you're gone? Are you boarding him somewhere or having a pet sitter come to the house? Sometimes the vet assistants at local vet's offer pet sitting at cheaper rates than boarding. We had a teenage girl whom we trusted with our child when we were out, care for our dog too. Maybe that's an option for you?

Good luck. I certainly feel your pain. When spring comes and you can all go outside and run off some of his energy, it wil be better.

[kakn7294]

Think of the crate as your friend - and his friend too. It will keep him and your house safe when you are not able to watch him. Maggie loves her crate - it's her special little spot and the first place she goes when she come in from outside. She's in it whenever she's wet from being outside, whenever we go out, whenever we're sleeping, or sometimes just because we can't supervise her even when we are at home. If someone comes to the door, she's in the crate - she'd run out the door in a heartbeat. If we're cleaning or I'm cooking, she's in the crate and not underfoot. If we have company, she's in the crate for at least part of the time or she'd be annoying everyone wanting to be petted and play. Used properly, the crate is a great thing!

[DisneyDog]

I've never had a puppy. I just couldn't handle it. But I looooove dogs, and I so miss having one (we lost both of our dogs within the past 14 months). Both of my boys were rescues. We got Sneakers at age 2 and Tango at age 1. They both lived very long lives. Sneakers really never was fully housebroken. Tango never had any problems with that.

Both dogs loved their crates. We would reward them with a cookie when they went into their crates. It got to where all we had to do was yell "crate!" and they would each go running into their own crate. People were always so impressed. They weren't the best trained dogs, but I figured, if I could get them to do that, at least I could make sure they were safe if I needed them put away (like if a glass broke or something like that).

Go to the puppy training class and practice, practice, practice. REMEMBER: It's not the dog that needs to be trained, it's YOU. You need to learn what they teach you and enforce it, or the dog will never learn. If you want a well-behaved dog, it's completely up to you and your family. Be consistent, reward him when he does something good, and you'll be fine.

Oh, when housebreaking him, make sure you take him outside immediately when you release him from his crate. Don't waste any time, just get him outside. Reward him when he potties outside. Your dog is small, and his bladder is even smaller. He can only hold it for so long, which is why he needs to go out so often. He will probably go out less frequently as he grows. Make sure he gets enough exercise. That will help tire him out.

One thing I have heard, concerning nipping, is to sit with your fist in the dog's mouth. Don't remove it for a long time. The dog will learn to dislike the taste of your hand and will stop nipping. I've never tried this, but I've read it on my dog breed discussion list.

That's another good idea -- find a discussion list for your dog breed. You can learn from other owners of the same breed (like you learn about WDW here).

And never, ever, ever give him table scraps. It's not good for him, and it will encourage him to beg. Oh, one last related thing...for his safety, don't ever give him onions, chocolate, or grapes (or raisins for that matter). They are toxic and can kill a dog. Macadamia nuts can cause a temporary paralysis...just say no to people food, and you'll be fine.:thumbsup:

[offwego]

Re the nipping our dog had the same thing as young puppy as well.

DS cured him by stopping playing whenever he was nipped by walking out of the room. (and I mean get up, walk away and leave). Disney our lab soon learned that if he nips fetch or whatever game he loved ended and he wanted to play more then he wanted to nip which he truly thought was playing (puppies in a litter often nip each other).

You will and are more tied down then you thought but once the puppy is full size (and the bladder is too) you'll find it gets better.

And yes the $$ on kennels are expensive but that's part of what you have to budget for pet ownership I'm afraid. Hope it all works out for you soon.

[DisneyWhirled]

Thanks again, everyone!

Pongo is not neutered yet, that comes on March 21st. I had heard that neutering helps as well. At this point, I will take anything :)

For our trip, we are looking at a boarding facility. They have a "doggie den" where the dog would have interaction with other dogs his size.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

We have a Puggle too. :thumbsup:

Jack turned 1 on Jan.25th. Most of the things (Jack has never been a nipper) you are going through we went through as well. Our guy tends to have a lot of Beagle traits. We had a beagle when we were first married so we knew what to expect.

Housebreaking was a chore. It was with our Golden Retreiver who was 6 as well. We all worked with him, as a family. It was a lot of work but, we are to the point now that he asks to go out most times and can go a lot longer during the day. He is obviously a smaller dog so, he can't last as long as his "brother" but, we can at least leave him a few hours with no worries.

Jack is also crate trained. He loves his crate. It has never been a form of punishment so he enjoys getting his space from everyone else in there. ;)

Our biggest issue with Jack was chewing stuffed animals. We figured out that as soon as we stopped buying him dog toys that resembled them, he stopped. He knows now that he can only play with his tennis balls, bones, rubber toys, etc. My daughter is the stuffed animal fan in our house so, we had her keep them up for a few weeks while we were training him. No more issues with that at all.

I have to say that it was a trying puppy stage with Jack but, he has really become a great dog. He is really smart and we have taught him a few really cute tricks. He walks with me every day and I can't get 10 feet without someone stopping me to visit with him. ;)

I hope things get better with your puppy. I am sure they will!!

Here is a pic of our boy...He is waiting for me to tell him it is okay to eat his bone :)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df39b3127cceb3a74ca30cf200000025108Act2bly4btb

[MsMin]

Is it me or does it seem like boy dogs are so much harder to train than girls? Our males were actually easier than the female (she's smarter and doesn't like to go outside ;)) Males can be worse if they are not neutered b/c they will mark everything.

omg i felt exactly the same way when we got our beagle puppy (Lucy)..back in july...
i wanted a puppy so bad...but wow that went away about 7 hours after we got Lucy...
the next like 3-5 months were rough...i wanted to so hurt her..she was bad..and i swore she just wasnt getting the whole house training thing...but now today she is 10 months old and wow..life is sooooooooooooo much better.. Ilove your honesty and wish ppl [that do treat animals like kleenex (disposable)] would talk to you first!
Sending you puppy :pixie: b/c it is hard. We have 4 Yorkies at home (sometimes 3 but Rachel moved out and her pup goes to doggy day care here)
We had a cocker spaniel once and while she was part of the family and the kids loved here I wasn't much a dog person. It wasn't until we got the yorkies, now that they are older, that I became a dog person. Maybe it's the dog's personality or maybe it's timing-- I really think it's timing though b/c as a mom of 3 I didn't have a lot of time before.
We love crate training here and our pups love their crates. Remember that their ancestors lived in caves and so the animals naturally love small cozy spaces so don't look at a crate as punishment but as a retreat. Limit their area outside the crate too. We still have gates up with our 2 new little ones.
Mr. Brisby here weighs only 2.5 lbs so his bladder is about as big as a walnut. I have to crate him when I can't watch him b/c he isn't neutered yet. I understand how you feel tied down since we have 2 under a year here.
One thing I noticed is that you are chasing him for toys etc. This is a big no no ( my dd fusses at me for doing it :blush:) dogs think that chasing is a game so it actually reinforces the behaviors.
I think that puppy training is great and hope it helps. I'm sure there is a lot of info online. I have a packet I give to ppl who have purchased pups from me but I don't have them online.
Remember too that most dogs go poop about 20 mins after eating and we ALWAYS take them straight outside when coming out the crate.
Don't be afraid to be tough b/c if you break down and give him up the world out there can be a lot tougher. You have to sort of growl your discipline - it may be why your pup listens more to your dh. They are pack animals and have a pecking order so make sure he knows he's below you in the order. The one who feeds them is often recognized as the "alpha" my kids tease me b/c I'm the alpha female dog here. He will calm down with neutering but with aging too. Again this too shall pass.... good luck
Hope you find someone reasonable for your puppy care for when you are away. I paid 400 for 4 dogs last Oct for 6 days. We did ask about their arrangements and two little ones were allowed their own crates and kept in doggy ICU b/c they were young and the two older ones were kenneled together. I know our vet has runs and lets all the little ones have play time together. Since ours go on hunger strike we are more comfortable leaving them with the vet. My dd did volunteer there so we are very comfortable with their treatment. In fact my dd works for a vet and she prefers our original vet for their boarding.
This will pass and things will get better and the efforts you put in now will pay off big time in the near future. A poorly trained dog can be a headache and possibly a heartache :paw: best of luck with your sanity and your doggie care! :pixie:

[DisneyWhirled]

We have a Puggle too. :thumbsup:

Jack turned 1 on Jan.25th. Most of the things (Jack has never been a nipper) you are going through we went through as well. Our guy tends to have a lot of Beagle traits. We had a beagle when we were first married so we knew what to expect.

Housebreaking was a chore. It was with our Golden Retreiver who was 6 as well. We all worked with him, as a family. It was a lot of work but, we are to the point now that he asks to go out most times and can go a lot longer during the day. He is obviously a smaller dog so, he can't last as long as his "brother" but, we can at least leave him a few hours with no worries.

Jack is also crate trained. He loves his crate. It has never been a form of punishment so he enjoys getting his space from everyone else in there. ;)

Our biggest issue with Jack was chewing stuffed animals. We figured out that as soon as we stopped buying him dog toys that resembled them, he stopped. He knows now that he can only play with his tennis balls, bones, rubber toys, etc. My daughter is the stuffed animal fan in our house so, we had her keep them up for a few weeks while we were training him. No more issues with that at all.

I have to say that it was a trying puppy stage with Jack but, he has really become a great dog. He is really smart and we have taught him a few really cute tricks. He walks with me every day and I can't get 10 feet without someone stopping me to visit with him. ;)

I hope things get better with your puppy. I am sure they will!!

Here is a pic of our boy...He is waiting for me to tell him it is okay to eat his bone :)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df39b3127cceb3a74ca30cf200000025108Act2bly4btb

Your puggle is so cute! He looks very much like Pongo (more of the beagle, similiar coloring...sooo darned adorable!!)

[tennantsrwe]

Having a pet is a HUGE responsibility...and usually it's one person who takes the brunt of it on. In our house that, too, would be me. We've had pets before but I've made the rule that nothing else can come here that eats or poops. I just got our youngest DD (2) potty trained and the last thing I want is more poop to clean up, lol. I think things will get better, you just have to be patient. They say dogs can sense your feelings so maybe you being stressed out so much is hendering the process somewhat. Puppies will be puppies like kids will be kids, thankfully it's just a passing stage. I'm sure as he gets older and you continue to work with him things will mellow out. Just stick with it. :crazy:

[Jeff G]

Hello fellow Intercotee's-

I come to you today because I am very stressed, and could use a good cheering up!

My DH and I talked for a while about getting a puppy for our family. Specifically, I wanted a Puggle. We found an adorable puppy about seven weeks ago, and brought him into our home (he is now 5 mos).

Since then, I have been miserable.

My DH, DS8 & DD5 love, love, love this puppy. I love him, too, but I feel that my entire home/family dynamic has changed. I have deduced that I am not a dog person :(.

House training continues, and has improved, but he still has accidents if we don't bring him out every hour (when he is not in the crate, we are crate training). So, every hour one of us is going outside...

I hate to leave him in the crate when we are home, but I can't get anything done while he is out (we have baby gates that keep him in our large kitchen/dining room w/hard wood surface). He barks, cries, rattles the gates if we don't hang in the kitchen/dining with him.

We are always telling him "NO" and chase him b/c he chews all stuffed animals, gloves, shoes...etc. In addition, he nips when playing.

I tried last night to bring him in the living room and have him sit in the recliner that he always chills in w/ DH while I did my exercise...but I couldn't even do that, he kept taking off, and I had to get off my eliptical numerous times to chase him b/c he had a stuffie of the kids.


I would NEVER hurt the dog....and getting him a new home is not an option.....my DH, DS & DD would be DEVESTATED....but I am suffering here. It seems so stupid, I know, but I feel that my freedom is forever gone.

I just wanted a dog that my family could love and protect, and everyone says it will get better b/c he is still a puppy, but I can't see that happening.




Wow, reading this sound just like our house over the past few months. In November we added Max, an eight week old golden doodle, to our family. He wasn't our first dog but he is the first dog I've raised from a puppy. From November until couple weeks ago I could have written a post that was a carbon copy of yours.


Max did everything you described; bitting, chewing (toys, furniture and woodwork),
the initial potty in the house. It was hard to enjoy him. My kids were afraid of him and it seemed like it would never end. But with lot's of perseverance we have really started to see some big changes in him. His bitting has almost stopped, he now knows his toys and only chews these and he's almost 100% potty trained, no accidents since mid-December. It seems that around five months is when things started to improve and then after we had him fixed he mellowed a little bit more. He isn't perfect yet but he is now enjoyable. The best part is he turned 6 months today so hopefully your not to far behind.

It can only get better and will. Our other dog who is 12 is a pug and he is awesome and I've heard puggles are great dogs.

Good luck and I'm sure in the near future you'll be happy you stuck it out.

[MMouse6937]

I can certainly relate. I have seven animals of my own (three dogs and four cats) and I foster animals for the local Humane Association. I recently had three puppy fosters that were a bunch of work. I tried to keep a clear head about the fact that they were puppies and go through phases just like kids. I did have moments when I thought that I was going to croak but just tried to keep a level head. All of our animals have had phases of craziness but they have all passed and they are the best animals in the world. I have often said to DH you can't have anything nice and have kittens, believe me, I've tried! :D Hang in there, this too shall pass. I have to say too this is why I have always adopted full grown dogs. Although our girls had their own set of issues, potty training and that was a lot easier. Everyone wants a puppy and you couldn't pay me to have a puppy, too much work!!

Take care, hang in there!