Puppy love
/Puppies. The fur babies of our hearts.
I know a few parents of children get a bit angsty when they hear people call their pets fur babies, but hopefully they understand how we mean it.
A puppy is similar to a baby in a lot of ways. You have to feed it often. You have to take it out to eliminate even more often, 24/7, -30 or otherwise. Puppies need attention, playtime, and instruction. Basically, they own your time and your life for the first year or so. Not as long as a baby, but you see where the term came from.
So, moving on.
Puppies are a challenge. I’d never had a dog before, we were always too busy growing up, and then there was post-secondary, then finding a job, trying to establish some sort of routine in my life, on and on. I talked about getting a dog for years and years, but never seemed to have the time. I spent hours and hours researching different types of dogs, various training techniques, what to expect, what to feed them, crate training vs. not crate training, etc., etc.. I always had doubts about whether I should, was this the right time, am I secure enough in my job, can I really afford a puppy...
Eventually I decided if I wanted to get a dog, I needed to make it happen. After asking my boss and everyone in my workplace if they’d be okay with me bringing a puppy in to work, I decided to do it. So I moved from my studio apartment in downtown Calgary, because it was not pet friendly, to a townhouse with a roommate (AND a cat), solely to get a puppy.
Here’s the thing about animals. They don’t know, and don’t care, that you rearranged your entire life just for them. Same as babies again. They. Don’t. Care. They have basic, elemental needs, and you’ve just established yourself as their provider when you took them from their mother and littermates. You’re it, kid. So if you’re expecting them to appreciate you, don’t. For quite some time at least.
For me, it was probably well into year two before I felt that connection with Jas where I was more than just a provider. Even still, Belle has only been in our house for two months, and I already feel a stronger connection with her. Dogs have dramatically different personalities, just like people.
And they can be infuriating. For example, one of Jas’s specialties was coming back inside after I’d let her out to eliminate, her refusing to go outside, and immediately peeing or pooping upon re-entry to the house. Immediately. For months, this went on. I thought I would kill her. I thought about giving up. I thought I was insane, and that nothing I’d read really explained just how hard it was going to be. And this included in the middle of the night. One thing I’d read was that you should try to wake your puppy up and take them outside before they woke you up. So every two hours, for three weeks, I would wake up to take her out. I was a miserable human being. I cannot even imagine doing that for a baby for a year or more. Props to the human parents is all I’ll say.
But I stuck it out. I’d committed to her, and I was determined to see it through. She’s come a long way in the last three years, and we’ve definitely bonded over a love of frisbee. The girl can jump.
Belle, on the other hand, has minor destructive tendencies. She’ll chew on things she really shouldn’t, if given the chance and she’s peckish enough. Things like books, baseboard, or the leg of a dresser, for example. But rarely. Other than that, she picked up potty training in a few weeks. She listens well, and she follows Jas like a little shadow. I think she’s made Jas a happier dog, and she’s made me a happier human. I’ve heard both ways about two dogs, but I’d swear it makes life so much easier when they have each other to play with, especially with one being older. Belle was a foster I had no intention of keeping (silly me, I know). I thought she’d be like Jas, and I’d have no trouble letting her go. I learned something.
Puppies are all different, and there’s no way to tell what they’re going to be like. The best you can do is research, plan, and hope for the best. Stick to your guns early, decide what’s really important, and don’t let the puppy be the boss. You have to make sure they know you’re the pack leader, you’re in charge, and they can’t bully you into what they want.
Most of all, make sure you’re aware of the time and dedication it’s going to take to turn your rampaging little ball of fur into the companion you’re hoping for.
