When we first told our friends and family that we got a puppy, most people responded with excitement and the usual "Ahhh I can't wait to meet her!!". But, there were a few people who were more skeptical about our new bundle of joy. They asked questions like "who's going to watch her while you're at work?", "How are the cats going to react?", and "Are you sure you're ready to take on a puppy?"
We had, of course, thought through the majority of the issues that we would be faced with. We knew that taking on a puppy would be challenging (but, so rewarding!) and that it would change many aspects of our lives. In fact, one of the reasons that we decided to take Lucy in was because we craved a little bit more responsibility. We wanted to learn to cope with and enjoy taking care of another living being (cats don't count because they're so easy to take care of!) and to learn to become more flexible. Really, we wanted to take on the responsibility of something other than just the two of us.
Given that we took a week to "prepare for puppy" before we adopted Lucy, we were pretty set when she arrived. And thankfully, she has turned out to be a pretty flipping awesome dog! She fits right in with our little family and it's so fun to be able to do things with her and to take her places. However, I will say, that raising a 10 week old puppy (now 12 weeks) definitely has its challenges! In fact, I may now be one of those skeptical people whose first question to those considering adopting a puppy is "Are you sure you're ready to take on a puppy?"
So, because most of my days lately have been filled with puppy-duty, I thought that I would share a few things that I've learned so far. Just in case one of you gorgeous gals is considering getting a pup and you've never had one before, here are some things that you may encounter:
10 Pieces of Advice For New Puppy Parents
(from a new puppy mom!):
1. PUPPY CARE- You will have to find some sort of 'puppy care' or arrangement for your new babe, especially if you work during the day. Even though pups can be crated, they can't be crated for an entire day. Their little bladders can't hold it for more than a few hours and they really need to get out and get exercise. They are growing, after all! We had a few unforeseen issues in the puppy care department. But, we were lucky enough to figure something out with a few of our (very amazing) neighbors.
2. MORNING ROUTINE- You will go in and out of the house approximately once every 20 minutes (while you're trying to get ready for work) and stand there (for at least 5 minutes each time) while trying to convince your puppy to do their business outside and not inside your home. Plan your "getting ready in the morning" routine accordingly. AKA- Get up at least an hour and a half earlier than you normally get up. I now know that my morning routine will never be the same. From a fashion standpoint, it's much harder to plan a fashionable outfit when you have a curious puppy to keep busy. I hear that this interrupted morning routine will get better once she's potty trained. Let's hope it does! ;)
3. POTTY TIME- The phrase "go potty" will become deeply ingrained in your mind. Those two words will become the most used words in your vocabulary and you may start saying "go potty" while you dream at night.
4. TREATS- If you're using treats to potty train your puppy, you will find treats in every pocket of each clothing item that you own. Embrace those little suckers.
5. KONGS- If you buy a Kong, you will be so thankful that you may consider writing the Kong company and its creators a letter of deep appreciation. Kongs have seriously saved meal times for us.
6. TOYS- If your puppy is a biter, you will have to buy a slew of toys for her to play with. These toys will be your saving grace. Always have one around to be able to quickly stuff in her mouth, in case she starts chomping on you. Puppy teeth hurt like a mother!
7. PLAY PEN- Unless you want your puppy to roam the entire house (and leave you little 'treats' every which way), you should consider buying a play pen to contain her. This will help save your sanity.
8. LEAVE NOTHING IN REACH- If it's within her reach (more specifically, on or close to the floor), she will claim it as her toy and chew it up. You will have to find a place up high for every single thing that is close to the ground. This includes everything on your coffee table and all of your shoes and purses. Clothes that hang on coat racks are also game. And be prepared to find your puppy with a completely unrolled roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. We've had to take our TP off the roll and put it up high.
9. POTTY PATTERNS- Here we are, back to the potty subject! You will pick up on your puppy's need-to-go-potty patterns. I'm actually surprised on how fast we have picked up on Lucy's. Two important 'potty times' to remember is that they will need to go out as soon as they wake up and about a half hour after they eat or drink water.
10. DISCIPLINE AND LOVE. This one was a tough one for me at first, but, puppies need to be disciplined. If you expect to have a well-behaved dog, you can't just give in every time that they give you puppy eyes. Otherwise, that little pup will overrun your house and you won't know what happened until it's too late. So, say "No" and mean it, and set some ground rules. That being said, these amazing animals are so filled with love and they want to please you-- so, love them hard and enjoy the new little love in your life!
Any good puppy advice that y'all have for me? I'm all ears!
And for those who didn't come here for puppy talk, here are some looks that's I've worn to work lately. ;)
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