As I strive to be a good breeder, I believe it is my job to inform potential families on exactly how much effort you'll need put in to raise a puppy, even if it means deterring some potential buyers. Yes puppies are cute, innocent, look like rainbows and candies but I have to say this, puppies are a pain in the a$$. In this blog post, we will look at the pros and cons of getting a puppy, especially when you are looking to be a first time owner of a puppy.
To be honest, I consider myself a very patient man but puppies test my patience to the very limit on a daily basis......
So you want a puppy, but how ready are you?
Pros of getting a puppy
They are cute little balls of energy and can bring much joy to you and your family.
Engaging and training a puppy can be real fun.
Seeing them grow and develop through the years can be very fulfilling.
I seriously can't think of any more pros of raising a dog from its puppy stages. Now lets move onto the cons of getting a puppy.
Cons of getting a puppy
1. They demand a lot of attention, and can cause many sleepless nights. My priorities when bringing home a puppy are toilet training, crate training, and teaching bite inhibition. I took a month of no pay leave to train Charlie and my ex boss was so nice that he allowed me to bring Charlie to the office (Thanks Ben!). As for Marcie, I took a major pay cut and changed to a job that allowed me to work from home. That is how much attention they require.
I teach my dogs to only relieve themselves outside and on grass/soil. This means bringing the pup out every two hours in the day, and waking up at least once at night during their first month with me, or until they get the idea. No cheat day, no rain, no thunderstorm, or whatever excuse will stop me from keeping up this toilet training regime. Puppies sleep with me in the same room so that I can react quickly if they show signs of needing to pee/poop. This made me pretty paranoid and I wake up even at their slightest movements. The only time you get rest is when they are resting.
"Hey dad, stop writing this stupid blog and come play with me" If the breeder for your pup didn't start any crate training basics, it's gonna be a big goodbye to your precious sleep for the first few nights or even weeks. They will whine and scream in their crate like a banshee on crack every 1-2 hours and there is no way to stop them other than talking to them. And after crying for the whole night, they wake you up at first light (RIP sleep). I use to wake up only after 12 noon but now I haven't had the chance to wake up later than 8am.
But the good news is, they will eventually learn and treat their crate as a safe haven.
Labraddell Labradors train their puppies to sleep in crates since they were 4 weeks old. Thank the Gods, Marcie only cried on her first night.
Charlie didn't take the crate well. Turn on the sound to feel the wrath of a banshee's spawn. This went on for more than a week.
2. They chew so much I actually think they have beaver blood flowing in them.
Show me you have a puppy without saying you have a puppy......
When they play they chew, when they are bored they chew, when they are teething they chew, when they love you they chew. This kind of sums up about their chewing.
Puppies chew extensively during their teething stages, so as dog parents we need to monitor them constantly to correct their chewing behavior, and redirect them to toys that are safe to chew. I get it, we all have a life and it is almost impossible to look at them 24/7 but you'll have to deal with destruction of your lovely adobe if you fail to monitor them constantly. The good thing is they improve with age, but that will be many months later.
Presenting installation artwork titled "Boredom is not a choice" by Charlie and Marcie.
3. They get into trouble the moment you're not looking at them.
Story of my life #truestory
I find that puppies love to get into trouble whenever they are out of sight. They will get onto anything they can find. Even when you think you have puppy proofed your place, they will still manage to find something to destroy. And you think they only get into trouble at home? Wait till you bring them out and they start to put everything in their mouths and you'll have to be super alert and yank it out whenever they do so.
Marcie aspires to be our branch manager
Not only that, they will test your patience by constantly testing the limits of what they are allowed and not allowed to do. Without constant supervision, you may be giving your pup the wrong signal and this will escalate to more serious problems in the future.
This adulterous pair decided to climb on my bed while I'm in the toilet. I don't allow them up at all......
4. They require you to keep up with their training constantly.
Ok I don't have a body like that but you should have seen me before I started raising puppies.
So you think once you've enrolled your puppy into a basic obedience class, your pup learns all the basic commands, you get the certificate of completion and it's all done? Far from it. Training is never over. Even if they already know what is expected of them, they tend to test the limits every now and then so you'll need to constantly remind and refresh them through training. Basic obedience classes are good as trainers will give you the tools and tips to train your pup but you definitely have to keep using these tools you've learn to help you.
I also feel that socialisation is very important. Although the major job of socialisation is done by your breeder, there is still a lot of work to be done. Socialisation is not just about letting your puppy meet other dogs, it is more about exposing them to different stimulations and triggers in everyday life, such as exposing them to loud noises or fast moving cars. A well socialised puppy will be confident and ready to take on the world. It is up to us as dog parents to ensure our puppy gets the correct and appropriate encounters with the different stimulations in order for them to grow and mature mentally. Yes temperament in lines play a good part in the dog's eventual adult behavior but a lot of it comes from proper socialisation.
5. It's not over even after they grow out of their puppy stages......
After their puppy stages, welcome to the infamous adolescent/teenage stage. There will be new set of problems and obstacles you'll have to deal with. You'll have to ramp up with constant training and redirecting to avoid adolescent bad behaviors to manifest and cause problems for you later in their lives. I will talk more about the potential obstacles you'll face in this blog post here.
So summing up... In my humble opinion, puppies are overrated. The only thing they are good at is being cute but they require constant supervision which can be really taxing both mentally and physically. Still think you're up for raising a puppy? Don't worry if you're getting a puppy from a good breeder as they will guide you at every step of the way because they want to see you succeed. This is why I always tell people, if you want to get a puppy, get it from a good breeder. Not only you'll have a lifetime support from the breeder, good breeders also make sure their lines are filled with dogs that are good in temperament, which will make it easier to train your pup.
If you think you're ready for a dog in your life, but a puppy might be too much to handle right now, why not consider adopting from one of our Animal Welfare Groups? Check out the Blog and Resources page to look at some of the AWGs in Singapore!
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