Dog owner shares 1 thing to know about the puppy blues

Raising a puppy is filled with wonderful and fulfilling moments, but it can also be extraordinarily challenging. Many dog owners find themselves in the depths of the ‘puppy blues’, when the fantasy of bringing a tiny fluffy bundle of joy home transforms into the reality of managing a ball of energy wreaking havoc and destroying everything in sight. Some even wonder whether getting a dog was the right decision.

Fortunately, this doesn’t last forever, and now one TikToker has offered some words of reassurance to other struggling dog owners. Sash, who frequently shares content about her life with her golden retriever puppy Woody, who came to live with the Londoner and her partner in December, uploaded a video showing the pooch running wild around their home, biting furniture, snapping at her heels, and generally making a nuisance of himself.

“A message to anyone feeling like s*** with their new puppy, or anyone who wants one but has been a little bit scared off by the horror stories,” she said. “It does get better.”

Continuing, she said: “For a good few weeks I was fully in the trenches. Every waking moment was biting, hanging off my clothes, barking into my actual soul.

“It felt like I was experiencing all of the cons without any pros. Like, no puppy cuddles or cute little moments, it was all just firefighting, in between, obviously, training and feeding and naps.”

Sharing footage of Woody behaving, following instructions and snuggling with his owners, Sash went on: “This is actually a positive message to say, after a couple of weeks of this, it feels like we’ve turned a corner. So, the biting definitely happens less.

“He’s doing really well with his training and I’m getting some really lovely time where he’ll just come and cuddle up next to me. He’s chewing his toy rather than my face, which is lovely.

“Obviously, progress isn’t linear and I could be posting this too soon, but it’s made me realise that the warning that things don’t calm down for two years doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be in this bitey, crazy demon mode for that duration. I mean, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think some things improve whilst other challenges pop up.”

She added: “The biting is definitely getting better, but our new issue is that he’s really nervous around other dogs. Kind of walking in general, he always tries to run back in the direction of home.

“I think there’s always a hill to climb, but in general things are slowly getting easier, so stay strong out there.”

The puppy blues are a common experience among new dog owners, reports the Mirror. While puppies may be undeniably adorable, the practicalities of bringing one into your household and managing the associated responsibilities can take a toll on owners’ wellbeing, according to pet experts at Rover.

They stated: “A recent study found that 45 per cent of new dog parents had negative feelings during puppyhood. This malaise often stems from the overwhelming realisation that a little ball of floof has completely changed your whole world.

“With a bit of time and adjustment, the puppy blues will eventually go away, but while you’re in it, it’s rough.”