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Thanks 'mate'. It's a forum, not a room, diversity of thought, view and opinion is what makes it an interesting place, still not a room though .. 🙂
Hey OP, hope you're doing better than you were..
I will add to this conversation is that you need to do what is right for the dog first and foremost.
For new owners the first 6 months are the hardest, you're setting ground rules and boundaries. You're making sure the dog is exposed to as many experiences as possible to avoid becoming worried around something new. Simple things depending where you live, like walking close to horses, sheep, or cars and buses.
The next 6 months is reinforcing all the hard work you put in at the start.
Get that right, and your life becomes a lot easier - as the dog knows boundaries and rules.
The question from me is - can you give your time and attention to someone that isn't you for 12 months? If no, then you shouldn't have a dog.
Every single dog deserves a healthy environment, with love, care and attention.
Any update?
I'm going through the exact same
Was only thinking about this earlier, hope things are working out (whichever way you decided was best)
Thank you all for your posts, it's really helped. I went to some dark places in the first week or two, but thankfully, all seems to be going much, much better now.
We dropped puppy (his name's Parker) with the in-laws over Christmas, so he could get used to staying with them as in future if we go away or we need to leave him for a while, he will go there as they are round the corner from us. This gave me a break and allowed me to reach out for help. After talking it through with Samaritans and my GP, we came to the conclusion that really, these mental issues have been there all along and getting Parker has acted as a massive trigger that pushed me over the edge. So I'm now waiting on some more counselling to help me be in a better place mentally, but already I feel much better within myself.
He's settled in well, is very well behaved for the most part (though still tries to eat everything when and is taking to his training well, we have a few 1 to 1 sessions booked with a local trainer to help out and may put him in doggy day care one day a week so he can socialise with dogs a bit more. He is a very confident little chap though, not fazed by much at all, was fine with my MTB as I rode round him on his lead and is fine with cars. Christ we even had him outside watching the fire works at New years; didn't bat an eyelid!
So far, so good. I'm under no illusion that there's still a long way to go, but talking about my mental health has been a huge help and here's hoping with some counselling, I'll be in an even better place for the future. Ohhh and hopefully this works, as we're missing a picture of the little guy!
Very cute!
Glad to hear things are a bit better for you. FWIW my dogs kept me sane when i was in some really dark places, despite the sock stealing and farting.
That's really great news - thanks for the pupdate. Parker looks like a proper little dude as well!
Good news all round, good luck with the counselling. Dogs are great - my Lab is my best friend, despite some of the limitations he puts on life - the adventures and companionship far outweigh them! Good luck...
Glad it all appears to be working out OP, and well done for tackling the mental health stuff. Good luck!
He is such a little dude! He fell asleep on my lap Monday night and it was nice to see him so comfortable with us and a relief for me to be so comfortable with him. Drives me up the wall when he eats everything in sight when he's outside (he coughed up a small stone he managed to find on my parents drive in the night while we stayed with them over New Year), but that aside he's been good as gold really, touch wood!
If I’ve got my sums right Lawman, your dog is now about 11/12 weeks old. You didn’t say for how long but that’s potentially way too young to be tagging along on a lead by a bike.
As a guide, puppies need around 5 mins of exercise per month of age - twice a day. So even a 15 minute walk tagging along by a bike is possibly too much.
Over exercising young dogs can cause health problems jn later life so go easy on Parker!
Glad to hear its working out - and more importantly that you are getting some help.
Just be patient and take time - yes they eat everything in sight to start of with - be careful with stones though as had a mate who lost his puppy when it tried to eat one.
Good luck, and hang in there.
@cheddarchallenged, ohh he wasn't running along side the bike with me, we just had him sat on his lead while I rode past at a safe distance. He gets 10-15 minutes walk as you say, if anything because we're both busy with work, we worry about under exercising him but he seems to be a good routine now 🙂
that's great to hear - well done on both counts!
Sounds like it's all going a fair bit smoother now 🙂
We were very lucky with our first dog and the second a year later, a bit of chewing on one of the banisters when very young but that's as far as being difficult got. Although second dog was a pain in the arse his entire life with unknown dogs out and about.
I am dreading getting a new dog in the future when our toddler is a bit older, only from the point of view of the 2 we had before didn't need much work with house training, eating everything in sight etc, plus they were small (mini schnauzers). Next dog will not be a mini schnauzer as I don't want reminders of our old dogs, losing them hit me hard!
Still an absolute baby, things will only get better still. Except the socks. Am working on that with ours at eight months. We had a 1-1 dog trainer and he was very good. Just a few sessions but well worth the investment. And we are three-time puppy owners. Enjoy Parker.
Great news, sounds like Parker is in a good home!
Our Cocker is 7 months now, still a handful at times but if you take time to reflect you realise how much easier it's gotten and how much your new routine has become the norm.
Great news. I am betting on him becoming much more useful to you as a therapy dog than you realise. It doesnt matter how frustrated, cross or angry i get, my 2 dogs bring a level of calm no one else can.
Keep at it and good luck