What it’s REALLY like having a puppy

It’s all cute till it’s not

Seriously, who doesn’t love puppies? Their tiny paws, wagging tails and overall adorableness melts everyone’s hearts. It’s all cute, till it’s not.

In no way am I saying not to have a puppy — if anything, I advocate adopting, not buying. (There are so many dogs and puppies waiting to be rescued!) But what I am saying is to think twice, thrice, four times before committing to a puppy.

Here are just some things I’ve learned about taking in and raising a puppy:

1. Teething stages — You, furniture, leash

2. Training basic commands

3. Feeding (with other dogs in the house — coming soon!)

4. Pee-pad training

5. Leash training

6. Separation Anxiety (coming soon!)

7. Vaccinations (oh, so important)

8. Pet insurance or Vet packages (I know!)

Let’s begin. Note that going forward, I’m assuming your puppy hasn’t gone through any major traumatic events with previous owners/at the dog shelter etc. Those would fall under special needs and the behaviour of your puppy would vary greatly and need special attention. Some of…