Hi Usman. You made a difficult but great decision and you should be proud. The reality is most people have absolutely no idea of the challenges that come with welcoming a puppy. Maybe there should be a test or permit of some sort to acquire before getting a pup ah ah ah... Anyways, thus dog will always be in your hearts and you have done the best thing ever for him. He has a great future!!! Thanks for him!
Wow, a very sobering read. I really feel for you and your family and hope he is adopted soon. Our 8 week old is going to be here on October 10th. It has been 14 years since I have owned a puppy. We are all trying to get as much sleep as possible...... As Jess says, it would be great to hear from you again with hopefully a more positive experience. All the best.
Many of us think raising a puppy is incredibly fun and interesting. It is a lot of work, but they grow up so fast that you can see things change from day to day. Maybe we have just been lucky with our two, but they were easy to house break and did not destroy too many things. When they did it was mostly our fault for not paying attention.
Hi Usman, just wanted to say from me too that you and your family have been incredibly brave in your decision, ultimately putting the needs of your puppy above your own, so please don't feel guilty. It really does sound like you've made the best decision not just for your pup but for your health too. I remember those early days myself and feeling like I could never get a minute's peace as Cassie needed attention constantly when she was awake - which was most of the time ! For others reading this, it honestly does get easier but as you've illustrated those first few weeks really can be tough, and it's just not right for everyone. Just one thought for you when you're feeling a little less raw about the experience, is maybe consider becoming a volunteer dog walker for people in your area? There are a few sites that you can sign up to or just ask around locally - assuming you've got the time of course but that may be the answer to give you your "dog fix" but without the additional pressure of having one full time. Just a thought... Wishing you and your family all the best xx
Sorry you are battling. Here's my little story. I have never had a dog before (got Max for my 58th birthday present,) and had no idea what I was letting myself in for. I got Max at 8 weeks old. He came from a breeder on a farm. We live on a farm too. He only had one toilet accident in the house but destroyed carpets and shoes like you cannot imagine. It is a time consuming effort to train them but believe me they are the most intelligent dogs ever. It was at 14 months that Max started being more calm and listening to my commands. He is now two and a halve. His leash walking remains a joke. For some reason he thinks it's him taking me and not the other way around. This makes me smile I'm so glad I persevered. He brings me endless joy and I love him sooooo much!!
you have to have a lot of patience ,a lot of people see labs on commercials and in airports or as guide dogs and don’t realize the amount of work that goes into getting this type of outcomes for behavior ,cats are self sufficient but a lab is like a child ,I have had labs for 30years all from the 8 week stage on , I couldn’t imagine my life without one , if you are having problems at this stage then your not ready for a lab ,so sad I hope the puppy finds a good home
