Overcoming Puppy Challenges: The Realities and Rewards of First-Time Puppy Ownership

Transcript

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I'm Dale Buchanan, and this is Puppy Talk, the podcast that offers free advice and tips for raising a happy, healthy and obedient puppy.

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For more information on this podcast, visit us online at puppytalkpodcastcom.

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Welcome to Puppy Talk, episode number 102.

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I'm your host, dale Buchanan.

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Welcome to Puppy Talk, episode number 102.

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I'm your host, dale Buchanan.

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While it's true that raising a puppy requires commitment and effort, it's also a journey filled with joy and fulfillment.

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I've noticed a recent trend, though.

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Many first-time puppy owners are rehoming their puppies after about one or two months of ownership.

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I've had clients and I've seen neighbors do this for various reasons.

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However, the number one reason is that they did not realize how much work it would be to raise a puppy.

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Rehoming a young puppy shortly after you purchase them from a breeder is a horrible idea.

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It is traumatic and stressful for the puppy.

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It takes several months for a puppy to acclimate to a new home.

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Rehoming them at a young age increases the likelihood of them developing a serious behavior problem, such as fear, anxiety or even aggression.

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Dogs being consistently rehomed is one reason they end up in shelters, which are already overflowing with adoptable dogs.

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The shelters here in Huntsville, alabama, are waiving the adoption fees because there are so many puppies and dogs there that they just can't keep up.

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Just in the past six months in this year, 2024, I have seen so many people rehome their young puppies that it's getting out of control.

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Sometimes people get a puppy and they think that hiring a dog trainer is going to solve all of their problems, that a dog trainer has a magic wand that's going to stop the puppy from peeing and pooping in the house, from chewing things up like furniture and from crying in the crate.

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The dog trainer is not going to do that for you.

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The dog trainer's job is to educate and teach you how to do it.

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You have to do the work yourself.

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Just like if you have a kid and you send them to school, the teacher's not going to raise your kid for you.

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You have to do it.

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The teacher's job is to educate your kid.

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You're raising the kid.

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The dog trainer's job is to educate and teach you and your puppy, but you're raising that puppy.

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If you are a first-time puppy owner and you're struggling right now and listening to this podcast, you have to understand that only you can do it.

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You have to put the time in and you have to train the puppy to do what you want, to adapt to your lifestyle.

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You have to make sure the puppy has love, food, water, a place to go potty outside, a comfortable bed, a comfortable crate, a nice leash and collar, great chew toys All of these things are crucial for raising a young puppy.

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But most importantly, you have to have patience.

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You cannot get frustrated with your puppy.

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You cannot have stress and anxiety about raising a puppy.

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You have to be patient and you have to give it time.

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If you're frustrated and you're struggling with raising your puppy, you just want to ask yourself this one question why did I get a puppy?

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Most people get puppies for companionship, but then the puppy starts creating more stress, anxiety and frustration.

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They start chewing things, they start digging in the yard, they're hard to potty, train, they bark in the crate, they develop separation anxiety because they're spoiled to death and then the owner starts to rethink their decision of getting a puppy, like buyer's remorse.

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Understand that puppies are not emotional support animals right out of the gate.

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They're not gonna provide you with that companionship and calmness until they're about one to two years old.

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Dixie is four and a half years old now.

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I did not get her certified as a therapy dog until she was three and a half years old, about a year ago.

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It was until she was around two and a half years old about a year ago.

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It was until she was around two and a half to three years old when she really started to get used to my lifestyle, acclimated to living with me and become a very, very good companion.

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Up to that point, I always had challenges.

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I always had obstacles.

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Yes, there were times where I wanted to rehome Dixie.

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I wanted to give her to a friend or give her to my mother, but I didn't.

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I checked inside and I said why did I get Dixie?

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What is the message here?

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I had to learn from this experience and learn to be responsible and learn that raising a puppy is a lot of work.

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How can I learn from this and teach other people the importance of raising a puppy and how much work it actually is?

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And that's one reason why I do this podcast, because I'm informing people.

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I'm doing this for free.

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I'm doing this as a service to the community.

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If you haven't gotten a puppy yet, but you're considering getting a new puppy, ask yourself this question before you make the decision and spend the $2,000 to $10,000 to get a new puppy.

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Why do I want a puppy?

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This simple question can lead to a deeper understanding of your motivations and preparedness for owning a puppy.

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It's a step towards making an informed and responsible decision.

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Here's the problem.

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People get in their mind I want a puppy.

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Never owned a puppy, but I want one.

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Everybody's got a puppy.

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You see them on TV shows and on movies.

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Your friends have puppies and then you make an impulsive decision to get a puppy.

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You get that puppy and it's hard work from the very beginning, and then you start to reconsider that decision In review.

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If you already have a puppy, ask yourself why did I get a puppy?

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This can help you go inside and determine the real reasons why you got a puppy.

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If you're considering getting a puppy, ask why do I want a puppy?

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Because raising a puppy is a lot of work, and I'm going to put a link in the show notes to some episodes that can help you understand a little bit more, including my very first Puppy Talk episode that raising a puppy is a lot of work.

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It's a tremendous responsibility and if you're going to get a puppy, you have to hold on to that puppy.

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You have to raise that puppy as if it was your child.

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You cannot get frustrated.

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You cannot be impatient.

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You cannot let the puppy stress you out.

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Your job is to teach the puppy what you want it to learn.

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A dog trainer can certainly help you, but they cannot do the work for you.

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You have to do the work yourself.

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If you have any questions about this episode or any other episodes, you can contact me through my website at puppytalkpodcastcom.

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Have a great day.

Overcoming Puppy Challenges: The Realities and Rewards of First-Time Puppy Ownership

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