I knew I did not want a huge dog. I knew I did not want a small dog, but I had no idea what breed of medium dog I wanted. I browsed ads for weeks, not really finding what I wanted. Then, one night an ad appeared for Brittany puppies for sale. My family raised Brittanys so I already knew how big they dog and how they acted. What made this particular litter even more special was the fact that they had a rare color called Liver Roan, which almost resembles the ticking in German Shorthairs, which I loved.
I immediately messaged the guy, and scheduled a time to meet with him and pick out a puppy. That is when I first met this little guy.
He was two weeks old when I put down a deposit, and he would be ready right in the middle of summer. That was perfect for both of us because I would have plenty of time at home to get him settled. Four weeks later I brought him home.
Everyone told me that raising a puppy was worse than raising a newborn. I haven't had a baby, but I can almost guarantee raising a puppy is worse. Our first night was ROUGH. Actually pretty much the first month was rough. I was barely sleeping due to keeping up with a tiny puppy bladder. My house was a wreck because all he wanted to do was chew and chew. I often tell him he's lucky he's cute.
Here we are five months later, and finally in a routine. Some of my biggest tips would be:
1. Do your research! Find out everything you can before deciding to get a puppy. I cannot tell you how many articles I read about all kinds of tips and tricks. I read everything from how much should my dog be eating to how to get my dog potty trained in a week (totally didn't work LOL),
2. Visit your pup more than once. I visited my puppy three times before I got to bring him home with me. He changed so much each time I saw him.
3. Don't lose hope when you're getting into a routine. I cannot tell you how many times I cried (probably just because I was tired) within my dog's first few weeks home. You will get through it and it will be so worth it.
4. If you work full time, consider a dog walker or a doggy day care to keep your pup busy during the day instead of in his or her crate for 8-10 hours. I am fortunate enough that my grandma comes out in the middle of the day to check on my dog and take him for a walk.
5. If you have carpet, you have to invest in this carpet cleaning machine by Bissell. I would die without this product. It is worth every penny. I replaced the carpet in my house when I bought it, and I am determined to keep it clean. This machine helps me clean up my dog's accidents completely and get rid of the odors.
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