Doodle Puppy Parents: There is Hope!!!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Oh my, how I remember being where many of you are.  The long nights, the potty trips outside every 20 minutes, the endless zoomies, the nipping, the need to exercise an hour a day, etc...the list goes on and on! 

 

Typical morning 2009:

That first year, our morning ritual included getting up an HOUR earlier to ensure Peri had her walk. Then we had to make sure that one of us played with Peri while the other one showered for work. It was constant supervision....we had gates all over the house for goodness sake!!!!  In the beginning, many mornings consisted of Peri stealing socks and running around the house, brother Taquito staying in bed to keep away from her antics and me silently wondering "what the heck have we done???".  Don't worry...it gets better...

 

Typical morning 2011:

DH takes both dogs for a leisurely 20-minute walk while I prepare their food. 

Both dogs eat while parents shower.

As I change, Peri follows me and lies in the bedroom.

As I put on makeup, Peri lies by my feet under the vanity.

As I eat breakfast, Peri lies by my feet under the coffee table.

As I prep to leave, Peri follows me and gives me a high-5 before Ieave...every morning we do this.

Dogs sleep most of the day, even when DH is working out of the house.

 

Here is what will come your way, all you doodle puppy parents.  There is hope!

 

[Penny & Wrigley]

So needed to read this! Thank you for sharing :-)

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Great blog Allyson! See you can eventually breathe again! Good job puppies!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Allyson - this may be just the "shot in the arm" some new puppy owners need to keep their spirits up.  After the initial excitement of having a new puppy wore off a bit (but the hard work was still continuing), I remember thinking "What have we done?".  Being reminded by veteran dog owners that it does get better helped a lot!

[Janel and Sophia]

Love your blog Allyson.  Sophia has come in contact twice with a carpet and both times she very quickly peed on it. LOL.  Can't wait for these days to be over.....

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Great blog and SO true!! It's funny how those crazy puppy days seem to just fade from memory though. Or maybe it's just MY memory!! LOL!!  Tara is two and it's just heaven living with her!

 

But, I'm looking at your picture and thinking that a year ago she probably would have been nibbling on that rug!

 

[Jen and Piper]

Thanks for this, exactly what I needed to hear "in the thick of it" at 12 wks!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Thanks everyone!

BruceGirl: 10:30? WOW...she still won't do that!

 

[BG and Gavin]

Allyson, such a thoughtful and well-timed post.  I could not agree more.  I just firgured that I would never be able to sleep in again.  But today, for example I finally woke Gavin up to go for a walk at 10:30 am!  What a difference two years make!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

So very true, Allyson.  We got Ned just as we got off for summer break and the Tour de France would come on really really early in the morning.  I would get up with Ned and sit in the den/kitchen area playing with him and watching Lance Armstrong win the Tour.  I remember wondering why   I   was doing this when my DH was the bike lover and the morning person?  I guess it must have been because I enjoyed my private Ned time. 

Now I find myself  - not getting up early with Sunny because as an adult he doesn't need to get up at the crack of dawn, but he needs to be confined to our den/kitchen area, so I get up to take him out and enjoy watching the doods have zoomie time in the den/kitchen area.

[Phoebe's Mom]

Great blog post and I could not agree more.  When Phoebe was a puppy (right up to her first birthday) she was so mouthy I thought we would never see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Just yesterday, I was goofing around with her and I was so in her face with my face and my hands and her mouth was closed the entire time, she was just loving the attention--I would never have even attempted play like that a year ago as she was a pirahnna and I would have been a meal!  It does get so much better!