( Milo on graduation day from puppy academy.)
Point blank: If you don’t like my dog, then I don’t like you. Obviously you are a insane and ill human-being if you mistreat or wrong my best friend and why would I want that in my life? I trust my dogs sense of judgement because I raised him. I am so thankful for the consistent happy greetings when I walk through the door, the clicking noise of his paws as he walks across the hardwood, and his constant reminder that life is filled with joy.
Being a dog owner, I quickly learned that dogs have personality. Milo is only 30 pounds but filled with buzzing energy, he also thinks he’s king of the world and the size of a german shepard (but he’s secretly a big scaredy cat), and very, very expressive. I’m so proud of the dog that Milo is. During his first year, I was the only one home all-day and got most of the responsibilities of raising him. I tell others that Milo is like my child since the many responsibilities of raising a puppy are like having a toddler.
Puppies do not have set sleeping schedules yet and do not understand their humans sleep at night. The first few months of having Milo, I never got a full nights sleep. Puppies love their naps! They take millions of naps throughout the day (just like a newborn!) because they’re growing. But because they love naps, they only sleep in two hour periods… at most. I was always getting up at night having to play, go on pee breaks in the cold and dark, or comforting him as he whined. You sleep when the puppy sleeps.
And if your puppy doesn’t get enough sleep, he will throw a crazy puppy temper tantrum. Remember when you were little and threw yourself on to the ground kicking and screaming in the middle of the grocery store just because you were being a grumpy brat? Milo has had temper tantrums over not getting to eat more goldfish, having his blanky is the wrong position, and whatever the hell else his little puppy mind gets grumpy about. His puppy tantrum lasts for 30 minutes of running around and howling at me and then passing out. You just have to wait them out.
(Milo having a tempter tantrum and throwing his blanket on the floor. He then fell asleep.)
You wouldn’t leave a baby alone, so why would you leave a puppy alone? You can’t. A puppy needs to be given love and attention 24/7, as well as watched over and taken care of. Puppies try to eat everything (they cannot eat everything) so you are going to have to shove your hand in their mouths and take crap out of their mouths daily. Kind of gross but you get over it. If you do not have time to raise your puppy, do not get a puppy. Taking care of a puppy is a big time commitment and you can not leave your dog in a crate for long periods of time. Separation anxiety is real. I never left the house during Milos first few months and if I did I had to get a puppysitter.
Dogs need their humans to take care of them. Especially, puppies. No matter how big Milo likes to act like he is, he gets scared whenever the vacuum turns on, lightning strikes, or someone is being too loud. All experiences are new to puppies and they need guidance and comfort while learning. All the your stress disappears when your puppy runs to you and needs you to hold them while they shake. You will get mad at your puppy at times and want to scream but the you look at them and remember they didn’t know any better, they’re just a tiny happy soul!
Now a days, I just smile and laugh when Milo takes up the whole bed, when he eats my brand spanking new Jack Rogers, or even when he sniffs the weird girl down the streets vagina while on a walk. He is only a baby and is still growing and learning. In only the short time I’ve had Milo, he has taught me so much and I am a proud puppy mom.
(Milo’s birthday is April 6th! He’ll be turning two.)