A platform to help people feel less alone if they are finding bringing home a new puppy or dog overw
Building your puppy is like building a new house đ¶ I came up with this comparison which might help people understand the stages you may experience while raising a puppy.
Just remember , even when it seems like nothing is being built , internally that building work is still happening đ
It feels like only yesterday that I felt like I would never be able to sit next to Ralph like this without him attempting to bite me or trying climb on top of me.
He has just turned 20 months old and he is turning into the best boy.
All those puppy foundations and consistency through adolescence is starting to shine through more and more now.
Itâs been an absolute wild ride , and the biggest learning curve for me.
I canât remember the last time I broke down and sobbed and felt like I was failing him , or beat myself up about not feeling like I was the right human for him.
Those intense emotional moments are starting to become a memory.
There are still days when there are moments where those intense puppy blues anxious feelings come flooding back in , but they are few and far between and usually triggered by him being unwell.
If you are going through the Puppy Blues right now , know that it does get better. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
That 9 week old , land shark will be 6 months old before you know it.
And that energetic , tornado like 6 month old will be 2 years old sooner then you think.
Keep persevering, focus on each day as it comes , remain consistent and keep your head up đ
Thank you for sharing your story đ
One common thing people mention when they talk about what they found hardest during the puppy blues - itâs that they wanted to make sure they were doing everything right to raise the âperfectâ dog.
The pressure they put on themselves and their puppy pushes them further into the puppy blues.
I did the exact same thing when Ralph was a puppy. I would compare him to friends with other puppies that were different breeds , I would compare him to other Swiss Shepherds , and it would leave me feeling like I was doing something wrong or that there was something wrong with him.
When I gave up my idea of what he âshouldâ be , and instead worked with who he was , our relationship changed , the pressures I was putting on myself and onto him changed and I started to enjoy him a lot more.
Donât rush things , take your time , have fun with training your puppy and ask for help from a trained professional if or when needed and work with the puppy you have.
There are arenât âperfectâ humans , so let go of this thought that you need to have the âperfectâ dog.
Puppies arenât the only ones that can trigger the Puppy Blues.
The adolescence phase can leave us in a state of shock when all of a sudden that adorable ball of fluff is developing a whole other side that we never knew existed.
They are interested in the environment more and more , and we feel like second choice more times then not.
They develop another level of energy and we feel like they have no ears.
All of a sudden they are stealing socks , running around the house in a state of zoomies and the cue âsitâ is non existent. They are bigger , can jump up higher and reach places they couldnât reach before.
It can feel like any training you do during this phase isnât going anywhere and it can be really disheartening.
However , much like building a house , there can be stages of the build where it looks like nothing is progressing even though there are things happening.
You just canât see the progress yet.
But , with every day , more building work is done , and suddenly the walls are going up , then before you know it the house has a roof.
Sometimes things can go a few steps back if there are delays etc. but sooner or later there will be more progress until you are finally moving into your brand new home and enjoying it.
The same thing is happening during adolescence with our dogs . This is why itâs so important to keep consistently training , to keep building them up even when it feels like itâs not working.
All of the foundations and hard work will shine through before you know it đ
Thank you for sharing your stories with me so that I can share them.
They really do make a huge difference for people who are going through the Puppy Blues đ
**Puppy Biting**
When I was going through the puppy blues , Ralphâs biting was most certainly a huge trigger.
He was relentless and I found myself getting lost in Google searches , trying to figure out if he was aggressive. I underestimated how intense the land shark stage would be. It can make you question whether you will ever be able to pat your fluff ball without having them latch on to your fingers.
I finally managed to sit down on the ground with him around 5/6 months of age without him launching at me.
I hope this infographic series helps you đ
Welcome to all of our new followers đ (thanks for sharing our page) .
I say âour pageâ since this page has been created for everyone who is or has experienced the puppy blues. Or , even if you havenât , you might be able to understand what people who are going through it may be experiencing.
Ralph is 16 months old now , and the worst of the puppy blues for me are long gone. However , some of the feelings can most definitely start to be triggered again in certain situations.
Puppy Blues donât only occur with puppies. They can also occur with older rescue dogs , the adolescent phase can definitely kick them in , reactivity etc.
It doesnât mean that you are weak , or that you canât handle or donât deserve your pup , it just means that you care so much that anxieties can come flooding in taking over your mind.
I hope this page helps you in some way , I am a message away if you need someone to vent to or just talk to đ
People sharing their puppy blues experiences helps people who are going through it feel less alone.
I know when I was going through it , I felt like I was the only one feeling this way.
I felt ashamed and as though the emotions I was experiencing meant that I was weak.
Itâs only a puppy - I should be able to handle it.
But , as I have mentioned before , itâs not just a puppy.
It is a cute fluffy ball of energy with sharp teeth who has no idea yet how to live in our human world.
Just remember , you are doing your best. Talk about how you are feeling and if you donât feel like you have anyone that you can talk to then send me a message , I am here for you đ
Livia
We all have some kind of a daily routine , even if we donât realise it.
So when a puppy arrives into our lives , that routine gets turned upside down.
We can all of a sudden feel not in control of our days , which in return increases that anxiety.
So , one way we can gain back some of that normality is by creating a daily plan for our puppies. And in that daily plan , you will add in at least one thing that will bring you comfort.
Maybe having a shower while your puppy has breakfast? Or drinking your cup of coffee in peace while your puppy has their morning nap? Or having breakfast while your puppy is occupied by a frozen enrichment toy? Choose what brings you comfort and what brings calmness to your mind.
By having a daily schedule , it also means that you will be able to try and help your puppy get enough sleep. We often see an increase in puppies biting more , becoming easily frustrated and almost going into a frenzy when they are overtired. This can tend to add to our anxious state.
I have put together a daily plan example , each puppy will be different in terms of how much they sleep at a time etc. but you can use it as a guideline.
Just like that , Ralph has officially been home with us for one year.
I sat down over the weekend and remembered where we were at a year ago and the emotions that came with it all.
That feeling of shock setting in that this little howling white polar bear was our new family member.
The shock of the piercing sharp shark teeth.
The shock of sleep deprivation.
The shock of our entire structured routine life being turned upside down.
Does my anxiety still surface at times? Of coarse , but it also disappears instead of lingering around like it did when Ralph was a puppy.
I am sitting here , a year later , with my big Swissie snoozing peacefully by my feet. Our cats , happily sitting on the couch next to me. Everyone , coexisting together , happily.
And I think back , to the moments where I actually considered giving Ralph back to the breeder since I believed he deserved a better more loving family.
The moments where I thought I just couldnât raise him properly.
How wrong was I , he is exactly where he needs to be , he is exactly the dog we always wanted and I couldnât imagine our life without him.
However , when you are in the deep of the puppy blues , itâs hard to imagine that it will get better.
But it will.
I promise.
I am a message away , please donât resort to giving your puppy up just yet. Have a chat with me. I have been there , in the worst of it.
We have had a couple of lovely people offer to share their puppy blues story , here is the first one.
I hope by reading other peopleâs experiences it will help to make you feel less alone if you are going through it right now đ
Enrichment is important for pups - it involves engaging your pup with activities which are designed to stimulate their mind , provide outlets for their natural instincts and keep them physically fit too.
During the puppy blues , itâs important to make sure you are making time for yourself. You may feel guilty if you are , but by providing your pup with something to do , it can be enough to give you a breather while providing them with fantastic enrichment at the same time.
Make sure you supervise your puppy with anything that they may be able to chew and swallow like snuffle mats , tin foil in a bowl etc.
If I wanted time away to go have a shower etc. without being able to supervise Ralph then I would give him a WEST PAW Toppl which I got from Enriched Canines . However , it does depend on how much of strong chewer your pup is .
I did a lot of kibble (meal) scatters on the lawn for Ralph and I found it was a good way to get him sniffing and get his mind working at the same time đ
There are a lot of options out there , find what your pup enjoys the most and make use of that when you need a breather!
Who is behind this account?
Hi đ I am Livia and I started the Puppy Blues Project in October last year after going through them myself with my Swiss Shepherd puppy , Ralph.
I studied Canine Behaviour and Training for a year and graduated early 2021 and for the last year and a half I have been running puppy classes.
I have raised puppies previously so Ralph wasnât my first puppy.
I felt well prepared and confident , until Ralph arrived home , within a day the shock started to set in and the he puppy blues also started to set in.
I felt ashamed and even more so because I am a dog trainer.
When I started researching , I quickly realised there wasnât much online dedicated to helping people who are going through the puppy blues.
I started sharing my story online and before I knew it , I was having a number of messages from people who were or had gone through similar experiences.
This is how this page came about.
It is my mission now to help anyone going through the Puppy Blues by sharing what worked for me , what didnât , and also sharing other stories from other people who have gone through it.
I donât want anyone ever feeling alone and feeling like they couldnât talk to anyone about it.
If you are going through them at the moment then I am a message away , if you have been through them then I would love to share your story ( anonymously if you like) so others donât feel so alone.
đđđđ
Feeling alone seems to be something which is mentioned by a number of people I have spoken to who have or are going through the Puppy Blues.
Not knowing who to turn to and also fearing being judged can prevent people from talking openly about that they are struggling.
âItâs just a puppy , I should be able to handle thisâ
Itâs not just a puppy.
A puppy is a living being who is reliant on us to be able to feed them , take them out for their scheduled toilet breaks , schedule their naps , to help them start understanding our human world. They rely on us to keep an eye on them whenever they are awake.
It is a lot of pressure.
It is a lot of time.
And it can be a lot of stress.
Your emotions and feelings are completely valid.
If you are feeling like you are alone , then I am a message away - even if you just need someone to write to đ
Livia
Here are some of the things which I found helpful during the Puppy Blues.
Just remember , that you are not alone , if you donât have anyone that you feel comfortable talking to , then feel free to message me through this page.
I have been through it and I understand how scary it can feel.
Donât give up on your puppy yet or struggle through it alone đ
10 months Ralph has been home with us.
His shark needle teeth are a memory.
His howls in the middle of the night are a memory.
Him not understand us is a memory.
Me struggling to see a light at the end of the puppy tunnel is a memory.
Me crying multiple times during the day is a memory.
Me feeling like I was the worst dog mum in the world is a memory.
Me regretting bringing him home is a memory.
Before you know it your puppy will be one.
Even if right now , it feels like that milestone will never come aroundâŠ.it will.
And when it does , all the things that are hard right now will be distant memories đ§Ą
Trust me , I wouldnât change Ralph being in our lives for the world now , but I sure had to work through the tough first few months with the Puppy Blues.
You have got this đ
These are common signs of Puppy Blues - they will vary from person to person. Some people might have all of the signs , some might only have one or two , and some wonât have any.
â â â â â â â â â
Puppy Blues are incredibly common , even when older dogs are adopted and they arrive home.
â â â â â â â â â
Recognising you are going through Puppy Blues is the first step , the next step is to start making small changes to help you get through the hard weeks.
â â â â â â â â â
I will post another infographic a bit later about things that could potentially help.
This photo makes me get a lump in my throat.
Looking at it now , my heart breaks thinking about how I thought Ralph deserved a better family than us đ
I remember , sobbing most days thinking this.
Thinking that Iâm the worst human ever feeling the way I was feeling , that he would be so much better off with another family.
The fact of the matter is , I was overwhelmed , tired , and just lost and in shock.
I have had so many people message me and with a lot of their experiences , they also mention feeling this way.
So , take it from someone who has been there tooâŠâŠYour puppy is most definitely in the best family they can be in.
It might not seem like that now , but trust me in another few months you will start seeing it.
Bit by bit , that bond will start growing and growing , and the love you will have for your fluff ball will be more than you could have ever imagined.
Donât feel guilty for feeling this way , you are allowed to.
Feel the emotions , acknowledge them , and keep pushing through each day.
đđđđ
Ashamed.
This is exactly how I felt when I was struggling when Ralph first came home.
âHeâs just a puppy , I shouldnât feel like thisâ
I would talk down my emotions and make myself believe that they werenât valid.
Your emotions and everything you are feeling are VALID.
They are real and they are raw.
Never feel ashamed or as though you shouldnât be feeling what you are feeling.
A new puppy or dog can be a shock to the system and boy can they be hard work too. Itâs ok to feel overwhelmed and itâs ok to feel like you are struggling.
Just know , that it does get better.
The feelings of regret , the feelings of guilt , the feelings of failure will all pass.
Ralph is over 6 months old now , and the majority of my puppy blues emotions have passed.
You will get to this point too just donât give up đ
And once again , donât feel ashamed as there are plenty of us that have gone through the same emotions and thoughts đ
There are number of ways you can help reduce the anxiety you may be feeling , but these are the top 3 things that I found worked for me đ
Feeling anxious when you bring home a puppy can be completely normal , however , sometimes this anxiety becomes overbearing.
Itâs the type of anxiety that makes it hard to breath at times.
I remember when we got back into the car from when we picked Ralph up. It was raining and we were all drenched. I was holding him in my arms and he started howling and didnât stop until we arrived home.
It was a shock to the system and the anxiety came flooding in.
With each night that passed , the sleep deprivation became worse. Ralphâs cries would instantly cause my heart to race and I struggled to think clearly.
He was trying to adjust.
Even though I kept telling myself this , that intense anxiety wouldnât subside.
Am I doing this right?
Am I exposing him to enough things?
Am I giving him positive interactions?
Why am I feeling like this?
Why am I being so weak?
I started putting more and more pressure on myself to raise a âperfectâ puppy. This only added to the anxiety.
Over the next few days I will share some things that helped me with the anxiety - I still get the anxiety at times. However , itâs nothing compared to the severe anxiousness I was feeling for the first couple of months.
Behind this photo was a daily struggle.
I would wake up , exhausted , the dread of trying to make it through another day looking after our polar bear.
I was overwhelmed , anxious all the time , cried the majority of the day and I resented our gorgeous white fluff ball.
I thought I was prepared.
I thought the year studying canine behaviour and training would surely help?
I have gone through bringing a puppy into my life before so itâll be fine.
But the moment we picked our little Ralphie up , and he howled almost the entire way home , the anxiety starting to set in.
I never in a million years thought I would go through puppy blues.
Yet , here I was , trying my best not to drown , looking forward to 10pm every night when Ralph went to sleep.
This went on for close to 2 months.
Fast forward to now , 4 months since he came home. I wouldnât change it for the world.
This little guy has taught me so much about myself , he has changed me and he has changed my life.
For the better.
I hope that with the Puppy Blues Project , we will be able to reach as many people as we can that are struggling like I did.
I want people to know that they are not alone.
That they donât need to feel ashamed.
And I want to try and help them to come out of it faster than I did so that they can enjoy their fluff balls for longer đ they arenât with us for long , so we need to make the most of every moment đ¶
You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed.
That is the first and most important thing to know.
A lot of people experience the puppy blues , some go through a very hard time with it and some people have it milder.
Welcome to the Puppy Blues Project đ
This is a place where I will share tips , other peopleâs experiences and just be here for anyone that may need to vent or talk when they are feeling overwhelmed with their puppy/dog.
If you have been through puppy blues and would be happy to share your experience, what worked for you etc. then please private message me. I can keep it anonymous đ
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Puppy Blues Project posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?
