# Things we have learned in the past 24 hours



## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

What I have learned:
puppy teeth are sharp.  this is a lesson that Jake never taught me but Willow is the master.
puppies can whine and cry for a VERY long time! :hurt: sometimes they need to stop for a second, and you think it might be over, but they were just recharging.
puppies on cheap food poop a lot. I knew this too be true but man can't change her food fast enough. 
puppies need to pee A LOT between 12 and 5. (Jake forgot to teach me this too as he slept through the night from day two)
It is very COLD when you forget your shoes and coat in sleepless rush to get puppy out the door at 2 am. hno:
puppies think it is time to play outside when you forget your coat and shoes. 
it take a LONG time for fingers to uncramp when you fall asleep with them stuffed in the bars of a puppy crate.
it is too easy to get mad when you wake up (from the only 20 mins of sleep you got all night) to your cramped fingers being taught that puppy teeth are sharp. 
puppies don't always stop when you say NO in a deep, firm growly voice like they teach you in puppy class. :huh: (what's up with that)
puppies need to know who is the boss from day one. Now I knew this one, but I forgot and now I am paying for it. 
people love to say "you wanted that puppy" and it is true, but it still stinks. 

Things Jake has learned:
It stinks to have dangling parts.  ears, fake tails and well boy stuff. 
It stinks when mum forgets she is the boss. 
It stinks to have a sissy that keeps you up all night.
It stinks when your best buddy (teenage boy) does not understand that you are not really trying to eat the puppy's head and he gets mad at you. :cry2: 
It stinks when you are done playing and sissy isn't. You tell her to stop but she keeps going  what's wrong with her.

Things Jake and I are going to remember:
We need to stick together if we are going to make it through this. 
Sissy need time to learn the rules.
Mum needs to remember the rules. (nothing a sleepless night won't bring into focus)
Anything done can be undone. (hence sissy is now in confinement. She has currently been crying about it for over and hour but mum is being strong)
Puppies are only puppies for a very short time. (I repeated this one about seven thousand times last night.)
When they both want to play it is LOTS of fun for everyone.
Sissy is very cute. (that is going to go a LONG way for her)
My coat and shoes at 2 am!

Things I am thankful for:
All of you who will listen, understand and not judge as I am not proud of how I feel right now. :embarrassed: nor how many things I did wrong in the first 24 hours.
Jake being such a good puppy then and now. If he had been like Willow I never would have gotten her and we already love her to bits.(although I kept forgetting why last night.  )
that she finally fell asleep
That puppies grow fast and that hubbies forget they are mad when the beautiful little puppy bats her long red lashes at them. 
and she is up....that was fast!


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## Lottierachel (Mar 3, 2013)

i LOVE this post. Currently on day 4 with Tilly and so many of these are true for me too - although she doesn't have a big brother to bully, so me and my OH are getting extra finger bites!

We will get through this =)

xx


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

Donna, how well we will all identify with this! Your honesty and humour will get you through, just vent on here and you'll get loads of commiseration, support and help!

The first two weeks are the worst, after the second injections and they can go out it does get better.

Unfortunately puppies aren't issued with a rule book, more's the pity, and their learning period is nightmare at times. Just have a few rules, namely the ones that help keep you sane, and stick to them like mad! 

Big hugs all round from Jenna, Meadow and me


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## RangerC (Jan 23, 2013)

Ha ha. I think you are doing great and don't be so hard on yourself.


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## ncjj678 (Jun 7, 2012)

This post really made me laugh (and fill with me with a slight dread at the same time). 5 more sleeps til I pick up Beau. Sounds like I need to make the most of sleep and peace before he arrives! I'm more apprehensive about bringing my puppy home for the first time than I
was bringing my first child home from hospital! I'm sure it will be me posting messages of distress next week! 
Xxx


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

My first rule for today was all your naps will be in the crate. I hope that this will make being in the crate at night better. The first night she did really well so I figured she was ok with it. 
At the moment she is sound asleep in the crate and Jake is taking a much needed rest at my feet. (Penny is walking around like "why does everyone around here sleep so much")
I am confident I will have this under control by wed. (the day I go back to work) Of course they are now saying another possible big snow storm Monday. Have no clue how that will work out, but Jake will be thrilled.
It is funny with Jake my biggest worry was that he might pee on the floor. With Willow I was thinking "go ahead an pee where ever you want Just please, for the love of God, stop crying!!!"


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Great post Donna! Made me chuckle 
Who would think there could be so many highs and lows crammed into such a short time! Thank goodness it doesn't last long. Keep laughing and it'll pass much quicker.


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

progress... 

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2


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## Jedicrazy (Apr 26, 2011)

Donna, great honesty and humour . Don't forget she did have a long, frightening journey on her own so no surprise she is crying a lot. With your love and patience she will get over it and settle in. 

Big hugs and some much needed zzzzzzzzzzzzz's to you from us.


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

What a gorgeous picture! Peace at last:baby2::bunny3:


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## Muttley Brody (Feb 14, 2012)

Super cute in the photo.


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## Mclisa (Dec 26, 2012)

What a brilliant post, brings back some not so long ago memories, Charlie is almost 5 months now and a few days into having him I was thinking what the hell did we do but slowly but surely it does get better and you'll realise, gosh I haven't had to clean up a pee in a few days. Of course there will be set backs and bumps along the way but they are so worth it and my god do they make you laugh. Being a newly married couple who didn't live together before marriage, Charlie has dissipated a fair few arguments with his little funny antics


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## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Ah but she is so adorable! I have to say if it were me, I would save my sanity and invest in a good pair of ear plugs! Lack of sleep just makes everything 100% harder and if,like me, you've got a family as well to look after, you need to take care of yourself first and foremost otherwise you can start resenting the situation. I hope she settles for you soon. x


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh Donna I feel for you. Could you let her snuggle up with Jake at night instead of crating her? Max didn't cry once at night because he snuggled with Mandy in the utility room. I put paper down for him to poop on. Shut the door and had a blissful full nights sleep. I really do not think it took any longer to house train him either. Just made it easier for me. Also if she cries during the day...give her a cuddle. She needs you.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Love this post. Donna you abolutely describe that mish mash of new puppy emotions... Little steps, it does get better and soon Willow will be just as perfect as her lovely big brother...


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Cat 53 said:


> Oh Donna I feel for you. Could you let her snuggle up with Jake at night instead of crating her? Max didn't cry once at night because he snuggled with Mandy in the utility room. I put paper down for him to poop on. Shut the door and had a blissful full nights sleep. I really do not think it took any longer to house train him either. Just made it easier for me. Also if she cries during the day...give her a cuddle. She needs you.


Though I have hope they will get there, Jake is having no part of snuggling. 
She can chase him all she wants, but that is the limit for now. 
Things are going better today. Turns out that when I turned in early, having done the night and morning shift, he let Willow sleep from 9-12 and then tried to pop her into bed when he was ready for bed. Makes more sense now. I think with a sensible schedule today, naps in the crate and some good play before bed, she will make the night. 
(oh and we have had lots of good cuddles today too!)


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

That photo makes it look as if Willow is outgrowing her crate already!
You'll all get into a pattern soon enough...
Glad you've had a good day, now just need a good night to make it perfect


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

Hope you have sweet dreams tonight.......all of you.


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## Bev13 (Jan 29, 2013)

Brilliant post! Think I felt all of those things when Lexi was that age. Xx


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## eddie1 (May 31, 2012)

They are lovely pics of her in the crate. Just think that it can only get better,hopefully. Hope you have a good sleep tonight x x


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## NikkiB (Jan 16, 2013)

Love this post so much!!! You begin to think you are the only one who is suffering these things and that you must just have a difficult puppy. It is sooooo nice to share that we have all been through it and that all of us at some point through lack of sleep or pure frustration have thought ' oh my! What have i done! I had such a peacefull life!' 
Thanks for sharing what so many of us have been thinking but are too scared to say!!!
Also thanks for the posts about it not lasting long and then it's the next difficult phase
I think i'm just getting into that stage! Here we go again.................


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## Von (Nov 1, 2012)

I think Donna's post should be a sticky on the Puppy Place!


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## Skyesdog (Jun 7, 2012)

It is amazing how quickly you forget the low points of the first few nights/weeks. Your post has made me remember why I need to hold off getting a second..... but Willow is so utterly adorable!


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## Minnie (Jun 8, 2012)

Welcome to my world 

But I promise it does get better
Xxxx


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Marzi said:


> That photo makes it look as if Willow is outgrowing her crate already!
> You'll all get into a pattern soon enough...
> Glad you've had a good day, now just need a good night to make it perfect


Marzi she is now in a bigger crate. She loves to stretch out. She is a bit longer than Jake was at this age so we went a size up.


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Minnie said:


> Welcome to my world
> 
> But I promise it does get better
> Xxxx


It is important to know we are in this together and it is ok to be thinking bad things when you are tired and frustrated. 
I have always loved to just try and laugh about it and make people laugh about it. I have also always been a real straight forward talking person. (sometimes maybe too much )
Today has been one of the longest days of my life. (well my life in the last ten years anyway) but I am sitting here watching my poos and I love them so much I would not change it.
(of course I may delete this post at 3am) 
Sleep well and thank you all for being such a great support system. xoxoxo


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Donna, that post is so good, much as you sound slightly frazzled you can hear the humour coming through and it sounds as if Jake is being a really good boy with his naughty little sister, hang on it there, bet there are no dull moments now!!


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

REALLY AWESOME POST!! and so very true, the puppy days are HARD work, and just so you know...even if Jake had been a devil puppy..you would still have her. Lady was not fun as a puppy with the biting and attacking of feet, and the peeing constantly and the never sleeping for 3 whole weeks....and I will take a second in a second.


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## mairi1 (Mar 12, 2012)

Ah Donna I couldn't help but smile at this 

Lovely, honest post and you sound like you're dealing with things just perfectly...

I hope everyone got a better sleep last night...

xxx


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Congrats on poo number 2 .. love the list of things ... had me smiling xxx


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## Nanci (Mar 1, 2012)

Oh Donna . . this post was totally priceless!! I loved it!! It made me laugh so hard remembering all those feelings and frustrations!! I took off 10 days with both of them and was looking so foward to some EXTRA sleep time . . right?? NOT . . I was so sleep deprived by day 4 I felt like a zombie! Thank you so much for sharing and please know Willow will be brilliant in no time!! Hang in there girl!!!


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