Raising from puppyhood..

[Fran101]

I was just wondering..

I'm one of those people that has NEVER had/raised puppies. Always adult already trained dogs.

at first,I wanted my next dog to be a puppy just because its something I've never done before and puppies are so cute!

and then I started thinking about it and I'm not sure.. I don't like messes.. potty training seems like a real bitch.. I don't really know how to train a puppy, and the idea of a puppy chewing on my personal belongings makes me cringe. and oh my god potty training.

Oh and next time around I'm doing the rescue route. so getting a puppy would really be a coin toss because id probably be getting a mixed dog and I have pretty specific ideas about what I want for size/temperament.

Anywhoo..

For those who have raised puppies to adulthood..

Do you think its worth it?
Would you have it any other way?
why/why not?
Pros/Cons

Do you think its something everyone should experience? '

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

 

[stardogs]

I've never had a dog of mine any earlier than 4 mo and I like it that way - housetraining is way easier, though they still are pretty much like a toddler and you'll still need to puppy proof your house. Personally, I looove early adolescence (5mo to about 7 or 8 mo), but many of my clients hate it because the dog is still very much a baby. 7-10 months is the span I refer to as the alien brain abduction phase - their retention and attention span is greatly decreased and they sometimes seem to forget things they knew before - very exasperating for many. There's a reason that most dogs enter a shelter between 6 and 18 months of age.

For some people adult dogs will always be the way to go and there's nothing wrong with that. Honestly in your area, adult dogs are more in need of homes than puppies, so you actually might have more of a selection if you wanted an adult.

Of course puppies are insanely cute to make up for their mischievousness and you can often mold them to your needs a bit better (though taking your time to find the right adult can have the same benefits in terms of fitting into your life), both big plusses for many. I like young adolescents because they are little learning sponges without being too short on attention or coordination.

 

[Laurelin]

I've done both multiple times- 3 dogs came to us as adults and then the rest have been puppies. I don't think either is 'better' and neither guarantees a completely stable/easy dog.

Do you think its worth it?

Yes, but on the other hand it has also been worth missing out on the puppyhoods of the other dogs we've had too. I think all my dogs have been worth it, no matter how I came about getting them. I did not get my heart dog until she was 4 years old. She's just perfect and I have absolutely bonded with her as much as I would have if I got her as a puppy.

Would you have it any other way?

Yes, I would definitely adopt or buy an adult dog in the future too. It depends.

why/why not?

Because you can find awesome adult dogs in shelters or retired breeders or grown out dogs. I am sure I will get more adult dogs in the future but I definitely want more puppies too.

Pros/Cons

Depends. with a puppy, even if you really research the breed and the lines, you don't know what you have. With an adult you know more of what the final product is. on the other hand, being able to start a dog out right is a good thing too. And yes, puppies are freaking adorable and lots of fun. I loved having puppy Mia and I miss it some days. On the other hand, they make messes, they scream and cry, the chew EVERYTHING. Each one is a separate challenge. Mia was a ton of work as a puppy- no off switch, everything in the mouth, she screamed a lot, she peed on the floor a lot, etc. It took up pretty much all my spare time to raise her. Mia was pretty much puppy from hell for a while. She's still a ton of work at 18 months now, much much more than Summer was when I got her.

Of my others... Nard was a hard puppy but a wonderful adolescent and adult. Beau was an easy puppy all around but he had a ton of energy up until about 4 years. Nikki was pretty good minus the chewing the wallpaper thing. Of our 3 adults, Trey was a hard one to fit in but the other two fit right in pretty much immediately.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

No, I think a lot of people would much rather skip it to be honest.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

No. I think it helps but the temperament has to be there first. Some dogs can't overcome this. Trey was socialized pretty much as much as possible by his breeder (taken all over to trials and such) and he was very unstable. I think it's a definite positive thing though to make those good experiences and lay foundation work, but it's never a guarantee.

 

[MisssAshby]

When I'm considering adding another dog and the source of which I will get the dog a few things go in to play.

-Type of dog (size)
-Temperament of said dog (what it ideally should be/could be)
-Health issues of the breed I'm wanting.

If I'm looking for a breed that is known to have a strong temperament and/or health issues I will not get a dog from the shelter/rescue. I will purchase from a reputable breeder as a puppy. To me it's extremely important that I know the background of a dog who is capable of being powerful, etc. Some people are experienced enough to handle these kind of dogs from a rescue/shelter but most aren't. Dogs I'm referring to would be something like Filas, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, etc.

If it's a smaller "family" type breed/dog I don't really see anything wrong with getting a rescue as a puppy or adult - it all depends upon what you are after.

Personally, for me I will probably always have puppies as I think it's worth the extra time. I currently own both (breeder and shelter/rescue) and can see the pros/cons of both. However, with that said I DO NOT think everyone should experience owing a puppy -- some are cut out for it some are not -- simple as that.

Potty training isn't that bad

ETA: I forgot to respond about the socialization part - but I agree with what Laur posted.

 

[Laurelin]

Yes I agree. There are certain breeds I definitely would want from a breeder too. Keep in mind though that none of the dogs I've gotten as adults have been rescues, they're all breeder dogs whom I knew their entire story before we got them.

Mia is sooo worth her puppyhood and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I haven't decided on puppy versus adult rescue for the next dog though. The breed I'm looking at could be easy to find a good one either way.

 

[mrose_s]

We've always had our dogs from puppyhood, Sophie and Harry were 4 months old when we got them but otherwise they've all been about 8 weeks.
But I hadn't done the hard yards with any of them till Quinn, I knew I wanted a puppy, I wanted the hard work and I got it. The first few weeks were 5 hours of sleep a night, there was always an accident to clean up and now she's just starting to start destroying things. I wouldn't change it though, I wanted a dog I knew the entire story of from the start and that I could raise just how I wanted.

Even my mother has commented that Quinn is a high maintenance puppy though, she's just nuts.

I think I'll have both puppies and adults in future.

 

[Saeleofu]

If I never had to raise another puppy from scratch I wouldn't miss it. Max was a puppy when we got him. Yeah, he was cute, but potty training sucks. I do NOT have the energy for potty training a puppy right now, so it was awesome I found an adult dog that was exactly what I want/need.

That being said, it is nice to raise a pup from the start, because you get to mold it the way you want it to be. You do have to be careful, because you can also screw up a dog.

If I were going with a breeder, I'd be more apt to get a puppy just because I know what the parents are like. I know what went on during early puppyhood (I swear I'll never get a dog from a breeder that doesn't do early neurological stimulation again, if I can help it). I know what to expect, at least somewhat. Honestly, if I had the time, space and money, I'd snatch up one of Jordan's puppies in a heartbeat, even if it is a puppy.

If I were to go with a rescue, I'd get an adult dog, no question. That way I know the size, temperament and other things from the get go. I don't have to worry about my rescued pup, raised all the right ways, going psycho later in life just because of poor breeding. Most of the time (not always, though, by any means) you can tell if an adult is psycho, or may become so. A puppy's just a cute little pile of fluff

So in short - I'd get an adult if I were to rescue, and would prefer an adult from a breeder, though I'd consider a puppy from a breeder if it was what I was wanting in a dog.

ETA: It would depend on the breeder whether I'd get an adult from them, too. I know some breeders just let the dogs sit there and age. Logan's breeder apparently socializes the crap out of them and trains them, so they're wonderful, well-adjusted adults instead of wild, untrained adults.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I brought Jackson home when he was 9 weeks old and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I LOVED being able to raise him the way I wanted to, right from the start. I love having somewhat of a 'clean slate' with a puppy and can mold them into what I want them to become. I bonded REALLY close with him during those first few weeks... he's certainly my heart dog through and through.

Was it hard work? Of course. I remember being on a strict schedule. I was 18 and used to staying up super late and sleeping in late, that changed for a bit. I was so exhausted by 9pm that I was ready to go to sleep. So we'd go out for the night, he'd wake me up again around 3am, and then sleep til about 7am, then we'd have our morning play-time and feeding from 7-8, and I'd go back to sleep with him for another hour (was on winter break from college when I got him). I began socializing right away, and training, etc. I would say it was the hardest for the first two months but then he adjusted very well to my schedule. Now, he will sleep in happily with me til 11am on the weekends, etc.

I have considered adopting an older dog next time around just because I'm unsure of the puppyhood thing again. But looking back, I guess it wasn't that hard, and it went by sooo fast. I hardly even remember to be honest. And I keep going back to the fact that I really like to raise a dog from a pup. I don't know why exactly. My stepmom adopted their rescue Buddy and he's a sweetheart of a dog but he's got his issues that did not arise until he became comfortable around us. He hates strangers, he will bark and bark and never shut up, he WILL bite, etc. These are all issues they've been working on training, etc, but it's not really something I WANT to risk. And I know there's a potential to get a puppy with these issues too but I do feel it can lessen some things.

I think I will end up getting a puppy again whenever I add a second dog. There's just something I like about it. But I would never be opposed to the idea of adding an adult dog that is a match for us either.

 

[HayleyMarie]

Do you think its worth it?

Totally 100%. I liked how I was able to socialize Teagan to the extreem and shape her into a dog that I wanted to an extent.

Would you have it any other way?

No, I am pretty sure most of my future dogs will be puppies from a fantastic breeder. Until the point when I am ready to rescue an older dog, probably an older pibble.

why/why not?

I like knowing that I have a well socialized, confident dog that has seen the world as a puppy and that will be able to take on the world full force as a dog.

Pros/Cons

socializing the crap outta a puppy is alot of work, so is the training and waking up at 3 in the morning because the baby needs to go pee. Pros is you get to watch the puppy grow and experiance the world. And hopfully the puppy ends up as a well rounded confident dog.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

no, I think alot of people would not have the patients or have enough tolerence training a puppy

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

No, it helps ALOT though. Genetics still come into play.

 

[Paul Bright]

Do you think its worth it? - yes definitely worth it.
Would you have it any other way? - no
why/why not? - the joy and bond that grows between a puppy and owner until the puppy becomes a dog is stronger. The joy a puppy bring is irreplaceable.
Pros/Cons - pros - innocence, love, different kind of care needed.
cons - more training required, more shots

Do you think its something everyone should experience? - definitely NOT. Only people who are willing to care, who are patient enough to train, and who are loving enough should get a puppy.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog? -- always is a hard word to tackle with. I'd say the chances are a lot HIGHER.

 

[Laurelin]

why/why not? - the joy and bond that grows between a puppy and owner until the puppy becomes a dog is stronger. The joy a puppy bring is irreplaceable.

I disagree with this a lot. I hear this all the time and I just can't say it's true at all. Like I said, my heart dog I got at 4 years old. It doesn't matter one bit that I didn't have her as a puppy, she's still MY girl and such a special dog to me.

Now, I love Mia too but I don't feel the bond with Mia is any stronger than the bond with Summer. I had a very strong bond with Trey too, and with Rose. We did not raise any of them.

 

[ihartgonzo]

Personally, I LOVE raising puppies... I love the experience, the puppy smell, the bonding, the training (yes. I love potty training, ok?), and seeing all of your hard work pay off in amazing ways. I love having a blank canvas to work with. Well, not exactly blank, considering genetics.

The downsides are that puppies are super frustrating and annoying and ridiculous at times. Everyone goes through the puppy blues, where you regret ever getting a puppy... usually when they won't stop screaming in their crate and you have to take them out in the freezing night and they then cry to go inside when you KNOW they have to potty, or when they destroy stuff that you know you shouldn't have left out, etc. It's very stressful and insane at first, but once you get into a routine and as long as you spend plenty of time with the puppy, setting boundaries and teaching them what you want and guiding them, it's really lots of fun. I am some one who is good at raising puppies! Super good. Like, my friends have made me keep their puppies for weeks to set them up. So, I think I'll always get puppies, except for special adult dogs.

I got Gonzo as an adolescent and I wish all the time that I got him as a puppy... that doesn't change the fact that he's the best, though. I got Fozzie as a puppy... and I would not have it any other way, at all! He is a bomb-proof dog and I raised him to be that way. I can trust him in any situation and with any person/animal, because he has been so socialized and has only known good and happiness in his life. He has also totally taken on my personality. I feel like he's genuinely a product of his environment, and I love that.

If you work 40 hours a week, are a full-time student, go out all the time, don't have a yard, and/or you aren't home for several hours a day; I wouldn't recommend getting a puppy. It is so hard to properly raise a puppy with just a few hours a day together. One of the reasons I won't be getting a pup for a while. I just don't have tons of free time to work with my puppy and cherish puppyhood.

 

[Taqroy]

Do you think its worth it?

Ehhhh. I helped raise my parent's dog from a puppy and raised Mu also. Don't get me wrong, they were super cute and I love(d) both of them but puppies are a giant PITA.

Emmy was really hard to housetrain and she was extremely protective of things that she considered "hers", like her kennel and me and the truck and parts of the property. We socialized the crap out of her (the result of two teenage girls with active social lives in love with the dog lol) and she was still that way. It was partially a breed trait thing but partially just the way she was wired I think.

Mu was like that little kid that runs around like a freaking hooligan pulling everyone's hair (or Murphy's tail). She was a BRAT and I was totally unprepared to deal with her. It didn't help that I was working at least 50 hours a week and that Matt is really really awful at house training. We socialized her quite a bit but she's still fairly stand offish with strangers and she is not good with dogs outside of our house (generally speaking). The DR is totally my fault. We're working on it in our training class though.

To stop rambling and answer the question: Yes I think it's worth it if you know what you're doing. I totally winged it and managed to come out with an awesome dog, but if I had to do it again I would have done so many things differently.

Would you have it any other way?

Oh sure. I got Murphy when he was 4 years old and I wouldn't trade him for the world. He's not the best behaved and he's not bomb proof, but he is a total sweetheart and would move the world for me. Tipper is 1 1/2 to 2 years old and I think if I had her as a puppy I would have either died from cuteness overload or pulled all my hair out and run away screaming. LOL. As it is I get to appreciate her energy and willingness to be trained and not have to go through any of the awful stuff, like the teenage phase, or the chewing stage. It's awesome.

why/why not?

I like adult dogs. They're pretty settled into their attitude/idiosyncrasies so it's easier to tell if they will fit into my household. I like other people's puppies...but as I've said before, I'm not getting another puppy until the horror that is Mu's puppyhood has faded from my mind.

Pros/Cons

Hmmm.

Pros of a puppy: CUTE, fun, easy to train (usually), mold-able to a point.
Cons of a puppy: House-training (UGH), biting, chewing, training, socializing

Those are the big ones I can think of. But it's early and I need coffee so I'm sure there's more.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

HECK NO. I wouldn't give Mu up for love or money, but I did not like her as a puppy. We didn't really start bonding until she was about 4 months old. I fully underestimated the amount of patience/time/energy it takes to raise a puppy. I will not do that again.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

Depends on the genetics of the dog I think. You can try your best but sometimes their nature will win over their upbringing. Example: Mu's standoffish-ness with strangers. That's a breed trait, not a lack of socialization. Tipper's complete and utter love of strangers is a breed trait also...just of the other half LOL. I can (and have) trained Mu out of barking at other people, but I can't make her like them and I don't really want to.

Sorry for the book. If anyone reads this whole thing you deserve a cookie. Lol.

 

[Beanie]

Eh, raising a puppy really wasn't that big of a deal. Auggie was difficult to potty train and a complete monster, too, and it still wasn't that big of a deal.
Bringing an adult dog into your home isn't a guarantee of anything either - you still might have to potty train, they still might chew up your stuff, they might have a myriad of problems. I don't really see the two as that different, though I suppose when you bring a puppy home you expect to be dealing with a bit of a monster. When you bring an adult into your home, you don't expect to have to deal with these issues, so when you DO end up dealing with them, it's suddenly like OMG OMG THIS IS SO BAD. A co-worker of mine has recently added a four year old lab to her home and she is having so many problems with him, from him peeing and pooping on their floors/furniture, destroying things, having serious SA and having nearly lost an eye because he was so intent on breaking out of his wire crate, it just goes on and on. I feel bad for her but I also sort of have that little voice in the back of my head going "Dear Lord, if they had Auggie, they would have shot themselves in despair."

So it really depends on the dog, IMO. I'm expecting getting a puppy next will be the right move, but if the right adult dog were out there, I wouldn't go "But I want a puuuuppyyyy" and not get them. It has nothing to do with liking puppies or adult dogs better and everything to do with the point being to find the right dog. I think there's only a handful of things where you would have an advantage getting a puppy instead of an adult, and that again comes down to each individual dog. There are plenty of adult dogs out there that have been wonderfully socialized, trained fantastically, and have no issues.

I also whole-heartedly agree with Laur - raising a puppy does not mean you're going to have some kind of magically stronger bond than if you brought an adult dog into your home.

 

[GoingNowhere]

You had foster puppies, right? Picture that, divided by the number of puppies you fostered, and then multiplied by say a year or two.

Puppies bring messes and definitely a lot of chewing/exploring with their mouths. If you aren't willing to deal with that, a puppy is probably not the right choice. But if you think you can get through it, puppies can be quite rewarding and are a blast to play with and train. Personally, I like fostering. It's just enough time to get my puppy fix and then I get to hand the little snot off to someone else!

 

[MandyPug]

Do you think its worth it?

Yes, i really like raising my own dog from puppyhood. They learn so much so fast in that short time that i want to be there for it all. Even though i made some mistakes with Izzie, she's exactly how i want her to be.

Would you have it any other way?

Maybe when i'm older i'll come across a dog in a rescue that suits me, but rescues here don't often have the breeds i'd consider owning. However i really like raising puppies so i don't see myself doing the adult dog thing soon.

why/why not?

Puppies are so fun and i made mistakes with izzie which lead us to not start any kind of agility training from the start. Plus my parents had a hand in training her (a bad hand) and squashed her drive for the most part. I want a puppy for my next dog so while she's growing i can do foundation type exercises and get that all out of the way earlier and really know how to foster drives so i can have a very successful young agility dog. If i got an adult dog there's a good chance they might be trained in a way that's not conducive to my plans.

Pros - It's extremely bonding to basically play mommy to that little bundle of cute, you get to raise the dog up from the start for what you want to do the way you want to do it, puppies are so bloody cute.

Cons - They're messy, they chew, they test your patience, they have no attention span.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

No. If you don't like messes or chewing or a dog that's going to walk away from you to see something shiny and explore, don't get a puppy. If you don't have the time or patience to work and raise a dog up don't get a puppy.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

No. You could always be training and socializing the puppy in a completely inappropriate way. Not to mention genetics plays a factor. There's always times when something bad could happen and those bad experiences can set a puppy back a lot.

 

[stardogs]

Something I had to add - this isn't an either/or situation. There are plenty of young dogs that are looking for homes that are out of the infant puppy stuff but not a full adult - remember that a dog is not considered a full adult until approximately 2 years of age.

Like I said in my previous post, most of the dogs in the shelters I've worked/volunteered in are between 6 and 18 months. Breed rescue is a bit different - all of my fosters have been over a year, and many are around 2yo, but you also will have more info on the dog than one from a shelter.

I love that I got the best of both worlds with my current 2 - obtained at 4 and 5.5 months so much less itty bitty puppy stuff, though still very much blank slates, and with the ability to tell more about their eventual size and personality. Both dogs are performance dogs. Z is quite successful - she really is about as close to a perfect agility dog for me as I could hope for! Kes is still in training but shows promise in several sports - he really is everything I wanted and more, though with some more challenges than Z.

 

[corgipower]

Do you think its worth it?

For me, yes. I have specific wants and goals with my dogs and it's easier to start training them when they're pups and don't have all sorts of bad habits...and for my wants, a bad habit could be anything from destructiveness to slow recalls to crooked sits.

Would you have it any other way?

Doubtful. But if I found an adult that had been raised and trained in keeping with how I would want it done, I might consider it.

why/why not?

I very much enjoy the puppies. The newness of everything, watching them learn and figure out things and grow, molding them into the maniacs I seem to be good at molding them into. I get a little bored when they're adults and everything is more repetitive.

Pros/Cons

Pros: I have a lot more control over what they experience and what they learn.

If there's a problem later, I have a better chance at figuring out why because I've been there for their history.

Cons:
3AM wake up calls

Do you think its something everyone should experience? '

No.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?

Nope. I think genetics is a big factor. I think no socialization is better than bad socialization, although good socializing is certainly better than either. I also think that trusting the handler can help with a dog who is unsure of things.

 

[BostonBanker]

I agree with Laurelin; I also hear people say that you bond more with a dog you get as a puppy, and I call bull on that I am far more bonded to Meg than I ever was to Medley, who we got at 8 weeks. The dogs who are really going to be part of your soul will be, whether they are 8 weeks or 8 years when you meet them.

I go back and forth on what I want to do for my next dog. Things were near perfect with Meg; she was about a year, and although she was never an indoor dog, she was old enough to housebreak in basically 2 days, as she was big enough to have the control once she understood what I wanted. She slept through the night from day one. I have one window sill with one toothmark in it; that was the extent of her destruction indoors. She slid into her new life so easily, it would be hard to top that experience!

 

[LilahRoot]

Personally, I have a stronger bond with Calli (3 years old when we adopted her) than the ones I raised. Puppies are horrible, especially Gia. I have been reduced to tears more than a hand ful of times over her.

I prefer adult dogs. Sometimes it's a little more difficult to manage. Before Gia we adopted a PP Chinese Crested from what we thought was a good breeder. Not long after leaving did we realize he had never left the house, had a harness on, walked on grass... yeah so we found a rescue that would work with him. (since the amazing breeder wouldn't take him back)

Honestly, just be sure of what you are getting into before you do it.