Raising from puppyhood..

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

My answers are in bold, red letters.

For those who have raised puppies to adulthood..
Do you think its worth it?

Yes. Having a puppy is FUN! If you take the correct measures, it's not terribly hard, and it's worth it to see your hard work pay off, and see your dog grow through each stage of it's life, and raise your dog the way you want it to be raised. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but there's nothing like training them from the start, and teaching them everything there is to know.

Would you have it any other way?

Well sure. We got Chloe as an adult. i wish I would've known her as a puppy, but that's an impossibility. I would adopt an older dog again, but I also enjoy having puppies.

Why/why not?

Puppies are fun, but if I found an older dog in a rescue who needed me, and I fell in love with them, it wouldn't bother me that it was an older dog.

Pros/Cons

Cons: Housebreaking. It's hard... but there's no guarantee that an adult dog will be housebroken. And there's no guarantee that a housebroken adult won't backtrack when they come into a new home. Starting from scratch is harder, granted, but it's do-able. And with the right tools, doesn't have to take too long, or be too hard. It's different for different dogs. Another con would be chewing. But not all puppies chew as much, or on the wrong things. Most of my puppies have preferred toys to furniture, and we've always kept shoes and such out of reach.

Pros: You get to experience puppy breath, and rub their little puppy bellies, and just....have a puppy. They're great.


Do you think its something everyone should experience?

Yes. I understand that not everyone WANTS to experience the puppy stage, but I do think it's someone everyone SHOULD experience. They grow out of it if you don't like it, but you'll never know if you like it or not unless you experience it!


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

No, not always, but for the most part, I think it does.

 

[Southpaw]

If I really think about, I do actually prefer the whole puppy thing. Juno is actually more annoying now than she was as a puppy, buuuuuut I think the vast majority of that is because of how I raised her. Which to me, is the cool thing about raising puppies--you can see what works and what didn't work so well, and alter it for the future. So in the future I probably wouldn't provide my dog exercise 24/7 and I'll reinforce them for just chilling out around the house, because that's a mistake I made with Juno. I'm actually excited to get a puppy again so that I can take the lessons I've learned and apply them, and see how that dog turns out.

From day 1 you can start teaching them whatever you want. I have a cat and my mom does daycare.... therefore both Juno and Lucy are phenomenal around cats and kids because that's how they've been raised. It can be more difficult to find a dog that is good with both, especially if you're looking for a certain breed.... and sometimes even harder to find a shelter that will adopt a dog out to houses with young kids.

Personally.... I don't enjoy training adult dogs. I find it more fun with puppies and they're much more receptive, they don't have any bad habits yet. A lot of the shelter dogs I'm around, all I can think of is the training that they need, and teaching a full grown lab not to knock you to the ground is much more frustrating than starting an 8 week old puppy out right.

Soooo, I actually like my dogs more once they're adults (and seniors are my favorite), but I enjoy the journey of getting them to be well behaved adults.

And, housebreaking was actually the easiest thing I ever did with Juno lol. Lucy was a nightmare but I didn't know what I was doing and didn't supervise her well enough, otherwise that probably would have went fine as well.

ETA: Your last question about socialization, it certainly helps but it only helps so much. Juno was socialized with all sorts of people in every environment, but as it is, she won't get anywhere near a strange man. Stuff happens.

 

[*blackrose]

For those who have raised puppies to adulthood..

Do you think its worth it?
Yes, I would say so. You put forth all of that effort, blood, sweat, and tears and then one day you wake up and you have a wonderful companion by your side. Or, in Chloe's case, she isn't a wonderful companion, but you can now live with her without wanting to kill yourself or her.

Also, seeing them mature and go through the awkward puppy stages is so much fun!

Would you have it any other way?why/why not?

Sure. Puppys are hell. LOL I would be just has happy adopting a dog if it fit what I wanted. Blackie was an adolescent puppy rescue, Rose was a puppy, Brownie was an adult rescue, Loupie was an adult, Chloe was a puppy rescue...I loved them all for different reasons and they were/are all great dogs (besides Chloe ).

Pros/Cons
I think the biggest cons of a puppy are:
1.) Housebreaking. They have no bladder control, have to go outside every hour, and wake up multiple times overnight because they have to be. UGH.
2.) Chewing/nipping. Labradors chew on EVERYTHING and will put anything not attached into their mouths. This is a pain in the butt. And I would say every puppy nips, and teaching bite inhibition isn't so much fun.
3.) Sheer energy level. Adult dogs can be active, but it seems like puppies are always two to three times more active than an adult. Chloe had to go out for walks or be played with every hour or so or she was impossible. I wanted to kill myself.

Pros? It is a puppy, it is cute, and it makes you go goo-goo. That's about it. ROFL

Do you think its something everyone should experience?
No. Some people shouldnt' be allowed puppies, just like some people shouldn't be allowed kids. If you can't take on the responsibility, don't do it.

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog?
No. Chloe was socialized and trained by me as a pup, and she is a problem child. She has anxiety problems, she's reactive, she has a very low threshold, she was severely resource possessive, didn't want to be restrained, groomed, or handled in any way, and she is way over the top excitable (which I think has something to do with her anxiety problems). Blackie and Rose were bascially never socalized and didn't receive any training until their adult years, and they were/are great dogs that you could do anything to and put in almost any situation with minimal stress (although Rose is shy and doesn't like new people). I think genetics plays a huge role in whether or not a dog is well balanced. No matter how well you build the house, a cracked foundation will cause you problems.

 

[Brattina88]

Do you think its worth it? For some people, yes. I personally don't think having a dog since puppy hood means that you'll be "closer" or "more strongly bonded". Puppies are a lot of work, but I wouldn't trade Maddie for anything in the world!!!! We are very in-tune, and she can just about read my mind. She can also communicate to me effectivly, so that I know what she wants. To be let out, to be fed, to be blow dried, if there's a toy under the couch she wants, etc :rofl1:
That being said, I feel just as bonded to Missy, and we pulled her from the pound when she was around 4 years old. I even moved out, and then moved back in, and it was like we never seperated She doesn't communicate to me like Maddie does, but that could be an individual dog thing, too.

Would you have it any other way? With Maddie, no. With any other dog... I don't know. I prefer older or adult dogs. I rarely EVER get puppy fever... like I said, puppies are a lot of work. You have to be really dedicated, and in the right mind set to do so.

why/why not? Potty training, whining, puppy shots, mouthing, chewing and training from scratch

Pros/Cons ^ I think pro would be one's personal attachment. Its natural for people to like to take care of babies (humans and animals ) to protect and raise them... whatever... but older dogs, or rescued dogs can be EQUALLY as attached or in-tune with you... imho. Cons would be puppies are a lot of work :rofl1: And raising them is expensive. Pros would be... welll... everyone loves puppies! lol

Do you think its something everyone should experience? NO. some people should NEVER have a puppy, but are good dog owners

Do you think training/socialization from puppyhood always creates a steady sound well behaved dog? No, not always. I mean, that's your goal... but it can be easy to mess up. Then you have to live with your mistake, and try and fix it. For example, when Maddie and I were both younger, I used to walk her to my kid brothers elementary school to pick him up and walk home with him. I'd done it many times. One time the kids all ran out of the building and surrounded us, spooking Maddie, trying to poke, prod, and pet. The kids had seen her many times before, and never did that so I don't know what possessed them to do it. Maddie did NOT like kids for a loooong time after that, she was afraid of them. It took a couple years to re-train that.
It also depends on the dogs temperament & breeding. Even how the bitch is to her puppies can effect how a dog reacts to things. I've fostered several dogs just last year who were very sound & well behaved, and who knows what their puppyhood was like.

 

[elegy]

i think it depends on you, on the puppy, on the breed, on what you want in a dog, on your lifestyle, on a lot of things.

after steve, i swore i'd never get another puppy. omg he was a hellish puppy. he's a pretty cool dog now, but not particularly cooler than my dogs adopted as adults. i don't have a closer bond with him. i do, however, have puppy pictures and puppy videos. that's one thing that makes me sad about getting adult dogs- i don't have those things to look back on and to share.

i'd go either way in the future. adult shelter or rescue dog, adult dog from a breeder, or puppy from a breeder. it will depend where i am and what i am specifically looking for when the time comes. i also have to take into consideration that steve doesn't take very well to a lot of bigger adult dogs, so i may have to look for a puppy.

 

[Lizmo]

Do you think its worth it?

I think alot would depend on the person, goals, etc. Someone who would like just a companion, it might be better to take an adult (whether from breeder or rescue) that won't need as much work as a young pup.

I love pups, though. I love the silly antics. The high hopes. The interest in everything.

Would you have it any other way?

Meaning would I do it again? Yes, definitely. But I also would take an adult in a heartbeat, too.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

No, definitely not. Not everyone wants to raise a pup and there isn't anyting wrong with that.

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

Absolutely not! I think if you're going to have a bond with a dog, you're going to have a bond - no matter when the dog came into your life.

 

[hey_jude]

I feel strongly about so many things in this world that are good for the world- charity and adoption being big ones for me- but for some reason when it comes to my dogs I really love puppies.

I've thought about adopting older dogs, but for me, not having kids yet but wanting them in the future, and living such a busy lifestyle where my dogs NEED to go to daycare and out in public a lot, I really wanted a lot of power in shaping them at a young age. I know even puppies can turn out to be mean dogs, and so many shelter does are wonderful- but for me I really wanted control over desensitizing, training, teaching patience, teaching a great attitude with kids, etc. Dog parks are a huge part of our life and I want all my dogs to be so socialized that I don't have to worry at all.

This doesn't even include the fact that I can't resist a cute adorable puppy.

For me, Jude was a dream puppy. No chewing, no nipping really, easy to train... a little slow on potty training but not too bad (we were living in a tough apartment at the time for this). I pray I get another great puppy this spring... we'll see!

 

[Fran101]

I feel so rotten saying this.. but I'm so not sure if its for me.
I've read over a few threads plus this one and wow it just seems like so much..work!

The very idea of potty training really freaks me out. I can only imagine waking up that often to let a puppy outside..or even just being around to let them out every like 2 hours and crate training..oy vey. plus messes/accidents. plus the chewing. I don't think im well suited. Probably the same reasons I don't like kids lol I don't have the patience
the thing is, I LOVE puppies. they are so flippin cute!

When I fostered the puppies..I remember what it was like. Oh my god..the crying at night, the potty breaks for what felt like every 4 minutes, I couldn't leave the house for more than 2 hours! .. cleaning up after them, saving my personal belongings.. and they were only here for like 6 weeks!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED fostering those puppies, it was really fun at times. but wow did it feel good when they went to their adopted homes lol

I just feel weird. Everyone is supposed to want a puppy.

but I like adults. I like knowing what I'm getting. I like seeing the finished product. and I like that most of the time they are out of the crazy potty training, chewing phase.

Weird.. maybe some people really aren't meant to raise puppies.

 

[Maxy24]

Since Tucker is still a pup and since I am not raising him I don't have a ton of answers but I'll mention a few things.

For the first maybe three days he was super, his nipping was normal, he only had maybe one accident. After that is was MISERABLE for about a month (oh and we got him at 10 weeks). The nipping was awful, breaking the skin constantly. If he wanted you to stop something he bit, wated to play, he bit, didn't want to go inside, he bit, was frustrated with you, he bit. No self control at all. After I went to school supervision on him dropped so accidents became pretty much daily except weekends. Now it's more under control, he'll go like five days without an accident and it's only poop accidents. In order to get there he had to be taken out evey hour (except at night or when in his pen) and we had to make sure he got special potty treats (NB rolls) for only potty breaks.

The absolute hardest part was the supervision, having to watch him all the time. I couldn't just sit on the computer because I had to watch him (and because my parents do this now he is able to have accidents). Everyday I couldn't wait for his deep puppy naps because then I could do stuff. I ended up crying out of frustration one day because he walked out of the living room where me, mom, and dad were sitting and I didn't get up to follow him because I was tired of being the one doing all the work, then he pooped in the kitchen because no one followed him and I just couldn't help but cry.

Luckily he wasn't a big chewer, he has chewed the corners of the coffee table (again, they aren't supervising him obviously) but nothing else. But he eats stuff. The first two weeks or so he would go under the couch and find ALL sorts of things. Luckily that was easy to stop by catching him when he was going under and leashing him so he would try to go under a few times and be prevented. When he stopped trying we'd let him off and if he tried again he got leashed again. He completely stopped once we got consistent with it. He started getting guardy with objects very quickly and had a grip of steal, he ripped a huge whole in my shirt because he kept nipping my shirt so I went to stand up and he grabbed on and was literally hanging in the air and the shirt just ripped open. Again we are lucky because he's a quick learner so he learned drop it in a single session.

At ten weeks he was already scared of people making socialization extremely difficult. He just doesn't trust strangers. It is his temperament and while I do think he could be almost fixed it will take a LOT of work, work that should have already happened. So I don't think the basic socialization is enough for every pup, he can't be socialized like a normal puppy because he won't go near strangers.

As far as being well behaved because of early training, I don't think age matters at all. I taught Phoebe as an adult and am teaching him as a pup, both are very easy to teach and keep it up. I keep sessions shorter with him, not sure how long he can go but I don't want to push it, I've been told pups have short attention spans though.

To me the only thing I really prefer about young animals is handling, a lot of adult dogs are already really anti-handling, pups are usually okay still because they are still in the socialization period.

As far as bonding goes I don't know, I don't live with him.

I don't plan on owning a puppy, I didn't like it, don't see the point. I'd rather go pick out a dog that has everything I want, no guessing, no wait and see, no guaranteed puppy issues.

I do want to say though that at 5 months he's like 100% better than when we got him. If he had been this age when we got him I would have thought puppies were fine. Biting is gone, object grabbing is minimal, accidents are once a week, MUCH better.

 

[Romy]

If I got an adult, it would have to be from a trusted breeder or from rescue. Since most rescues won't adopt to families with children under age 5, that means we'll be going the puppy route from now on.

I like to do the socialization myself, but then again I like huge powerful breeds that normally don't think much of strangers. For me it's very reassuring to know my dog's background and have control over their socialization history.

 

[Sit Stay]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with going for an older puppy or adult! While Quinn is SUCH an easy puppy and a good girl, she does still have her frustrating moments and I know that if I get a puppy for my next dog there is a huge chance it won't be as good as her. If, for my next dog, I contacted the breeder and she had what I wanted but it was older (lets say 6 months-3 years), if I liked the dog I definitely would go for that vs. a brand new puppy. Puppies are so cute but they are a lot of time and responsibility and can really tie you down (LOL, I feel like I'm talking about children!). If an adult dog has been brought up well, at least IMHO you aren't missing a whole lot. Puppyhood is one small part of the journey!

As far as being able to bond better with a puppy, I don't really buy it. I'm not saying it never happens, but I hardly think it's the rule. I've had 3 (now 4, with Quinn) puppies while growing up and the dog that bonded closest to me was a GSD we picked up as a stray and was probably about a year old, maybe a tad bit more.

 

[Romy]

As far as being able to bond better with a puppy, I don't really buy it. I'm not saying it never happens, but I hardly think it's the rule.

Oh definitely. When we fostered one of them was a staghound named Seamus. We were SUPER close, and unfortunately it didn't work out to adopt him. I kept all the pictures of us together and think about him very often for an adult dog that only spent a few months with us. I'm super close to Strider too, who I raised from a puppy but he is my service dog.

 

[PWCorgi]

Didn't read all the responses (definitely will when I am more awake), but wanted to add my 2 cents.

NO, it is definitely not for everyone! To do it right, really right, is like a full time job. It takes a ton of effort and planning and I am lazy. I don't mind house training, but I like a dog who can hold it, unlike a lot of puppies.

Ryan wants a puppy. I am not so sure, I find puppyhood annoying. I like helping out with puppy class once a week, getting my fix, and sending them home with their owners.

At the same time I really would like to mold the puppy into the dog I want (as much as I can anyway) and they are so darn cute!!!

 

[Doberluv]

All my own dogs have only been puppies. Chulita was the oldest puppy I ever got. She was 7 months. So, I'm very use to raising puppies. HOWEVER, as I get older, the thought of raising a puppy from 8 or 9 weeks of age sort of sounds over-whelming. They are such monsters. But cute monsters. On the other hand....they're so adorable. And it is nice to start with a relatively fresh slate and do things the right way right away. On the other hand....a young adult dog without any severe issues would be easier, for sure. I don't know if I'll ever get another dog. But if I do, I'd have a tough decision. I'd be torn, even though puppies are a lot of work, that's what I've always done and I hate the thought of missing out on that adorable, innocent, baby-nurturing stage. So, there are pros and cons, no matter which way you slice it. I guess it depends on your own ability, patience, life style....your own individual wants, how much energy you have. It's a tough call.

 

[Upendi&Mina]

Do you think its worth it?

Yes, I do think it's worth it, but it is a TON of work. I think a lot of people make a mistake in underestimating the amount of time a puppy really takes. Upendi was a super easy puppy aside from nipping, and she's a super laid back adult too. Mina on the other hand was a hellion as a puppy, she didn't really nip and potty training was a snap but she had energy out the wahzoo and the attention span of a gnat. So far Annie's been a fairly easy puppy, although house training is proving a bit tougher than it was with my other two girls. So really it's a roll of the dice.

Would you have it any other way?

I really like puppies, but I'm also open to the possibility of an adult rescue. I would have look more for a young adult this time around, but my grandmother's dogs aren't accepting of adult dogs, but are completely fine if they come in as pups.

why/why not? -

The joy of puppies is a lot of fun, but I also realize that at some point in my life I'm probably not going to have the time to dedicate to raising a puppy right at which point I'd look for an adult rescue.

Pros - Puppies are a ton of fun and of course adorable. It's amazing to watch them discover the world around them and test their limits. It's also extremely rewarding when housetraining, etc pays off.

Cons - Puppies eat up all your free time, the have accidents, chew, nip, try to eat everything, they're expensive (think shots, worming, etc.), they can be frustrating, and tiring, they are into everything.

Do you think its something everyone should experience?

Not at all, some people just aren't suited for raising puppies. They don't have the time or patience or just general willing to supervise ALL THE TIME. I love puppies, but there have still been times (with all three of my girls) where I really wondered if I made the right choice or just broke down crying.

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

No, genetics will always play a roll. However, I think it definitely helps and can make a huge difference in the end.

 

[Kat09Tails]

I've had several dogs from adulthood (rescues and such) and a fair number of puppies as well. Really my choice depends on my goal, if I was shopping for a stud dog I'd look for an adult dog between 2-5 years old because I know exactly what I'm getting. If I was looking for a dog for high level performance competition I'd look for a dog right at 8 weeks or a dog well schooled in what I want (this is hard to find). For pets either adults or puppies would do with selection.

I've found the following to be true:
Puppies:
Are a gamble. Great lines, Multi champion sire, etc ... doesn't mean a hill of beans if the puppy just doesn't turn out temperament, health, or type wise. Well... because stuff happens. You stack the odds, select well, work like heck, and hope everything goes right, there is no real guarantee.

Give you more control over exposure and tolerances, Week 8 or 12 is also a great point but nothing is like having a puppy from day one.

Gives you more control and access to health information. Fewer mysteries since you have a good idea of what he ate, where he was, and what kind of environment he was in from the beginning.

Are easier to train properly from the start. Sorry but it's true, if you have control over training from the beginning you can teach good habits before dealing with some horrible bad habits.

Are frequent work... potty training.... obedience training... socialization... play time...

Adult dogs:
Are less of a gamble. You know what your finished product looks like temperament, training, and type wise.

Are sometimes less work if they've had proper training to start with. Again, you know what you're getting

Are more work if they've had improper training, socialization issues because as much as it's easier to have someone else do that early work you always take the chance that someone did it the wrong way.

Are more of a mystery health, exposure, and socialization wise.

Are more set in their ways which can sometimes be an issue to fix what someone else taught or neglected to teach. This can be a big issue if the dog has behavioral issues or isn't bonded well with people.

A finished well trained, temperamented dog is a creation of true beauty.

Some adult dogs don't bond well to new people. I've met several over the years that simply would not perform for anyone in a second home but thrived in their puppyhood home. Happily those dogs were able to go back to home number 1.

 

[Paige]

I've only ever had dogs from puppyhood. Is it worth it? Certainly. But I am never doing it again! I am so glad I raised Bandit from a young age but my next dog and probably all from here on in are not going to be pups. I love puppies but I am much more suited to an adult dog.