We brought home our little nugget at 7 weeks old and for all the preparation we did, we still weren’t ready. It’s definitely one of those situations where someone can tell you something a million times but you never really understand until you’re in it.
Our first week with Cody was nuts, to say the least. It was great to have a long weekend to launch our puppy-parent-ship. However, it was anything but restful. Having a puppy feels a bit like having a ticking time bomb. Will he poop on the floor? Will he pee on the rug? Will he explode in a fit of energy and gnaw into your arm? Who knows! It’s wonderful but unpredictable and I’m not very good with that.
Truthfully, the hardest part about this past week was the lack of sleep. Everything else would have felt so much more manageable had we been sleeping through the night. Instead, we were up at least three times at varying intervals. I appreciate that Cody pees or poops every time we take him out at night. It’s still hard though. It really is like having a baby.
Now, for the bright side- Cody is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. He’s full of love and very smart. He loves a good cuddle, enjoys a Kong full of peanut butter, and flops right over for belly rubs. AND he’s doing fabulously in his crate. When Ryan works, he snoozes until an opportunity comes to let him out. At night, he only whines when he has to go out.
I have a feeling Cody’s crate will become our saviors these next few weeks and while I feel a little guilty, it’s huge to have at least a little bit of autonomy back. Cody really needs eyes on him every moment unless he’s in his crate or asleep in his pen. That was something I didn’t realize would be absolutely required.
The things we’re working on moving forward: walking on the leash, mouthing with a little less aggression, and sleeping through the night. I’m really looking forward to watching him grow!