A puppy is a wonderful addition to your life as long as you enter into the relationship with your eyes open. It’s easy to be blinded to the realities of life with a puppy because of his adorable fuzzy coat and oversized paws.

The following article lists a few of the realities of life with a puppy, in order for you to decide if sharing your home with a puppy is right for you.

Supervision, and more supervision. When your puppy first comes home he will need constant supervision, no matter how well you have puppy-proofed your home. As your puppy gets used to your home and his training begins you will still need to supervise him, to make sure he doesn’t chew on your phone cord, or get into the kitchen garbage. Are you in the habit of kicking your shoes off at the front door and leaving them there? When you share your home with a puppy you will need to put your shoes safely away in the closet and close the door, unless you want to risk your shoes becoming your pup’s new chew toy.

How patient are you? Even the cutest puppy can be trying at times. Training a new puppy takes time, and a lot of patience. Your pup wants to please you, but he’s still learning his way. If during this time he chews on the shoes you left out you can’t get angry with him – after all, you left them there. Instead you should say “no” in a firm voice and take the shoes away. No other punishment should be given. As a puppy owner you will need to forgive your pup a lot, especially while you are getting to know each other.

Puppies have a lot of energy. If you arrive home exhausted your puppy won’t understand this. He will be excited to see you and expect to be walked and played with. When you do get to sleep he may keep you up, particularly while your home is still new and strange to him. Even after he feels comfortable in your home he will still wake you up when he needs to go outside. Remember, if your puppy has a house-training accident the mistake is not his if you were too busy or tired to take him outside. However, as your puppy grows he will have better bladder control, which means you will get to sleep through the night, although you shouldn’t count on sleeping in.

Need some good news?
A puppy is good for your health. It’s a proven fact that puppies improve the health of their owners. Your puppy will need exercise and playtime, and that means you will also be outside exercising and playing with him. Your puppy will make you laugh with his antics, and this helps lower your stress level. Petting your puppy can even lower your heart rate and your blood pressure.

A puppy is a social facilitator: Studies have shown that people walking a puppy have far more positive encounters than those walking alone do. Your puppy can be an icebreaker, a topic of conversation.

Puppies are loyal companions: Puppies are not fair-weather friends. Your puppy will want to be with you, and will be a comfort in rough and smooth times alike.

It’s easy to see that the benefits of puppy ownership far outweigh the possibility of chewed shoes or lack of sleep. However, without the patience for the trouble your puppy may get into, or the energy you will need to keep up with him, it will be difficult to reap the rewards of puppy ownership. It’s important to take a realistic look at whether you will enjoy living with a puppy. If the answer is an unqualified yes you’re a lucky person, despite your occasional tired eyes and chewed shoes!

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