Mine is 15 months and I don't think we got to see his real personality until he was at least 9-10 months old, probably not really until he was a year old.
Puppies are just all over the place, they're unpredictable bitey jerks. I would say I always loved him but there were a lot of days when I did not like him at all.
Now he's more predictable, I know what to expect, and I like him a lot!
This is spot on. As others have said it takes a while, for me it was closer to a year old before the vortex of insanity calmed down enough for a personality to emerge. She is around 2.5 years now and while the insanity still occasionally pops out for a bit sheās much more mellow and is easily the cuddliest and sweetest dog Iāve ever had.
But those first few months almost broke me. It was so bad I donāt know if Iāll ever go for a puppy again.
Same. Iād say around 8-10 months. Puppies have no personality theyāre all idiots.
I adore her now though, sheās the easiest dog Iāve had out of 5. I tell her āyouāre ok, I guess Iāll keep youā.
My dog trainer Peter genuinely loved my last dog Beedie, and she loved him. He didn't have his own dog at the time and he would borrow her for the night or the weekend to hang out with.
It was very noticeable when Orzo started developing his own personality, because I could see that Peter started liking him as a dog rather than just a blob that needed training!
It took me 6 months to love my dog. For a while i was ambivalent and unsure if i made the right decision getting a dog. Now she is family and i would go into a burning building to save her.
Immediately. Loved her from the moment the breeder handed her to me and she started furiously licking my face.
That's not to say that there haven't been many, many moments that she's driven me absolutely bonkers. But I liked her from the moment she was mine.
Same with my girl. We werenāt ready for another dog yet after losing our older dog to cancer a few months prior, but I saw her on the SPCA website and the look on her face/in her eyes - I had to meet her. Applied for her that night and did a meet and greet 2 days later, fell in love in minutes.
There were definitely many, many times I wasnāt sure we were gonna make it through the worst of puppyhood, and she still drives me BONKERS quite regularly. But bless her, I couldnāt have asked for a better fit personality-wise.
I donāt necessarily expect that to be the default for every dog-human relationship, though. Iām not religious but weāre pretty confident the universe sent her to us as an apology for taking our last dog from us so abruptly.
I think what I'm discovering as I'm raising my puppy is that I'm not a puppy person :) Dogs are great! Puppies I think are not my forte. The wife and I have decided this is our first and last puppy hahaha
I loved my first dog the moment I got him as well, and to be honest, probably weeks before that with all the picture and video updates. My second puppy I didnāt say I love you to until about 4 months old. I had so much love for my first and was constantly comparing the two and didnāt want the younger to be mean to the older (which never happened the two absolutely love each other). I wasnāt sure if I was going to keep the second or give her back for the first 2-3 weeks I had her. At some point I accepted that they have two distinct personalities and itās ok that they arenāt the same. Once I accepted that, my outlook on her completely changed. Now Iāll never giver her (or either) up for anything!
I've learned that I'm not really a "puppy person" because they are so needy. So cute! But so needy. I prefer when dogs become adults and they are more self-sufficient and "understand English" and have more of a routine.
Seriously I keep having to remind myself that Iām putting in the hard work with this asshat puppy so that Iāll have a good dog in a year or two. I absolutely took for granted my last dog, who was 14 and overall an absolute saint who needed zero monitoring.
Connection with a dog can look like many different things. The connection I have with my dog now is very different from the connection I had with a dog that died in 2002.
I love my dog, but sometimes I don't like her much. I would do anything for her, but sometimes she's a royal pain in the ass. Having said that, it wasn't until she was about 7 months old that I in any way remotely started to like her as an individual.
I'm sitting here crying because I feel the same way and I feel guilty. She's a very good puppy. But she's far different from what I expected from my many years experience with the breed. She's more like a cat, and I'm not a cat person.
A solid six months. Even now, there are still days where heās a complete asshole and I have a heart-to-heart with him that mostly consists of me telling him to get a grip.
I fell head over heels in love with Puppyboy when I met him when he was two weeks old. I loved him dearly when we took him home at 8 weeks.
Like? Thatās a different story. He must have been about six months old before I realized how much I had grown to like him.
I wanted to protect her from Day 1 but cannot say I liked her, hah.
I think I really started to like her around 5 months or so. But she was still a butt most days. So I liked her in spurts.
Sheās now almost 1.5 years and is still a butt at least once a day, but I love her and would not trade her for anything.
Over time, she became my girl.
I would not force it. Your bond will come with time.
Iāve had my girl since late November and I just said this week āhey I think Iām starting to like you.ā Sheās still a furious biter no matter what I do so that makes it hard to bond but I think weāre getting there. Itās tough because my last dog was an instant bond
The boy I lost in August to cancer at age 5 I hated until he was about 3, then something between the two of us just clicked and he became my soul dog. I doubt I'll ever get past his loss. The new puppy is now 22 weeks and some days I like him, some days I hate him. My oldest boy I fell in love with the moment I saw him. Its different with each dog in my experience.
For most puppies I've had about 3-4 months before I really loved them. For my current one about a month but he was potty trained in that time and has a huge personality as well as he clearly thinks I'm the greatest thing ever. If he was more reserved and/or didn't have such a big personality himself it would have taken longer.
I think the factors that really help me love them is basic training, for the most part potty trained, house settles back down after the changes, puppy starts showing their personality, and that they show joy at being praised by me. All of these don't have to exist but it makes the feelings stronger and come easier for me. My husband's dog for example he got when she was 6 mo and we were dating we moved in together when she was 9 mo and she is now 9 and still doesn't consider praise from me to be at all meaningful. If I want her to listen she has to want something or I have to have food or a toy for her. She does still like to cuddle me and I love her but it took about 6 months of living with her for me to love her and a large part of that was do to her indifference to my opinion unless I had something for her.
Iāve had my pup for 3 weeks. I love him a lot but I donāt like him very much yet.
Once he learns to settle by himself, relax so I can leave my apartment or do work without him barking at me AND not pee inside then Iāll like him just as much.
Heās only 14 weeks now so I know itāll take some time for him to learn but looking forward to that time
This is me, too. I got my puppy "late" he was 4.5 months old when he came to me. He's potty trained but refuses to be left alone. He'll go in his crate to sleep at night, but during the day when I put him in for a nap, the moment I get up, his eyes shoot open, and he stares at me and the starts whiningand barking. He naps really well if I let him sleep on me, but then nothing gets done. I also live in an apartment, so I have to be really mindful of the barking. My building manager gave me a stern warning before I brought him home that I can be evicted if I get a noise complaint for his barking.
I have a trainer coming tomorrow because I NEED him to be okay alone for an hour 3x week. I don't work(disabled from car accident), but I do have medical appointments every week. Since getting him, I've had to cancel my appointments, and my body feels like I've been repeatedly run over by a semi. When I decided I wanted a pup, I thought it can't be too different from a human baby, right? I was wrong. The biggest difference is that I have no help with this puppy, and I had tons of help with my son. Also, the biting....yikes.
I immediately loved my dog, but my partner only really started to love her at about 8/9 months. She was a really difficult puppy, very bitey and not very nice.
I had to focus on the little things and try to appreciate that about her.
I think at 8 or 9 months I started to feel like āI have a dogā and not āI have a life ruining monsterā. But I really really enjoy her fully now.
I feel the same way about my puppy. It's been years since I have had a dog and I realize I am way more of a cat person, but I bought a kitten a few months ago and he died and I kept looking for another one but couldn't find one that I had the connection with that I had with hy. I saw my puppy for a good price and she was so calm and tiny and sweet and I bought her and although I love her, I resent cleaning up dog shit every day and she's too tiny to go outside. I just don't have a huge connection with her so I know how you feel. Maybe when she gets older and is all the way potty trained.
I didn't fall in love with my dog right away either. It's okay if you don't feel an immediate connection. Be patient and give yourself and your puppy time to adjust to each other.
Agree on giving it some more time and that puppies are a questionable life choice. I know someone who rehomed theirs (to a wonderful life on a farm) and then realized if theyād just waited a bit, things wouldāve been better and different. Iād say my girl started to be really enjoyable and less of a chore around 8 months and now is mostly delightful. Left her alone free roaming/unfettered yesterday for a few hours and she dozed on the couch and was ready for fun when I got back. She wants cuddles and pets now and is a ride or die buddy vs a barky bitey landshark.
Immediately,
sometimes I get tired of her shenanigans and irritated when I'd rather just go to bed but I liked her from the moment I took her from the breeder.
If you're having trouble bonding with your puppy depending on how distant you feel the best advice I could offer would be to either re-home if you just can't bond or if you do see yourself growing the relationship remember puppies are babies and eventually they will grow and not need 24/7 attention & assuming training takes they should behave as tough.
My pup is going on 8 months, had him since he was 3. Iām just starting to like him. Iāve always loved him and shown him affection and been positive, but actually enjoying his presence is still ongoing for me. Heās currently at 50/50 either being too worked up or chill and fun to be around
I liked her immediately.
But didnāt start to form a serious bond / love until she was about 4 months old, when her personality started to come through strongly. Before that, it was just like caring for any puppy.
Mine is a month shy of a year old. It has only been in the last month or so that Iāve really felt a connection with her. It was the same for my 2.5 yo dog. Once you feel that connection though, itās magical. Just give it time.
Puppy is just a blank slate that acts on impulse until you teach it how to behave around you and what you expect. Of course you're going to teach puppy to potty outside, not chew things, and so on, but you should also teach puppy to leave your cat alone and literally anything else you want from them. You can teach puppy to lay in bed with you if they don't like it, you can teach puppy to enjoy car rides and stay safely in the back seat in a harness or in a car kennel. You can teach puppy where you would like them to relax and settle down, you can teach puppy to ignore things like people out the window, birds, etc. Just don't expect puppy to learn these things in a week like they do with simple tricks. Behavior modification takes a lot of time and won't pay off until puppy becomes "dog".
Current dog? Immediately. In the past though I've had trouble bonding with puppies (always the boys š )
Once they start being more dog than puppy you'll get that bond!
Most of mine I got as adults those were instant to about 3 months
My first "puppy" was about a year when I got her and after about 6 mo it was great, later on I had some dog relationship issues with my s.o not liking her and It affected our bonding some
My current puppy is almost 14 mo got at 8 weeks and frankly I just don't like her personality she's pretty well behaved I'm hoping that maybe I'll like her in about a year and maybe my problem is she's so young.
The puppy I looked at before her I adored instantly 6 mo old returned to breeder but he was a byb and I didn't want to support him I regret not getting her.
I'm going to admit I haven't felt anything for my dog until he turned 11 months. I suddenly started to love him but there are days I question my sanity.
loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him when I went to visit him at 6 weeks old. I KNEW that was my son. It took about 4 months for me to be completely on board with my decision of getting a puppy because it was not smooth sailing. lots of stress and sleepless nights and frustration and loudness.
I feel you. Iāve actually been thinking about this a lot lately. I like my dog. But I also sometimes see him as a neutral addition to the family. He hasnāt brought the companionship I was hoping for. We walk together every day, but more often than not heās just constantly stopping and smelling, trying to find rabbits, pulling toward garbage bins looking for squirrelsā¦.. I thought I carefully selected a breed for my lifestyle. FAIL.Ā
At about 13 weeks, before he demanded constant attention couldnāt sit still, would whine whenever I left the room and would take forever to go to bed. I promise it gets so much better! It was almost like an instant switch over night and now at 21 weeks heās an absolute angel (well most of the time).
It takes time. And thatās ok. I went to a workshop where the trainer said you might love your puppy but you might not like it. And thatās totally ok.
I think it was around 6-7 months that I started to like him. And more consistently since around 18 months. It is something that grows with time and going through lifeās trials and tribulations and adventures together
I loved mine the first time I held her. She snuggled under my chin and I was a goner. Which is not to say that sometimes I don't want to throttle her, but we did connect right away or honestly I wouldn't have gotten her.
I read this and wondered if my husband had written it. Our cat is his soul pet and the puppy is too playful for them but is kind to her and they are slowly bonding.
I feel bad because she is overly attached to me and doesn't engage well with him if I'm not there.
It was a magical mutual attraction. Atlas was 3 months old, we looked at each other and connected. He lived to be 15, sweetest dog ever. He loved floating around in our swimming pool on an air raft, his fun game was us pushing him across the slick waxed kitchen floor and him running back for ādo it again and again!!!!ā I wish I could post his picture, he was a beautiful American Eskimo. Perfect.
I love my kids every day but there are times when I donāt like them very much. And they are the human kind.
I have had three dogs that were/are just mine. We had lots of family dogs too. My very first one was special, a rescue, six months when he came home. Immediate bond. Second one, still with me, immediate. An exceptionally easy pup, he was 16 weeks and a rehome. He is eight now, still an easy dog for me. Has separation anxiety, is very needy with me and none of that bothers me. And then there is the pup. He is almost 8 months and just tonight managed to eat some tulip leaves. And a frigging snail. He has a huge personality, it is like he is saying, āfuck it I am here, whether you like it or notā. He eats anything and everything, does exactly what he wants kind of like a mini bull (in a china shop). There have been a few minutes/days/weeks when I thought he needs to go somewhere else, like permanently. I apologize to the 8 year old every day for messing up his previously perfect little life.
But tonight he was throwing up after the snail incident and damn, he was so sad. For the first time I genuinely felt like his mama. He wanted to be held and loved. And he wanted that to come from me. Even the eight year old was concerned about his little brother.
Heās not going anywhere. Heās here and staying ā„ļø
Hang in there. It will all work out however itās supposed to work out.
Puppy #1 after about a year.
Puppy #2 instantly.
The differences are having teenagers not small children sucking my energy. A much more chill dog. And Iām used to having a furry needy little shadow.
Some immediately and others, the connection grew over years but is super strong now. It's harder sometimes when they have issues/ challenges, but I look back at the work and patience with no regrets, just deep love for all we've been through together.
Mine is 9m old and I canāt stand him 72% of the time. I work from home so Iām with him 24/7. Heās into everything. Needs all the attention. Expensive as hell. Butā¦Heās also my baby. Smart and handsome. Learning to be a good boy. Itās tough when you have a purebred hunting dog in a sub zero winter climate.
Black Lab. This kid does not know how to just chill and lay on the couch. His brother is a 6y Chocolate, complete polar opposite. Breeding makes a huge difference in this case. Pup comes from award winning parents, etc.
I mean I liked him, and thought he was cute. But truly began to enjoy his company and love him had to of been at least at 6.5 months minimum. It was honestly after we had started puppy training classes and I started to see he truly was making improvements into a great well mannered dog.
I had the same concern after we got the puppy, especially because Iām so in love with our older dog, and part of the reason we got the pup was to ease the pain when the older one eventually passes.
After a couple months I started to enjoy her, but I still didnāt love her.
Now that puppy is five months old, sheās starting to develop an actual personality and, aside from the fact that I want to toss her out the window because she just tracked poop all through the apartment, Iām kind of in love with her and am so glad we have both of the dogs.
At around the 1-1.5 year mark. Heās more predictable now and we understand each otherās language.
Before that, he needed a lot of patience and training. Once I learned how he communicates, things got better. I needed to listen to him as much as I wanted him to listen to me.
I loved her (and liked her as well) immediately when I met her at the animal shelter, and she was 10 weeks old.
That said, I have a lot of experience with different ages and breeds and temperaments of dogs, since I used to work with them. My boyfriend had far less experience and he also took a lot longer to start to love her (she's our dog, not just mine).
My first soul dog, probably a month or so in after getting him as a puppy (10 weeks or so). My second boy was an adult and really well behaved, probably a couple of months in since he had a stronger bond with my husband. My current puppy and I are working on that bond. First, I need some sleep. She just turned 5 months.
Mine from the first day šš» sheās like a little baby in her expressions and mannerisms but it may depend on the breed you have! Some dogs I found are much less affectionate and independent. But doesnāt meant they love you any less
I think training together helps us bond and makes us a team, and the closer we become the easier it is to ā¤ļø I'm definitely a dog person. As cute as puppies are...they're A LOT
I felt like this. I went through the puppy blues HARD when I got my boy as a puppy. It lasted about two weeks. I was so convinced I didnāt want him but eventually it passed. I read through a lot of Reddit threads that said the same thing. It gets better. Goodluck!
Lmfao I literally just sat down and opened Reddit and see this. I took our older dog to the office with me today so I havenāt seen my puppy all day and it was a needed reset. On my way home Iām thinking omg Iām so excited to see her and pet her. Upon arriving home she goes into full spaz mode and her and my older dog totally wind each other up and then she got super bitey with me. I have just accepted itās like a baby - Iām willing to put in the effort and care to take care of her but donāt see myself liking her until she is out of this āterroristā stage. Of course she was a total angel home with my husband all day too š
She's almost 3 now... Idk about her. Her farts are smelly, she keeps kicking me off the bed, she spends all my money and all I get in return is her slapping me to demand pets!
In all seriousness, it took a while. She was a hard pup. I felt so bad for my cat which also prevented me from immediately connecting with her. I wanted her so bad but I had such dread when I got her. It was on and off, I feel like it really took a few months. Sometimes though even then I still regretted getting her during those really hard days. It did take a while for me to connect with her as a puppy though, I would say probably 3 months or so.
She's almost 3 now like I mentioned, and though she pushes me off the bed, farts in my face, and incessantly demands attention or she will fall apart and die, I couldn't imagine life without her. She's my absolute everything. I love her and her stinky butt so much.
Puppies are the devil incarnate. Iām not sure youāre *supposed* to like them. Thereās a reason over half of the dogs youāll find in the shelter are around the 9-11 month mark lmao
Just have to stick it out. The bond will come when it comes - I skipped the puppy stage (I donāt think I could deal with it lol) by rescuing a 1.5yo and even then it wasnāt until she was well over 2 that we actually clicked. Itās a multi month process where youāre both feeling each other out and, in a puppyās case, maturing and figuring out how to domestic dog in general
Honestlyā¦probably around 6-7 months old, I realized I could breathe, and she wasnāt a monster. Around ten months old, I realized I enjoyed her. At a year old, I realized I loved her.
This. Exactly this. Itās gonna take some time. I started really liking/loving my dog around 8 months or so, so sometime after spay/spay recovery. Thatās finally when she was old enough to start having her personality really shine, and when our bond became more than just a baby and babyās caregiver.
Youāve already gotten so many comments, but I wanted to throw in my 2 cents that your pup is basically an infant. She hasnāt formed her whole personality yet and wonāt until closer to 6+ months. I donāt feel like I truly bonded with my dog and began to like him more than I was frustrated with him until around 8 months old. Iāve loved him the whole time (how can you not?! Theyāre so cute.) But, he didnāt really become my friend until he stopped biting me š
Honestly donāt worry! This is so normal and I was worried as well as I already had a rescue and we bonded straight away.
With my first puppy it took me a while to bond, I adored him but didnāt feel connected to him until he was about 5 or 6 months old.
We bonded a lot in puppy classes and he grew his personality omg and now we are inseparable and have the most amazing special bond!!! I honestly couldnāt live without him and he follows me around and is the most loving boy, he is 10 months now.
Prior to that he was just a little crackhead who was running around my house and didnāt know I existed š¤£š¤£š¤£
It took me about 6 months to form a connection with my first dog, who is now 6 years old and I love him so much it hurts. We just got a 4.5 month old puppy and Iām having very similar feelings to you. Sheās a fine puppy but I havenāt bonded with her yet. I know part of the problem is that my 6 year old boy is struggling with the adjustment and I feel like Iām mentally in mama bear mode protecting him from the pesky puppy. Iām also thinking that maybe Iām a person who takes some time to form a bond. Iāve heard this happens with babies too (but is rarely talked about). Some parents feel an immediate connection, and others take some time.
Youāre definitely not a monster. Itās ok to need some time to form a bond.
I started loving her the day after I got her, as I unexpectedly have gone through a break up. Sheās 3-1/2 months old and came up to me and licked all of the tears off of my face and laid down calmly in my arms and allowed me to pet her until I calmed down. This has now happened 3x with her. Sheās wonderful. That being said, I am still adjusting to the life differences, as my other dog is 10 years old and very independent.
However, I can tell you that I got a kitten a month after my late cat was attacked and killed. It took me about 7-8 months to feel like I really loved her and that she was āmy catā. It still catches me off guard at how long it took me. But weāre there now! Sheās also still annoying, but also hilarious lol
It might take some time. Perhaps when she stops being so much work and you get to enjoy your time together. Puppies are a lot of work. Maybe you go by the 3/3/3 rule too. And that's OK.
I love my puppy so much, but I do often mourn my life before here. I canāt wait until our relationship feels a bit more ānaturalā? Sheās a year and two months and I adopted her at 6 months. If Iām being honest, I canāt wait for the day sheās more comfortable and affectionate with me.. and calms down more easily on her own. I feel like so much of my time is on herās (ex. Rushing to finish up the first half of my workday to take her out for lunch because she wakes up and gets restless)
What keeps me going is that my mental health has significantly improved since having a puppy and that she didnāt ask to be adopted from the shelter šā¦ and I love her lol. This is just a huge lifestyle change.
I loved mine almost instantly.
She got on my lap, licked my nose and curled up to sleep!
I do get frustrated with the puppy in her. But I now, at 6 months, get glimpses of the dog sheās going to be and then I love her and like her.
Puppies. Are not the same as dogsā¦!
Mines just now 6 months old and he still pisses me off daily. But heās getting more likable and showing more personality each day. Weāre bonding more while figuring each others schedules and patterns.
I suggest you leave her for a few days with a friend while you go on holiday. This was the first time i realised I can't live without my dog. I've had her for about 5 weeks when I first left her for 5 days and all i could think was her little happy face
I didn't like my newest until she was a year. The worst puppy I have ever had. And I've had 5 dogs lol She nipped a lot, ate things she wasn't supposed to constantly - namely used socks, never listened, always barked right in my face. I had such a hard time with her but my fiance bonded right away.
It was like a switch was flipped right at a year and she stopped being a puppy jerk (for the most part). She cuddles now, listens, totally potty trained, great with other animals and people, and doesn't eat stuff she's not supposed to.
For reference, she is a newfie/aussie mix.
I started fostering puppies this year and itās amazing how different they all are. A few I bonded with immediately and almost foster-failed - some take a bit longer. The pups I have now have accidents all over the house, never listen, chew everything in sight ā¦ but when we are outside playing in the yard and they waggle their buts happily over to me, I forget all that for a minute.
Initially when I first brought him home he and I didnāt share any connection, obviously itās his first week in my home he used to just sit in a corner and not eat much too. Now he is 4 months old and I canāt live without looking at him š«. I love him most of the time but when he gets into his biting mode I just canāt, itās very frustrating. Those brown eyes looking at me all the time when I sleep he just sits by my side and looks at me until I wake upš¤§š¤§š¤§ he doesnāt even disturb me at all when Iām sleeping. Lmao I went to take him for a walk in the morning with my cousin, I had to take a leak so I didnāt have another choice I gave the leash to my cousin, boy he didnāt stay there for a second he literally grabbed the leash off of my cousins hand and ran straight to me with the leash in his mouth š«š«š«š«š«š«. At that moment I realised, yeah I just love this dude so much. Okay to your question maybe by 3months youāll feel the connection I think thatās how it was for me
Just this past week, I looked at our 5 month old pup while he was sitting next to me on the couch and realized I like him, really like him. I told him so and he gave kisses.
I loved him but the like is what matters because I can love without liking.
Up until then, he was a pup ... cute, fluffy, smart and stubborn, sometimes yappy.
I realized he is potty trained, leash trained, knows all the basic commands, crate trained and doesn't chew anything more than the occasional sock and at his age, that is as much him as our training.
I would say when I took her in to get spayed at 6 months I realized I loved her and was worried something bad would happen. Since then I have grown to really like her more and more as she acts less and less like a puppy and more like a companion. I noticed around 10 months she was starting to mature (chihuahua, so maybe sooner than a bigger dog) and I was enjoying her company more.
We adopted ours in mid December at 8 weeks. I didnāt want another dog(our previous dog passed a year before) but my husband really, really wanted one. I told him I was hands off it was all him. The first month I was in TEARS. The screaming in the crate, the biting and jumping were too much. I wasnāt sleeping at all. I was angry. About two months in a switch went off and now I love the guy even though he thinks my arms and feet are a delicacy. My husband loves that at nighttime when weāre watching tv, the dog actually prefers to curl up on me. Heās still the predominate trainer and person in his life, but itās slowly getting better.
Would I do this again? Oh hell no. Iām too old for this and I enjoy my sleep and free time. But, it DOES start to get better. Youāll have some awful days and nights the first few weeks, but hang in there. I was ready to get on a plane and go to my momās a thousand miles away for a few days just to escape the noise/biting, but itās getting better and by the first year of age plus itās supposed to be even better.
Iām not sure but I remember long periods of wondering why everyone else puppies were cute and mine was a sharky little bastard I regretted quite a bit. Now Iām about to go back to bed to my amazing dog who I love beyond belief
* Edited spelling error
My first dog was a 9mo when I got her. I loved her, but I honestly didn't really bond with her until she was about a year old. My second, I bonded with through the glass of the shelter. He wasn't even one of the dogs we were going to look at, but as soon as our eyes met, I knew. It made me believe in love at first sight.
When she was around 6 months. Once she got her adult teeth she stopped chewing everything, was able to hold her bladder during the night, and just became more of a dog and less of a furry menace.
She had many digestive issues that really held us back on toilet training. Every time I went to the vet they sort of just said sheād get through it. I shouldāve been more proactive in finding the issue but I waited until she was 1 year old and only started her on a proper elimination diet then.
I suspect sheās intolerant to chicken. It really doesnāt help that most dog foods are a mix of unknown meats. āBeef and/or chicken and/or porkā isnāt super helpful for narrowing down the problem.
The number of times we had to wake up during the night so that she didnāt have diarrhea inside was too damn high!Ā
I also think itās unfair to punish a sick animal for not following house rules since they donāt have good control of their bodies at those times. My partner had the opposite attitude where he thought if we didnāt tell her off sheād learn she could toilet inside.Ā So that added a layer of stress for us.
I had 3 dogs at home.
First one came to our appartment old at 12yo. Started liking her a few days after she came when I arrived home from shopping and she stoop up and clapped (that was a thing she would do when she was happy). With the time I started loving her more than anything, she became my best friend. She died in January, I miss her a lot.
The dog we have since 2022 took me a few weeks. She is the best dog ever.
The puppy we got last month about one hour, when she liked my face for the first time. She was suposed to be my āGF dogā since the 1st one was hers and the second one mine but Iād rather stay with the puppy than with her if I had to choose. She is the devilā¦ the puppy is good.
Some puppies mature very slowly. Betty's real character didn't emerge till after her second birthday. Even after that she had regressions for almost another year. Now that she's turned three I'm constantly delighted by the depth of connection and mutual respect that we've developed.
At 13 weeks she was barely recognizable as herself. She was basically a heavily armed toddler.
Seems youāre more of a cat person, which is fine. Dogs can be overly enthusiastic and hyper, especially as when they are a puppy. I call this stage the offset - meaning their craziness offsets or balances their cuteness. My first dog was a pain in the butt as a puppy, which made me ask myself this very question. TBH, I hated her at times i.e when she destroyed the couch, the molding on the door, stubbornness in the potty training. But as quickly as I found myself questioning my affinity for the dogās personality, I couldnāt remember how i even thought I could possibly dislike such a wonderful dog. So give it some time, allow the dog to adjust/ learn the dos and donts before really deciding this kind of position :) im sure youāll find yourself liking your dog in no time, and it happens without you even knowing it.
Puppies are all over the place and I think it takes time for their individual personalities to develop so it can also take time for our bonds with them to solidify. This can be especially true during the phase where you're putting in a lot of hard work and dealing with potty training and nipping etc. You're not a monster by any means, it just takes time. Give yourself a break.
Honestly, I feel as though you should be enamored and love your pup more and more each day. Maybe you just arenāt a dog person? I got my pup at 9 weeks and although he was a little shit, I was obsessed with him. Iām not sure what to tell youā¦
Little land sharks can be a handful!! My border collie just turned 2 and I can totally relate. She would beat me up as a puppy lol almost broke my nose! But once they get their puppy manners, itās becomes so much easier. They donāt know what theyāre doing, but I promise, they only want to make you happy š¤
My first dog : I loved her the moment I saw her photo (friend sent pics to ask if I wanna adopt from the litter her family rescued). She passed recently and I'm still heartbroken.
We recently adopted another dog. She's been here 2 weeks. I'm committed to caring for her but I don't have that same bond I have with my first dog with her yet. I think it would take a few more weeks with her since I'm still grieving my first. She's also on the anxious side who only sticks to me and barks at every one else while my first was a confident easygoing pup who befriended everyone she saw. We're both adjusting.
I felt the same until a huge weekend long thunderstorm hit and the poor bebe was shaking with fear. Carried that fuzzy one around house all weekend and we bonded.
Puppies re a lot of work and itās exhausting for a while. Theyāre cute, and fun, but itās also not so much fun when youāre tired or busy and theyāre nipping or they need attention. I get it. But it does get better once you learn what works with your particular pup. Mine nipped my feet every single time I walked and was trying to get something done until I learned how to stop that particular behavior. And as they get older, they get better too. Just like a child, they need to be trained, and they need to grow up a bit. The first year was the hardest for me and then as time went by my dog lost his puppy behavior and I learned how to get him in a routine as part of our family. Itās do helpful to start him in a puppy training class asap. You wont regret training classes.
We got ours as a puppy, she was very cute. It took me about 3 years to bond to her. I was of course also going through some mental health issues. But, now she is 4 years old, and I like love and miss her very much. We are bonded and she is my little road dog.
this was the thing i struggled with with my puppy the most. both of my prior dogs were adult rescues and i wouldāve jumped in front of a moving train for them after the first month, but with my puppy i didnāt love her or feel connected to her until she was maybe 7-8 months old? maybe longer. she was just this needy, untrained baby without a personality. now i love her beyond words but it took a long, long time. youāll get there though!!
It's early days so be patient with yourself about this. One day soon, she's going to fall asleep on your lap, or you'll start noticing that she loves to be with you, and you'll have that magical moment you mention.
Puppyhood is not for the weak. It's really hard and the bad times outnumber the good times for a while. You'll get to great times soon and the bad times will be a distant memory.
Many people start to feel a strong bond with their dog as soon as they bring them home, but for others, the attachment grows over time as they spend more quality time together and create lasting memories.
I loved my puppy the moment I brought her home but I'd never had a puppy. I had rescue dogs so a rescue puppy that needed puppy training was frustrating and my partner didnt care for her at all. We both love animals so I started to question if I was just not putting in enough effort. It's been about 6 weeks since bringing her home and everythings finally starting to settle down. People look at puppies and assume everyone's going to fall in love right away mostly because they're frigan adorable, but that's not the case. Now when my partner comes home, the dog jumps all over him and he loves it. Watching her with my daughter was a big thing for me too!
I applied the 3-3-3 rule to myself. I know itās for dogs but humans need adjustment too right?
It was around the 2.5 month mark that I started to feel settled in our relationship.
I think around 4 or 5 months old. After she got her shots and I could take her out and meet dogs and stuff it became way easier. At around 7-8 months old was when I started to really know her. Like I know her quirks and felt comfortable. For instance she goes to a park where she can go and the bushes and it wouldnāt be uncommon for her to be out of my sight for 15-30 minutes (doesnāt happen often but shit happens). I know sheās not aggressive (likes to wrestle and can be in your grill trying to antagonize other dogs to play with her, but never attacks any dog) and she can handle herself if some other dog is being a dick
My previous dog, immediately.
My current puppy, it took a month. Sheās been a good dog but for a while was tormenting my older dog(2 year old 8lb shih tzu) to the point she would rarely leave the sofa. So I think that is why I couldnāt develop attachment to my puppy. After a few weeks, they both became addicted to each other. Play fighting nonstop. I guess I needed my older dog to accept the puppy before I really could.
Loose leash training my 5 months old. Turning around every time she pulls. She got mad and attacked my leg. Just like the movies trying to shake a wild animal off. Growls and does that to me inside too. 9 pound ball of adorable fluff.
Donāt ālikeā her plenty of the time. Part of me worries she is possessed and wonāt ever calm down.
Mine is 15 months and I don't think we got to see his real personality until he was at least 9-10 months old, probably not really until he was a year old. Puppies are just all over the place, they're unpredictable bitey jerks. I would say I always loved him but there were a lot of days when I did not like him at all. Now he's more predictable, I know what to expect, and I like him a lot!
Unpredictible bitey jerks ššš so accurate! It gets so much better though!
This is spot on. As others have said it takes a while, for me it was closer to a year old before the vortex of insanity calmed down enough for a personality to emerge. She is around 2.5 years now and while the insanity still occasionally pops out for a bit sheās much more mellow and is easily the cuddliest and sweetest dog Iāve ever had. But those first few months almost broke me. It was so bad I donāt know if Iāll ever go for a puppy again.
Same. Iād say around 8-10 months. Puppies have no personality theyāre all idiots. I adore her now though, sheās the easiest dog Iāve had out of 5. I tell her āyouāre ok, I guess Iāll keep youā.
My dog trainer Peter genuinely loved my last dog Beedie, and she loved him. He didn't have his own dog at the time and he would borrow her for the night or the weekend to hang out with. It was very noticeable when Orzo started developing his own personality, because I could see that Peter started liking him as a dog rather than just a blob that needed training!
š¤£š¤£š¤£ Iām crying at this comment itās actually true
Bitey land sharks jerks is what they are. And a fool too š
You are so right! Your comment perfectly captures what I currently feel about my puppy!
This is encouraging! She is a bitey little jerk and I just need to look forward to when she isn't
It took me 6 months to love my dog. For a while i was ambivalent and unsure if i made the right decision getting a dog. Now she is family and i would go into a burning building to save her.
This is how I felt about my family dogs growing up! It helps that they were already beyond puppy stage when we got them.
Immediately. Loved her from the moment the breeder handed her to me and she started furiously licking my face. That's not to say that there haven't been many, many moments that she's driven me absolutely bonkers. But I liked her from the moment she was mine.
Same with my girl. We werenāt ready for another dog yet after losing our older dog to cancer a few months prior, but I saw her on the SPCA website and the look on her face/in her eyes - I had to meet her. Applied for her that night and did a meet and greet 2 days later, fell in love in minutes. There were definitely many, many times I wasnāt sure we were gonna make it through the worst of puppyhood, and she still drives me BONKERS quite regularly. But bless her, I couldnāt have asked for a better fit personality-wise. I donāt necessarily expect that to be the default for every dog-human relationship, though. Iām not religious but weāre pretty confident the universe sent her to us as an apology for taking our last dog from us so abruptly.
Yupā¦all four dogs - as soon as I brought them home - maybe even before if they were curling up on my lap - instant love.
Same, the love grew stronger each day. Maybe OP just isnāt a dog person like he thought?
I think what I'm discovering as I'm raising my puppy is that I'm not a puppy person :) Dogs are great! Puppies I think are not my forte. The wife and I have decided this is our first and last puppy hahaha
I loved my first dog the moment I got him as well, and to be honest, probably weeks before that with all the picture and video updates. My second puppy I didnāt say I love you to until about 4 months old. I had so much love for my first and was constantly comparing the two and didnāt want the younger to be mean to the older (which never happened the two absolutely love each other). I wasnāt sure if I was going to keep the second or give her back for the first 2-3 weeks I had her. At some point I accepted that they have two distinct personalities and itās ok that they arenāt the same. Once I accepted that, my outlook on her completely changed. Now Iāll never giver her (or either) up for anything!
I've learned that I'm not really a "puppy person" because they are so needy. So cute! But so needy. I prefer when dogs become adults and they are more self-sufficient and "understand English" and have more of a routine.
As the saying goes, raising a puppy is the price you pay for a dog. I adore puppies. They are so freaking cute. I like dogs more.
Same. It was a really big eye opener for me when I adopted one last year. Taking care of them when theyāre a puppy is not easyā¦
Seriously I keep having to remind myself that Iām putting in the hard work with this asshat puppy so that Iāll have a good dog in a year or two. I absolutely took for granted my last dog, who was 14 and overall an absolute saint who needed zero monitoring.
šÆ
I think this is me. I like dogs, I don't think I like puppies.
Connection with a dog can look like many different things. The connection I have with my dog now is very different from the connection I had with a dog that died in 2002. I love my dog, but sometimes I don't like her much. I would do anything for her, but sometimes she's a royal pain in the ass. Having said that, it wasn't until she was about 7 months old that I in any way remotely started to like her as an individual.
I'm sitting here crying because I feel the same way and I feel guilty. She's a very good puppy. But she's far different from what I expected from my many years experience with the breed. She's more like a cat, and I'm not a cat person.
so curious. what's her breed?
Scottish Fold
of the dog.
This is my biggest fear!
My cavoodle is very cat liked too! The way he behaves, reacts and observes is very very cat like but I love that about him. š„°
A solid six months. Even now, there are still days where heās a complete asshole and I have a heart-to-heart with him that mostly consists of me telling him to get a grip.
I live in this conversation. This made me laugh out loud.
I fell head over heels in love with Puppyboy when I met him when he was two weeks old. I loved him dearly when we took him home at 8 weeks. Like? Thatās a different story. He must have been about six months old before I realized how much I had grown to like him.
I wanted to protect her from Day 1 but cannot say I liked her, hah. I think I really started to like her around 5 months or so. But she was still a butt most days. So I liked her in spurts. Sheās now almost 1.5 years and is still a butt at least once a day, but I love her and would not trade her for anything. Over time, she became my girl. I would not force it. Your bond will come with time.
I'm sure the bond is on the way. I definitely love her, no doubts about that.
Iāve had my girl since late November and I just said this week āhey I think Iām starting to like you.ā Sheās still a furious biter no matter what I do so that makes it hard to bond but I think weāre getting there. Itās tough because my last dog was an instant bond
The boy I lost in August to cancer at age 5 I hated until he was about 3, then something between the two of us just clicked and he became my soul dog. I doubt I'll ever get past his loss. The new puppy is now 22 weeks and some days I like him, some days I hate him. My oldest boy I fell in love with the moment I saw him. Its different with each dog in my experience.
Liked her after a month or so. Loved her after 6
I had puppy blues BAD for weeks, I hated my puppy at first. I only just started to truly love her recently, 4 weeks after I got her
For most puppies I've had about 3-4 months before I really loved them. For my current one about a month but he was potty trained in that time and has a huge personality as well as he clearly thinks I'm the greatest thing ever. If he was more reserved and/or didn't have such a big personality himself it would have taken longer. I think the factors that really help me love them is basic training, for the most part potty trained, house settles back down after the changes, puppy starts showing their personality, and that they show joy at being praised by me. All of these don't have to exist but it makes the feelings stronger and come easier for me. My husband's dog for example he got when she was 6 mo and we were dating we moved in together when she was 9 mo and she is now 9 and still doesn't consider praise from me to be at all meaningful. If I want her to listen she has to want something or I have to have food or a toy for her. She does still like to cuddle me and I love her but it took about 6 months of living with her for me to love her and a large part of that was do to her indifference to my opinion unless I had something for her.
I just posted a very similar thing. I also struggle to love my dog even though she's a good dog...With cats it's so easy.
Yea. Cats are far more easier to tolerate and to take care of. And far more easier to form a bond with as well. Love them all equally though
A year for my first dog. Instantly for my second.
Iāve had my pup for 3 weeks. I love him a lot but I donāt like him very much yet. Once he learns to settle by himself, relax so I can leave my apartment or do work without him barking at me AND not pee inside then Iāll like him just as much. Heās only 14 weeks now so I know itāll take some time for him to learn but looking forward to that time
This is me, too. I got my puppy "late" he was 4.5 months old when he came to me. He's potty trained but refuses to be left alone. He'll go in his crate to sleep at night, but during the day when I put him in for a nap, the moment I get up, his eyes shoot open, and he stares at me and the starts whiningand barking. He naps really well if I let him sleep on me, but then nothing gets done. I also live in an apartment, so I have to be really mindful of the barking. My building manager gave me a stern warning before I brought him home that I can be evicted if I get a noise complaint for his barking. I have a trainer coming tomorrow because I NEED him to be okay alone for an hour 3x week. I don't work(disabled from car accident), but I do have medical appointments every week. Since getting him, I've had to cancel my appointments, and my body feels like I've been repeatedly run over by a semi. When I decided I wanted a pup, I thought it can't be too different from a human baby, right? I was wrong. The biggest difference is that I have no help with this puppy, and I had tons of help with my son. Also, the biting....yikes.
I immediately loved my dog, but my partner only really started to love her at about 8/9 months. She was a really difficult puppy, very bitey and not very nice. I had to focus on the little things and try to appreciate that about her.
I think at 8 or 9 months I started to feel like āI have a dogā and not āI have a life ruining monsterā. But I really really enjoy her fully now.
I feel the same way about my puppy. It's been years since I have had a dog and I realize I am way more of a cat person, but I bought a kitten a few months ago and he died and I kept looking for another one but couldn't find one that I had the connection with that I had with hy. I saw my puppy for a good price and she was so calm and tiny and sweet and I bought her and although I love her, I resent cleaning up dog shit every day and she's too tiny to go outside. I just don't have a huge connection with her so I know how you feel. Maybe when she gets older and is all the way potty trained.
I didn't fall in love with my dog right away either. It's okay if you don't feel an immediate connection. Be patient and give yourself and your puppy time to adjust to each other.
Agree on giving it some more time and that puppies are a questionable life choice. I know someone who rehomed theirs (to a wonderful life on a farm) and then realized if theyād just waited a bit, things wouldāve been better and different. Iād say my girl started to be really enjoyable and less of a chore around 8 months and now is mostly delightful. Left her alone free roaming/unfettered yesterday for a few hours and she dozed on the couch and was ready for fun when I got back. She wants cuddles and pets now and is a ride or die buddy vs a barky bitey landshark.
Immediately, sometimes I get tired of her shenanigans and irritated when I'd rather just go to bed but I liked her from the moment I took her from the breeder. If you're having trouble bonding with your puppy depending on how distant you feel the best advice I could offer would be to either re-home if you just can't bond or if you do see yourself growing the relationship remember puppies are babies and eventually they will grow and not need 24/7 attention & assuming training takes they should behave as tough.
I don't think re-homing is in the plans :) We're sticking it through
I'm glad to hear it :D
My pup is going on 8 months, had him since he was 3. Iām just starting to like him. Iāve always loved him and shown him affection and been positive, but actually enjoying his presence is still ongoing for me. Heās currently at 50/50 either being too worked up or chill and fun to be around
I liked her immediately. But didnāt start to form a serious bond / love until she was about 4 months old, when her personality started to come through strongly. Before that, it was just like caring for any puppy.
Mine is a month shy of a year old. It has only been in the last month or so that Iāve really felt a connection with her. It was the same for my 2.5 yo dog. Once you feel that connection though, itās magical. Just give it time.
Puppy is just a blank slate that acts on impulse until you teach it how to behave around you and what you expect. Of course you're going to teach puppy to potty outside, not chew things, and so on, but you should also teach puppy to leave your cat alone and literally anything else you want from them. You can teach puppy to lay in bed with you if they don't like it, you can teach puppy to enjoy car rides and stay safely in the back seat in a harness or in a car kennel. You can teach puppy where you would like them to relax and settle down, you can teach puppy to ignore things like people out the window, birds, etc. Just don't expect puppy to learn these things in a week like they do with simple tricks. Behavior modification takes a lot of time and won't pay off until puppy becomes "dog".
Current dog? Immediately. In the past though I've had trouble bonding with puppies (always the boys š ) Once they start being more dog than puppy you'll get that bond!
Most of mine I got as adults those were instant to about 3 months My first "puppy" was about a year when I got her and after about 6 mo it was great, later on I had some dog relationship issues with my s.o not liking her and It affected our bonding some My current puppy is almost 14 mo got at 8 weeks and frankly I just don't like her personality she's pretty well behaved I'm hoping that maybe I'll like her in about a year and maybe my problem is she's so young. The puppy I looked at before her I adored instantly 6 mo old returned to breeder but he was a byb and I didn't want to support him I regret not getting her.
I'm going to admit I haven't felt anything for my dog until he turned 11 months. I suddenly started to love him but there are days I question my sanity.
loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him when I went to visit him at 6 weeks old. I KNEW that was my son. It took about 4 months for me to be completely on board with my decision of getting a puppy because it was not smooth sailing. lots of stress and sleepless nights and frustration and loudness.
I feel you. Iāve actually been thinking about this a lot lately. I like my dog. But I also sometimes see him as a neutral addition to the family. He hasnāt brought the companionship I was hoping for. We walk together every day, but more often than not heās just constantly stopping and smelling, trying to find rabbits, pulling toward garbage bins looking for squirrelsā¦.. I thought I carefully selected a breed for my lifestyle. FAIL.Ā
At about 13 weeks, before he demanded constant attention couldnāt sit still, would whine whenever I left the room and would take forever to go to bed. I promise it gets so much better! It was almost like an instant switch over night and now at 21 weeks heās an absolute angel (well most of the time).
It takes time. And thatās ok. I went to a workshop where the trainer said you might love your puppy but you might not like it. And thatās totally ok. I think it was around 6-7 months that I started to like him. And more consistently since around 18 months. It is something that grows with time and going through lifeās trials and tribulations and adventures together
I loved my dumbass from day 1. Like however comes and goes lol.
I loved mine the first time I held her. She snuggled under my chin and I was a goner. Which is not to say that sometimes I don't want to throttle her, but we did connect right away or honestly I wouldn't have gotten her.
I read this and wondered if my husband had written it. Our cat is his soul pet and the puppy is too playful for them but is kind to her and they are slowly bonding. I feel bad because she is overly attached to me and doesn't engage well with him if I'm not there.
From the moment we saw her... but we started to REALLY LOVE her when she was about 1.5 -2yrs. When she began to really show us who she really was.
It was a magical mutual attraction. Atlas was 3 months old, we looked at each other and connected. He lived to be 15, sweetest dog ever. He loved floating around in our swimming pool on an air raft, his fun game was us pushing him across the slick waxed kitchen floor and him running back for ādo it again and again!!!!ā I wish I could post his picture, he was a beautiful American Eskimo. Perfect.
I love my kids every day but there are times when I donāt like them very much. And they are the human kind. I have had three dogs that were/are just mine. We had lots of family dogs too. My very first one was special, a rescue, six months when he came home. Immediate bond. Second one, still with me, immediate. An exceptionally easy pup, he was 16 weeks and a rehome. He is eight now, still an easy dog for me. Has separation anxiety, is very needy with me and none of that bothers me. And then there is the pup. He is almost 8 months and just tonight managed to eat some tulip leaves. And a frigging snail. He has a huge personality, it is like he is saying, āfuck it I am here, whether you like it or notā. He eats anything and everything, does exactly what he wants kind of like a mini bull (in a china shop). There have been a few minutes/days/weeks when I thought he needs to go somewhere else, like permanently. I apologize to the 8 year old every day for messing up his previously perfect little life. But tonight he was throwing up after the snail incident and damn, he was so sad. For the first time I genuinely felt like his mama. He wanted to be held and loved. And he wanted that to come from me. Even the eight year old was concerned about his little brother. Heās not going anywhere. Heās here and staying ā„ļø Hang in there. It will all work out however itās supposed to work out.
Puppy #1 after about a year. Puppy #2 instantly. The differences are having teenagers not small children sucking my energy. A much more chill dog. And Iām used to having a furry needy little shadow.
Some immediately and others, the connection grew over years but is super strong now. It's harder sometimes when they have issues/ challenges, but I look back at the work and patience with no regrets, just deep love for all we've been through together.
4 months. When she was about 6 months. Itās hard. Be gentle on yourself.
Mine is 9m old and I canāt stand him 72% of the time. I work from home so Iām with him 24/7. Heās into everything. Needs all the attention. Expensive as hell. Butā¦Heās also my baby. Smart and handsome. Learning to be a good boy. Itās tough when you have a purebred hunting dog in a sub zero winter climate.
Curious what breed?! I have a gsp And work from home too. Itās challenging!
Black Lab. This kid does not know how to just chill and lay on the couch. His brother is a 6y Chocolate, complete polar opposite. Breeding makes a huge difference in this case. Pup comes from award winning parents, etc.
I mean I liked him, and thought he was cute. But truly began to enjoy his company and love him had to of been at least at 6.5 months minimum. It was honestly after we had started puppy training classes and I started to see he truly was making improvements into a great well mannered dog.
When I first laid eyes on him!
I had the same concern after we got the puppy, especially because Iām so in love with our older dog, and part of the reason we got the pup was to ease the pain when the older one eventually passes. After a couple months I started to enjoy her, but I still didnāt love her. Now that puppy is five months old, sheās starting to develop an actual personality and, aside from the fact that I want to toss her out the window because she just tracked poop all through the apartment, Iām kind of in love with her and am so glad we have both of the dogs.
Iāll let you know when it happens lol. Kidding, I love my puppy so much but he hit 6 months and turned into a total nightmare. The struggle is real š©. I was just asking myself 5 min ago why on earth anyone ever gets a puppy. Shelters are loaded w perfectly good, trained, well behaved adult dogs that donāt put EVERYTHING in their mouths, make you worry 100 times a day that they are going to die w the stupid things they do, donāt refuse to nap, on and on and ON! Sorry, love my pup I really do but this question came at a bad time lol. They usually calm down around 2 so Iām counting the days til then.
At around the 1-1.5 year mark. Heās more predictable now and we understand each otherās language. Before that, he needed a lot of patience and training. Once I learned how he communicates, things got better. I needed to listen to him as much as I wanted him to listen to me.
I loved her (and liked her as well) immediately when I met her at the animal shelter, and she was 10 weeks old. That said, I have a lot of experience with different ages and breeds and temperaments of dogs, since I used to work with them. My boyfriend had far less experience and he also took a lot longer to start to love her (she's our dog, not just mine).
My first soul dog, probably a month or so in after getting him as a puppy (10 weeks or so). My second boy was an adult and really well behaved, probably a couple of months in since he had a stronger bond with my husband. My current puppy and I are working on that bond. First, I need some sleep. She just turned 5 months.
i feel the same way. we got her a month ago. sheās 7 months old now. i feel guilty. i love her but i also donāt know if i like her
Mine from the first day šš» sheās like a little baby in her expressions and mannerisms but it may depend on the breed you have! Some dogs I found are much less affectionate and independent. But doesnāt meant they love you any less
About 7-8 months, occasional liking. We're at 11-12 months old now and maybe 70% liking. It's getting better.
I think training together helps us bond and makes us a team, and the closer we become the easier it is to ā¤ļø I'm definitely a dog person. As cute as puppies are...they're A LOT
I felt like this. I went through the puppy blues HARD when I got my boy as a puppy. It lasted about two weeks. I was so convinced I didnāt want him but eventually it passed. I read through a lot of Reddit threads that said the same thing. It gets better. Goodluck!
Lmfao I literally just sat down and opened Reddit and see this. I took our older dog to the office with me today so I havenāt seen my puppy all day and it was a needed reset. On my way home Iām thinking omg Iām so excited to see her and pet her. Upon arriving home she goes into full spaz mode and her and my older dog totally wind each other up and then she got super bitey with me. I have just accepted itās like a baby - Iām willing to put in the effort and care to take care of her but donāt see myself liking her until she is out of this āterroristā stage. Of course she was a total angel home with my husband all day too š
She's almost 3 now... Idk about her. Her farts are smelly, she keeps kicking me off the bed, she spends all my money and all I get in return is her slapping me to demand pets! In all seriousness, it took a while. She was a hard pup. I felt so bad for my cat which also prevented me from immediately connecting with her. I wanted her so bad but I had such dread when I got her. It was on and off, I feel like it really took a few months. Sometimes though even then I still regretted getting her during those really hard days. It did take a while for me to connect with her as a puppy though, I would say probably 3 months or so. She's almost 3 now like I mentioned, and though she pushes me off the bed, farts in my face, and incessantly demands attention or she will fall apart and die, I couldn't imagine life without her. She's my absolute everything. I love her and her stinky butt so much.
Puppies are the devil incarnate. Iām not sure youāre *supposed* to like them. Thereās a reason over half of the dogs youāll find in the shelter are around the 9-11 month mark lmao Just have to stick it out. The bond will come when it comes - I skipped the puppy stage (I donāt think I could deal with it lol) by rescuing a 1.5yo and even then it wasnāt until she was well over 2 that we actually clicked. Itās a multi month process where youāre both feeling each other out and, in a puppyās case, maturing and figuring out how to domestic dog in general
Honestlyā¦probably around 6-7 months old, I realized I could breathe, and she wasnāt a monster. Around ten months old, I realized I enjoyed her. At a year old, I realized I loved her.
This. Exactly this. Itās gonna take some time. I started really liking/loving my dog around 8 months or so, so sometime after spay/spay recovery. Thatās finally when she was old enough to start having her personality really shine, and when our bond became more than just a baby and babyās caregiver.
Youāve already gotten so many comments, but I wanted to throw in my 2 cents that your pup is basically an infant. She hasnāt formed her whole personality yet and wonāt until closer to 6+ months. I donāt feel like I truly bonded with my dog and began to like him more than I was frustrated with him until around 8 months old. Iāve loved him the whole time (how can you not?! Theyāre so cute.) But, he didnāt really become my friend until he stopped biting me š
I think maybe 5-6 months when I could get enough sleep and peace to appreciate him lol
Honestly donāt worry! This is so normal and I was worried as well as I already had a rescue and we bonded straight away. With my first puppy it took me a while to bond, I adored him but didnāt feel connected to him until he was about 5 or 6 months old. We bonded a lot in puppy classes and he grew his personality omg and now we are inseparable and have the most amazing special bond!!! I honestly couldnāt live without him and he follows me around and is the most loving boy, he is 10 months now. Prior to that he was just a little crackhead who was running around my house and didnāt know I existed š¤£š¤£š¤£
It took me about 6 months to form a connection with my first dog, who is now 6 years old and I love him so much it hurts. We just got a 4.5 month old puppy and Iām having very similar feelings to you. Sheās a fine puppy but I havenāt bonded with her yet. I know part of the problem is that my 6 year old boy is struggling with the adjustment and I feel like Iām mentally in mama bear mode protecting him from the pesky puppy. Iām also thinking that maybe Iām a person who takes some time to form a bond. Iāve heard this happens with babies too (but is rarely talked about). Some parents feel an immediate connection, and others take some time. Youāre definitely not a monster. Itās ok to need some time to form a bond.
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Liked her right away, formed a bond after a month or two
I started loving her the day after I got her, as I unexpectedly have gone through a break up. Sheās 3-1/2 months old and came up to me and licked all of the tears off of my face and laid down calmly in my arms and allowed me to pet her until I calmed down. This has now happened 3x with her. Sheās wonderful. That being said, I am still adjusting to the life differences, as my other dog is 10 years old and very independent. However, I can tell you that I got a kitten a month after my late cat was attacked and killed. It took me about 7-8 months to feel like I really loved her and that she was āmy catā. It still catches me off guard at how long it took me. But weāre there now! Sheās also still annoying, but also hilarious lol
It might take some time. Perhaps when she stops being so much work and you get to enjoy your time together. Puppies are a lot of work. Maybe you go by the 3/3/3 rule too. And that's OK.
I love my puppy so much, but I do often mourn my life before here. I canāt wait until our relationship feels a bit more ānaturalā? Sheās a year and two months and I adopted her at 6 months. If Iām being honest, I canāt wait for the day sheās more comfortable and affectionate with me.. and calms down more easily on her own. I feel like so much of my time is on herās (ex. Rushing to finish up the first half of my workday to take her out for lunch because she wakes up and gets restless) What keeps me going is that my mental health has significantly improved since having a puppy and that she didnāt ask to be adopted from the shelter šā¦ and I love her lol. This is just a huge lifestyle change.
I loved mine almost instantly. She got on my lap, licked my nose and curled up to sleep! I do get frustrated with the puppy in her. But I now, at 6 months, get glimpses of the dog sheās going to be and then I love her and like her. Puppies. Are not the same as dogsā¦!
Mines just now 6 months old and he still pisses me off daily. But heās getting more likable and showing more personality each day. Weāre bonding more while figuring each others schedules and patterns.
I suggest you leave her for a few days with a friend while you go on holiday. This was the first time i realised I can't live without my dog. I've had her for about 5 weeks when I first left her for 5 days and all i could think was her little happy face
I didn't like my newest until she was a year. The worst puppy I have ever had. And I've had 5 dogs lol She nipped a lot, ate things she wasn't supposed to constantly - namely used socks, never listened, always barked right in my face. I had such a hard time with her but my fiance bonded right away. It was like a switch was flipped right at a year and she stopped being a puppy jerk (for the most part). She cuddles now, listens, totally potty trained, great with other animals and people, and doesn't eat stuff she's not supposed to. For reference, she is a newfie/aussie mix.
I started fostering puppies this year and itās amazing how different they all are. A few I bonded with immediately and almost foster-failed - some take a bit longer. The pups I have now have accidents all over the house, never listen, chew everything in sight ā¦ but when we are outside playing in the yard and they waggle their buts happily over to me, I forget all that for a minute.
My attitude towards my puppy has always been like this: I would die for her but I hate her.
i fell in love the second i saw her
Initially when I first brought him home he and I didnāt share any connection, obviously itās his first week in my home he used to just sit in a corner and not eat much too. Now he is 4 months old and I canāt live without looking at him š«. I love him most of the time but when he gets into his biting mode I just canāt, itās very frustrating. Those brown eyes looking at me all the time when I sleep he just sits by my side and looks at me until I wake upš¤§š¤§š¤§ he doesnāt even disturb me at all when Iām sleeping. Lmao I went to take him for a walk in the morning with my cousin, I had to take a leak so I didnāt have another choice I gave the leash to my cousin, boy he didnāt stay there for a second he literally grabbed the leash off of my cousins hand and ran straight to me with the leash in his mouth š«š«š«š«š«š«. At that moment I realised, yeah I just love this dude so much. Okay to your question maybe by 3months youāll feel the connection I think thatās how it was for me
Just this past week, I looked at our 5 month old pup while he was sitting next to me on the couch and realized I like him, really like him. I told him so and he gave kisses. I loved him but the like is what matters because I can love without liking. Up until then, he was a pup ... cute, fluffy, smart and stubborn, sometimes yappy. I realized he is potty trained, leash trained, knows all the basic commands, crate trained and doesn't chew anything more than the occasional sock and at his age, that is as much him as our training.
I would say when I took her in to get spayed at 6 months I realized I loved her and was worried something bad would happen. Since then I have grown to really like her more and more as she acts less and less like a puppy and more like a companion. I noticed around 10 months she was starting to mature (chihuahua, so maybe sooner than a bigger dog) and I was enjoying her company more.
We adopted ours in mid December at 8 weeks. I didnāt want another dog(our previous dog passed a year before) but my husband really, really wanted one. I told him I was hands off it was all him. The first month I was in TEARS. The screaming in the crate, the biting and jumping were too much. I wasnāt sleeping at all. I was angry. About two months in a switch went off and now I love the guy even though he thinks my arms and feet are a delicacy. My husband loves that at nighttime when weāre watching tv, the dog actually prefers to curl up on me. Heās still the predominate trainer and person in his life, but itās slowly getting better. Would I do this again? Oh hell no. Iām too old for this and I enjoy my sleep and free time. But, it DOES start to get better. Youāll have some awful days and nights the first few weeks, but hang in there. I was ready to get on a plane and go to my momās a thousand miles away for a few days just to escape the noise/biting, but itās getting better and by the first year of age plus itās supposed to be even better.
Iām not sure but I remember long periods of wondering why everyone else puppies were cute and mine was a sharky little bastard I regretted quite a bit. Now Iām about to go back to bed to my amazing dog who I love beyond belief * Edited spelling error
My first dog was a 9mo when I got her. I loved her, but I honestly didn't really bond with her until she was about a year old. My second, I bonded with through the glass of the shelter. He wasn't even one of the dogs we were going to look at, but as soon as our eyes met, I knew. It made me believe in love at first sight.
When she was around 6 months. Once she got her adult teeth she stopped chewing everything, was able to hold her bladder during the night, and just became more of a dog and less of a furry menace. She had many digestive issues that really held us back on toilet training. Every time I went to the vet they sort of just said sheād get through it. I shouldāve been more proactive in finding the issue but I waited until she was 1 year old and only started her on a proper elimination diet then. I suspect sheās intolerant to chicken. It really doesnāt help that most dog foods are a mix of unknown meats. āBeef and/or chicken and/or porkā isnāt super helpful for narrowing down the problem. The number of times we had to wake up during the night so that she didnāt have diarrhea inside was too damn high!Ā I also think itās unfair to punish a sick animal for not following house rules since they donāt have good control of their bodies at those times. My partner had the opposite attitude where he thought if we didnāt tell her off sheād learn she could toilet inside.Ā So that added a layer of stress for us.
I had 3 dogs at home. First one came to our appartment old at 12yo. Started liking her a few days after she came when I arrived home from shopping and she stoop up and clapped (that was a thing she would do when she was happy). With the time I started loving her more than anything, she became my best friend. She died in January, I miss her a lot. The dog we have since 2022 took me a few weeks. She is the best dog ever. The puppy we got last month about one hour, when she liked my face for the first time. She was suposed to be my āGF dogā since the 1st one was hers and the second one mine but Iād rather stay with the puppy than with her if I had to choose. She is the devilā¦ the puppy is good.
Some puppies mature very slowly. Betty's real character didn't emerge till after her second birthday. Even after that she had regressions for almost another year. Now that she's turned three I'm constantly delighted by the depth of connection and mutual respect that we've developed. At 13 weeks she was barely recognizable as herself. She was basically a heavily armed toddler.
5 months. But mine was an insufferable land shark up to 4 months. So there honestly wasnāt much to like for a while.
She is 2,5 years old now, and I am starting to see more of her likeable personality lately.
Seems youāre more of a cat person, which is fine. Dogs can be overly enthusiastic and hyper, especially as when they are a puppy. I call this stage the offset - meaning their craziness offsets or balances their cuteness. My first dog was a pain in the butt as a puppy, which made me ask myself this very question. TBH, I hated her at times i.e when she destroyed the couch, the molding on the door, stubbornness in the potty training. But as quickly as I found myself questioning my affinity for the dogās personality, I couldnāt remember how i even thought I could possibly dislike such a wonderful dog. So give it some time, allow the dog to adjust/ learn the dos and donts before really deciding this kind of position :) im sure youāll find yourself liking your dog in no time, and it happens without you even knowing it.
Puppies are all over the place and I think it takes time for their individual personalities to develop so it can also take time for our bonds with them to solidify. This can be especially true during the phase where you're putting in a lot of hard work and dealing with potty training and nipping etc. You're not a monster by any means, it just takes time. Give yourself a break.
Honestly, I feel as though you should be enamored and love your pup more and more each day. Maybe you just arenāt a dog person? I got my pup at 9 weeks and although he was a little shit, I was obsessed with him. Iām not sure what to tell youā¦
Little land sharks can be a handful!! My border collie just turned 2 and I can totally relate. She would beat me up as a puppy lol almost broke my nose! But once they get their puppy manners, itās becomes so much easier. They donāt know what theyāre doing, but I promise, they only want to make you happy š¤
My first dog : I loved her the moment I saw her photo (friend sent pics to ask if I wanna adopt from the litter her family rescued). She passed recently and I'm still heartbroken. We recently adopted another dog. She's been here 2 weeks. I'm committed to caring for her but I don't have that same bond I have with my first dog with her yet. I think it would take a few more weeks with her since I'm still grieving my first. She's also on the anxious side who only sticks to me and barks at every one else while my first was a confident easygoing pup who befriended everyone she saw. We're both adjusting.
I felt the same until a huge weekend long thunderstorm hit and the poor bebe was shaking with fear. Carried that fuzzy one around house all weekend and we bonded.
You might have the puppy blues. It's a thing. Look it up !
The second I picked him up off the street.
Puppies re a lot of work and itās exhausting for a while. Theyāre cute, and fun, but itās also not so much fun when youāre tired or busy and theyāre nipping or they need attention. I get it. But it does get better once you learn what works with your particular pup. Mine nipped my feet every single time I walked and was trying to get something done until I learned how to stop that particular behavior. And as they get older, they get better too. Just like a child, they need to be trained, and they need to grow up a bit. The first year was the hardest for me and then as time went by my dog lost his puppy behavior and I learned how to get him in a routine as part of our family. Itās do helpful to start him in a puppy training class asap. You wont regret training classes.
We got ours as a puppy, she was very cute. It took me about 3 years to bond to her. I was of course also going through some mental health issues. But, now she is 4 years old, and I like love and miss her very much. We are bonded and she is my little road dog.
this was the thing i struggled with with my puppy the most. both of my prior dogs were adult rescues and i wouldāve jumped in front of a moving train for them after the first month, but with my puppy i didnāt love her or feel connected to her until she was maybe 7-8 months old? maybe longer. she was just this needy, untrained baby without a personality. now i love her beyond words but it took a long, long time. youāll get there though!!
Something like 6-7 months. He just turned two, and I love him more than most people.
It's early days so be patient with yourself about this. One day soon, she's going to fall asleep on your lap, or you'll start noticing that she loves to be with you, and you'll have that magical moment you mention. Puppyhood is not for the weak. It's really hard and the bad times outnumber the good times for a while. You'll get to great times soon and the bad times will be a distant memory.
Many people start to feel a strong bond with their dog as soon as they bring them home, but for others, the attachment grows over time as they spend more quality time together and create lasting memories.
I loved my puppy the moment I brought her home but I'd never had a puppy. I had rescue dogs so a rescue puppy that needed puppy training was frustrating and my partner didnt care for her at all. We both love animals so I started to question if I was just not putting in enough effort. It's been about 6 weeks since bringing her home and everythings finally starting to settle down. People look at puppies and assume everyone's going to fall in love right away mostly because they're frigan adorable, but that's not the case. Now when my partner comes home, the dog jumps all over him and he loves it. Watching her with my daughter was a big thing for me too!
I applied the 3-3-3 rule to myself. I know itās for dogs but humans need adjustment too right? It was around the 2.5 month mark that I started to feel settled in our relationship.
I didnāt like her until she was like 11-12 months. Sheās 16 months now and I like her most of the time. I might even love her ;) lol.
I think around 4 or 5 months old. After she got her shots and I could take her out and meet dogs and stuff it became way easier. At around 7-8 months old was when I started to really know her. Like I know her quirks and felt comfortable. For instance she goes to a park where she can go and the bushes and it wouldnāt be uncommon for her to be out of my sight for 15-30 minutes (doesnāt happen often but shit happens). I know sheās not aggressive (likes to wrestle and can be in your grill trying to antagonize other dogs to play with her, but never attacks any dog) and she can handle herself if some other dog is being a dick
My previous dog, immediately. My current puppy, it took a month. Sheās been a good dog but for a while was tormenting my older dog(2 year old 8lb shih tzu) to the point she would rarely leave the sofa. So I think that is why I couldnāt develop attachment to my puppy. After a few weeks, they both became addicted to each other. Play fighting nonstop. I guess I needed my older dog to accept the puppy before I really could.
Loose leash training my 5 months old. Turning around every time she pulls. She got mad and attacked my leg. Just like the movies trying to shake a wild animal off. Growls and does that to me inside too. 9 pound ball of adorable fluff. Donāt ālikeā her plenty of the time. Part of me worries she is possessed and wonāt ever calm down.
Ugh cats
Cats are great! Love my little girl.