So if you didn’t already know Harry and I have had our dog Binky for just over a year now! I feel like after a year of having her I can finally talk to you about the journey of bringing up puppy.
After moving out I felt a massive thing missing in our home, a dog. The time I spend at home really varies because of uni. At certain periods I spend quite a bit of time at home, and have always been used to having a doggy companion around. So when we moved out I quickly noticed somewhat of a void. Harry was really against getting any animals, he didn’t want to have to worry about the responsibility of looking after one. But me being me, wouldn’t and didn’t take no for an answer. After extensive research I finally found a beautiful set of puppies not too far from us. I had originally wanted a Pug or French Bulldog but when looking into it I stumbled across a lot of health issues so instead I chose a bit of a compromise by getting a Pug crossed with a King Charles. When getting a puppy make sure you do your research on not only the breed but where they are coming from, I think this is extremely important! If you can try and meet the puppy’s parents.
Let me start by telling you it is not easy. The drive home I was so excited, I took her in to Harry’s work so he could have a cuddle, he was still very sceptical. Then the reality set in and the stress begun. Getting a puppy requires a lot of time, patience and hard work. However to me it’s all worth it.
Originally we tried to crate train her but a little known fact about pugs is they are extremely needy, they are like having a shadow. After countless weeks of her crying in her crate we finally gave in and gave up on the idea. Binky unfortunately was quite ill when she was a pup. This made everything quite a bit harder, especially the toilet training. When she finally was finished with all her injections and could go outside thats when things became a lot easier. She quite quickly became toilet trained with the occasional accident here and there. She began learning little tricks like, sit, paw spin etc. She also then began to really develop a personality which I absolutely adore. This is when her and Harry really started to bond, especially as she got a lot easier to manage.
Another important thing to do whilst they’re still a puppy is make sure that you socialise them. For me it has always been really easy for me to take her with me whenever I have the chance. This has meant that she is really well socialised with meeting people, kids and dogs. The only problem we still seem to have with her is she can be overly friendly with other dogs, which is fine as long as the other dog is friendly. My parents’ dog let her get away with blue murder so she expects all dogs to be the same. The other issue is when on a walk she is really good off the lead but as soon as she sees another dog she will not come back without being put on the lead. I’ve recently started clicker training her in the hope to squash this annoying habit.
She’s now a lot older and her being a tiny puppy seems a bit of a lifetime ago. We both love her more than words, even when she is being a hyperactive pain!
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