I could have told you that, without going through what you did

yes, puppies especially are just like human infants/toddlers. They require constant care AND constant love and affection. My main motto for puppies and toddlers is “distraction, distraction, distraction”. Get them interested in something else if it appears they are doing something they shouldn’t be…just as getting into something…putting things in their mouths. They have doggie diapers nowadays and puppies can trained to use their Poop pad and they look forward to going outside at intervals…the main problem is that too many people want a dog, but they also expect that dog to be able to be alone for long periods of time AND not bother them when they come home from work. (many dogs become anxious at being cooped up in the house OR often they are put in closed quarters on apartment patios and small bathrooms all day with nothing to do and they become overly aggressive when they are finally let out)…Too many new owners think they are supposed to “spank” a puppy just like they mistakenly think they are supposed to “spank” a child. Puppies are brutalized too often and they often urinate out of fear of being hit again. Puppies do better if older dogs are present because they then have playmates AND mentors that can “show them the ropes”…I have 3 dogs and they have become a joy to my life EVEN THOUGH I had to contend with the inevitable “stages”. I had a lot of things chewed up that had to be replaced, but like I said, its a “stage” they go through and if they are given ample “chew toys” they usually begin to prefer those. Dog proofing a house is the same as “child proofing”…keep those potential hazards out of reach.
I am astounded at how many people don’t want anything to do with my dogs. They become immediately annoyed that the dogs come to the door to greet them. (my dogs are part of my household and they should be afforded the same respect)…
Anyway, I always say definitely do not get a dog if you don’t have the time and the patience AND the love to give…

part 2: my childhood was spent with taking care of stray dogs that would show up. I would feed them and they would stay. I often had to hide them so my father wouldn’t see them. (he was gone a lot so it wasn’t that difficult). I recognized early on that animals needed to be taken care of AND protected from people who would do them harm. There were no leash laws in my community then and we lived on a busy highway (between Longview and Gilmer texas)..many of my dogs were ran over and killed eventually but I had one dog who always managed to dodge the traffic for several years. Animals were/are important for many children to have in their lives…so sad you didn’t get your puppy when you were a kid, ED..

Hey Ed!

Do you want a PUPPY? Or do you want a DOG? Because if you want a dog, I’d recommend adopting one that’s about a year old from an animal shelter. At a year old, they’ve out grown a lot of that puppy behavior, and, in a lot of cases, they’re already housebroken, too!

Chief came from the shelter, and he’s been a fantastic dog. He was already housebroken, was very well leash-trained, and even knew a couple of commands like “sit.” As I like to put it, he came with all his software already installed, lol.

I told you Ed–you need an adult cat! Much less work.

Cats need love as well, but their mating ritual are unnerving to say the least. (I feel I must help them somehow when I hear them screaming and chasing each other)…Those new kitty toilets look amazing. There is a cat that walks down the street very slowly and my dogs go absolutely crazy..I think the cat does it just to irritate them..

Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting