Puppy blues: Mark Vette on why new owners regret getting a puppy and how to cope

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I love him but I hate him!’ What happens when you regret your new puppy? If you have a question for Mark Vette about life with a puppy, leave it in the comments. A puppy seems…

Mark Vette says almost half of puppy owners experience anxiety, weariness or frustration.

‘I love him but I hate him!’ What happens when you regret your new puppy? If you have a question for Mark Vette about life with a puppy, leave it in the comments.

A puppy seems like a great idea – what’s not to love? Those irresistible eyes and velvet fur, the cute face, the wiggly body, the built-in best buddy for life.

But then D-Day arrives and it’s not all roses. The puppy won’t stop biting and drawing blood, the kids are terrified of the boisterous little critter, you’re up all night to piteous whining, the table legs are chewed beyond recognition and you’re doing more cleaning than seems reasonable.

According to research from the University of Helsinki, almost half of puppy owners experience the “puppy blues” – anxiety, weariness or frustration during their dog’s puppyhood. This can make it difficult to form an attachment with your dog, and for a fair number of owners it gives rise to strong feelings of regret.

Every week, I’m approached by puppy owners exhausted or overwhelmed by raising their pup, many feeling they’ve made the wrong decision (and carrying guilt about it).

When I emailed my community about this, my inbox was flooded by people who’d experienced it:

“There was some joy, but I experienced a lot of anxiety and sadness too. The sleepless nights coupled with how much work they are and how much freedom I had lost contributed to feelings of despair. I really regretted getting her, every waking moment revolved around her and sometimes I had thoughts of giving her away or worse.”

“It really did take a toll on my mental health and stirred up similar feelings to the newborn stage. It’s hard work and it’s not really something you expect to feel.”

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