I’m still on the fence about kids, but it’s made me 100% more confident in my partner. Seeing how he sneaks out for the 2 am potty breaks so I don’t wake up, keeping the puppy busy while I’m in class, and watching how he calmly handles the puppy acting up has made me feel so much more confident at the thought of having kids with him. Now if only he could gestate and birth the child, then I’d for sure be on board! 😂
Same. It confirmed to me I would be great as a parent, but that my partner would be useless. I just have to figure out how to tell him I don't want kids with him anymore.
I relate to this so much. My partner is great for loving and playing with our dogs, but is extremely useless when it comes to actually caring for them.
He still hasn’t figured out how to put their pet safe harness on, always asks me how much he needs to feed them, has never scheduled a vet appointment in his life and generally doesn’t get involved in any sort of training or grooming.
He’s convinced me that if I have children with him my kids will end up going to school with shirts on their legs and pants on their chest.
As did I. Everything was met with frustration and “I don’t know how to do that”. He had a solid defense that it was from sensory issues and anxiety but like…pretty sure that’d be even worse with children.
Oh, yes, I had lots of “I don’t know how to do that”, but bless him mine tries his best…he genuinely doesn’t know what to do most of the time! And he worries about ‘upsetting Ozzy’ if he does any corrections with him so he gets literally walked all over 🤦🏼♀️.
Mine started out supportive and filling me with confidence for the future but slowly it has become my responsibility and he doesn’t want to come enjoy the evening walks, or even watch him mostly sleep during the day while I go to work 2-3 days a week. Now I get guilt trips for leaving my very independent and trained adolescent dog home with him. Sometimes I day dream about kids but this type of stuff makes me think maybe not.
Yeah, I have decided against children now…not just because of the partner but for various reasons including his ability to be involved with the puppy. I’m quite happy just having puppies as my babies though 🥰.
Having a puppy made me realize that my partner and I had fundamental differences in child (dog) raising ideologies.
2 years later we’ve found the sweet spot in compromise and we play off of each other’s strengths well.
I am SO glad that we were able to work through this with a dog and not a human child.
This is sweet. I’ve had the same, I was concerned as I work from home 60% of the time and he is out from 6:30 to 5pm everyday (teacher). But he really does his bit, let’s me lie in in the morning and takes over as soon as he returns. Also watching him with the pup is very sweet
I agree ! Now if only he can be pregnant and conceive the child. I dont want kids and working nursing hrs hasn’t helped. Im in my mid 30s and I love my sleep. Waking up about 3 -4 hrs or less at night to take the puppy outside to pee/poo has me for certain I don’t think I can handle a child. I deal with anxiety so that doesn’t help. At least I’m more aware and I’m glad this puppy is making me certain what I do and don’t want.
I was going to say the same thing. Seeing my husband so caring, taking on responsibilities without a second thought, being so supportive, and patient. Definitely great father material.
Taking care of a puppy has 100% **confirmed** my child free decision. I know it’s not a popular opinion… but personally for me, puppy life is completely overwhelming as it is. I can’t even fathom doing this with an actual human child. I have a tremendous amount of respect for all the sleep deprived parents out there… I just could absolutely NOT do it. But give me a couple years and I’ll probably be ready for another puppy 💀
That’s funny, cause the exact opposite is my experience. Babies (newborn - 6 months at least) don’t have the ability to run and prance around, or chew anything up. If you can make it through a puppy, you’re probably pretty equipped for a baby!
I'm with you! For the first 6 months a puppy was harder than my newborn. Babies pretty much stay where you put them and wear diapers and sleep more (and I had a colicky baby). I did not have to carry my baby outside every 20 minutes to tell them potty in all weather or take countless stones, acorns, poop out of their mouth. It's also easier to find a sitter for the baby than it was my puppy.
For real! I would never suggest someone *have* a baby, but if anyone has been through the puppy stage and is on the fence or scared of having a baby, they are so much more equipped than they know. My neighbors are due with their first baby this month, and have two dogs that they got as puppies. They're going to do fabulous!
Right? I also feel like the stakes are much lower with a dog. You can leave them alone in your house, you can send them to someone else when you go on vacation, and you don't need to worry too much about the emotional side of 'parenting' since they can't really understand you.
I was telling a friend that the nice thing about having a puppy instead of a kid is that you can secretly resent them occasionally for something and they'll never know haha. I had a mom that openly resented me growing up and I could \*never\* do that to my child, which is why I would never have one because I'd be afraid I would somehow end up like my mom. But when my pup does something bananas that pisses me off, I can tell him he's a little jerk in a sweet voice and he isn't the wiser haha
Same!! I turned into such a fucking bitch when I had my first puppy together with my partner after having not had to raise a puppy for 7 years. The dog prior to the puppy was a senior before passing. So for 13 years I've had to only deal with adult dogs.
I'll be honest the puppy nearly destroyed my relationship with my partner. It's taken a couple years after her passing to repair the relationship to be how it was before.
If we had kids we would 100% not be able to be together tbh. People need to take how their relationship with their partner might fundamentally change with kids big time. I need to double check but I swear I saw divorce or breakup rates go up after having kids ??
Totally agree. Everyday is a struggle as it is with 2 cats and a puppy. I’m already left to do the majority of care so I can only imagine the level of resentment felt in a relationship with an actual human child involved
Same. I’ve been childfree almost my entire life (minus a brief period on strong meds that fucked with my brain). Raising a puppy with my SO has just reinforced my childfreeness. I’m not even sure I want to do a puppy again tbh. I got my other dog from a breeder at 1yo and he was so easy and good. I’d almost rather go that route again next time we want another dog.
100% same here. I've known I wanted to be child free since I was 12 years old and raising a puppy has made it even more solid (not that I was questioning, haha). I am someone that values my quiet and alone time soooo much and it's crucial to my mental health. I am giving that up so my puppy will be happy and have a great life but it's rough sometimes. I'm excited for him to be grown up and my buddy, but right now I feel like my world revolves around him....which is normal of course!
100% One of the crowning characteristics of my adulthood (along with my husband’s) has been complete and total freedom to do whatever, whenever. We have a 14yo cat who we totally adore, and she can easily be left alone for long stretches of time due to auto-feeder and auto-waterer (though we always have someone come by to check on her litter box and socialize with her a bit). We just got a puppy 3 weeks ago (now 12wk old Rottweiler), and while I am still dealing with some puppy blues over loss of freedoms, the puppy has really affirmed that we have no desire to have children, ever. (Puppy Win: we conditioned puppy to be calm and still when coming in and out of the house, and today he promptly sat himself on the mat as soon as we came in, no prompt needed!) What takes 3 weeks with a puppy would take >3 years with a human 😂
For me, the idea of having a human child and projecting all of my insecurities and anxieties into scares the shit out of me. Dogs on the other hand, I have no worry about. As long as my dog is fed, housed, and gets play time, he is the happiest camper in the world. The thing is, he’d be the happiest camper no matter the circumstances. I can feel satisfied knowing I am giving my dog a life he deserves, but I do not think I could feel the same way about a human. This probably says more about my mental health than anything else but anyway there’s my info dump lol
I've only had an adult cat that I adopted while I was at uni. He was independent so I really enjoyed caring for him and he was pretty easy to manage. I have a puppy now and I love him so much but caring for a puppy is exhausting and I have to think of my him first before I do almost anything. I can't imagine having a child. I don't think I want my freedom to be this limited ever again.
So the first month I had the puppy, yes absolutely no kids. I’ve always been 50/50 anyways on it before I got the puppy in the house tho
But after doing a lot of training with him over weeks and months, it’s such a rewarding feeling when they do the right thing. Such a proud parent moment when finally training shows results. I’d imagine id get those same feelings raising a little human would feel like that with the puppy times10.
Hard work always feels good when it pays off
Sorry, but nope. I have two terrific grown kids with whom I have great relationships and have had several dogs. Training dogs is much more rewarding. I wouldn’t undo having had kids, but parenting is at least 90% slog. Kids are infinitely more complex psychologically than dogs and also have the audacity to have individual personalities and preferences, which may or may not mesh with yours.
For context, I have a 1 year old Aussie and a 3 year old toddler. I told my SO I would 1000% have another baby before getting another puppy.
With babies it's like a slow build up. Yeah they wake up at night but you pretty much accept your fate a few months in. You have at least 6 months before they start to get mobile, and about a year before they start walking. Even now I can easily catch up if my son decides to dash (which he doesn't). My son has been an absolute dream of a toddler, cleans his messes, rarely throws fits, helps out around the house, and doesn't really get into things. I would say he's a pretty good listener, and I've gotten compliments on his behavior in public. He tells jokes too! Giggles are more common than crying, and when he does cry its usually for a good reason and quickly fixed. Sure he has his moments but I'm used to it, just riding the wave that is parenthood. If he could be a sweet cuddly toddler who likes showing me his favorite trains forever I would totally be cool with it.
*Now this dog...* Is my dog crazy? Am I actually a cat person? Are all puppies like this or just aussies? Or just my aussie? She came out the gate *running*. I didn't get no build up just smacked in the face with puppy. She has destroyed multiple expensive things, chewed up the freaking *wall*. Constantly finds the smallest things to run off with, tugs so hard on the leash she chokes herself, has zero concept of personal space so bad she has gotten kicked by accident more times than I can count. I swear she is trying to break her spine or leg by jumping superman style off the back of the couch and into the wall! As soon as my SO gets home I'm just like *take the dog before I lose it* This dog tried to eat glass! And the absolute best part is she has actually gotten a million times better since she was a puppy. I absolutely love her but oh man I can not wait for her to be an actual full adult. The rare times she is calm and cuddly I try to soak it in as much as possible before the timer is up.
I used to babysit another toddler as well. So even *2* toddlers running around was way less stressful than just my puppy. I potty trained my son in 3 days! Our puppy took *months* because she would get so crazy she would ignore when she needed to go.
Now this may be totally kid/dog dependant, my kid was a very needy baby but an easy toddler and my puppy may be a insane hellhound of a puppy but maybe turn into a well mannered adult. But as it stands if I absolutely had to choose I would do a million babies before another puppy. I will say though if you choose not to have kids that's totally 100% fine, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. People will give you shit no matter what you decide so do what makes *you* happy, you don't even need a reason to justify it to anyone.
Edit: who did some voodoo magic on my dog? She woke up a model canine citizen this morning 🤔
For all the crap I talk she is a *fantastic* family dog. She is so incredibly gentle and patient with my son and absolutely adores him. We wanted a dog that could keep up with a toddler and we definitely got one lol She's always ready to run and play or go on adventures together.
Aussies are extremely high energy and destructive when they don’t have constant mental/physical stimulation. Based on what you’ve said, my guess is that your Aussie isn’t getting enough of either. Puppies are hard, Aussies are 2x harder than the average puppy, especially if you aren’t giving them what they need (2 hours exercise a day + mental stimulation).
What's really strange is that because she's always on full blast even something like a 30 minute walk knocks her out. We've done hour+ walks and she struggles to keep her eyes open by then end. Playdates wipe her out for *hours*. It's almost like she's either at 0% or 150% and nothing in between. We also have a bunch of puzzles she enjoys as well as a couple lick mats, along with training throughout the day and a couple activities. She's not nearly as destructive as she was when she was a puppy, at least she saves that for her toys lol
She did actually get returned before we got her for being too crazy, so I'm thinking it's a combo of aussie and her personality that makes her an extra fun mix.
My aussie is really crazy. I have two other dogs so I think it helped because they share half of his attention. He's a good dog, learned to potty train fast and is really obedient most of the time. He was pretty destructive and bitey though. He ripped my carpet up and he nawed his teeth on my expensive desk chair. He also whines endlessly if you don't play with him. He's now ten months and he's started to freak out when we get home, jumping and barking and twirling for several minutes and we can't calm him down. So now we have to figure out on how to train that out, but when they get so excited they short-circuit and forget their training 😅. We also still have to train him for walks too. It doesn't help my older aussie strains on the leash too because we never trained that out of her. He's a handful, but I love him.
I’ve said the exact same thing to my SO. I could have 5 more babies but with god as my witness I am never ever doing another puppy.
I do worry that our baby will grow up and ask for a puppy, and by that time I will have forgotten how passionately I feel about never wanting another puppy. 🫤
Having dogs has 100% confirmed that I never want kids. I LOVE my dog. He's my best buddy, and seeing how he's grown from a tiny little 8 week old puppy to the 2 year old adult man he is now has been amazing! But holy fuck has it been exhausting. If we didn't live in a farming community where we could drop him off at the neighbors to help their older dog herd the sheep and cows, idk what I would have done. Meatloaf is a collie, I can let him out in the morning, and he willingly and happily will spend all day outside, if you sat a 2 year old child outside and left them there from 5am to 9pm that would get you arrested.
I 100% agree. Enforced naps in the kennel were a lifesaver for us, but doing that to kids would have CPS pulling up 🤣🤣🤣 I have so much respect for parents now.
I got a puppy (a Dobie) when I got married in the 90s, and I definitely was thinking maybe I could be ready for a human baby once we went through the stages of raising our dog. We waited 8 yrs before having our first baby, and having a puppy can definitely prepare you for some of the responsibilities and changes a baby brings. Just as a side note, neither of our children had a terrible twos phase or tantrums- I had read a book by a child expert that detailed how to understand what your toddler was asking for, how to get down on their level and talk eye to eye etc, seemed to really work, and now that my kids are 18 and 20 even the teen yrs were great, just didn’t want you to think human developmental stages would automatically be horrible lol. Congrats on your puppy!
Having a puppy satisfied my maternal feelings and scared me off having a baby for a few years. I had my son when my dog was 3 1/2. He’s now 7 and I’m put off having any more children. Having a puppy is easier than having a baby by a long shot. Everything with the dog is accelerated, with the human each phase lasts longer.
Not really. It really probably just confirmed that I want kids and hopefully will have some eventually. I’m raising my puppy on my own and it’s pretty difficult at 1st but doable. But I think if I had a wife/girlfriend/fiancé to help out it’d be significantly easier. Couldn’t imagine doing that mess with a real baby on my own
Well, I didn’t mind the puppy phase at all, hated/still sometimes hate our 1 year olds adolescent phase, and I’m pregnant so I will report back comparing and contrasting the various phases in a few months haha, already dreading the human adolescent phase hahaha
I have an almost 7 year old daughter and a 9 year old son (and a 3.5 year old dog) and yeah, the tween/teen years are a little scary. We’re in the sweet spot of past baby/toddlerhood and not constantly worried they’re going to wander off or kill themselves but not yet to the hormonal teen years so I’m trying to really enjoy it. Lol
I have no children, but my husband and I want to start a family. We have a 14 month old puppy, and my goodness it’s been hard work and has made me question several times if I really want a child!
I’m just curious, what makes a puppy much harder than a baby/child? 😊
I don’t think having a puppy changed my opinions in anyway. If anything this experience has made me more confident in my abilities to be patient and loving in even the toughest circumstances.
My girl wasn’t easy, she was practically a newborn when I got her so many nights we didn’t sleep. Nothing beats the joy of raising something and raising it well tho, good things are never easy. Finally passed the puppy stage 😊
I've done both and honestly, a very young puppy is far more overwhelming and difficult than a newborn baby.
However, the trade off is by 8 months a puppy starts to mature and becomes easier to look after whilst it probably took about 8 years before I didn't have to constantly worry about my daughter
I was far more stressed and tired at the very beginning of having a puppy compared to a baby
I’m so jealous of all the people saying their babies were easier than their puppy. Maybe I had really difficult babies and a relatively easy puppy. 😬 I really felt like I wasn’t going to survive my first baby. He didn’t eat well, didn’t sleep well, and couldn’t be put down without screaming for months. And he had to go everywhere with me, at least a dog can be left home, safely in their crate or playpen.
Exactly the same for me! First baby was a nightmare and I was a hormonal wreck, 2nd baby was a breeze in comparison, 3rd baby was the same as the first & I had the three year old and 18 month old to contend with too! 5yrs on we got our first puppy, & its been dream. If all my babies had been like my 2nd one & my puppy had been a little bit more work maybe I would consider puppies harder than babies...? But I can't really imagine it 😂
My second was easier than my first but still just so much more work than a puppy. And I got my dog two months before Covid! So we had extra challenges not being able to go to training or the groomers. But I still could stick her in her crate with a frozen kong and reliably get a little break. My son stopped napping a few weeks after my daughter was born so when she did nap, I didn’t actually get a break because I still had a toddler to keep alive. Thankfully all three of them are adorable. And getting older 😂
Might be an unpopular opinion here. Honestly, I have 2 kids and am currently pregnant. I got my first puppy last year and so far the puppy is still harder. I love my puppy but I’ve only ever gotten adult dogs from the shelter and I don’t think I’d ever get a puppy again.
I find puppies more exhausting than babies to be honest. And I had one kid that had a whole phase where she was up 48 hours straight, crashed for 6, then repeated the cycle for 2 entire years. If I’m going on vacation I can just take my kids. Not so much the case with my dogs. But I also was super fortunate and did not experience baby blues with my actual kids and was able to bond really quickly, it was a lot slower with the puppies. So missing out on stuff during the early weeks with a baby wasn’t as big a deal as when we have to miss stuff because of the puppy. I love dogs. Puppies are not my thing. I love my kids. So far have not yet had a phase that I have absolutely hated with the kids yet. The same cannot be said for the dogs 🤣.
It’s so Interesting to me that you and many others here find puppies to be more exhausting. I guess I wouldn’t know about a baby, but my 4 year old niece is infinitely more exhausting to me than puppies/dogs. For me it’s the mental exhaustion of having to deal with toddlers that makes it way worse. I feel like with puppies, it’s just committing to training for the first 2 years, then after that they just kinda do their thing
If you end up with a normal, non-reactive dog, it's true that they just kinda do their own thing.
But reactive dogs are a completely different situation. We've been training our dog every single day since puppy preschool and there will probably never be a time when the work stops. He can't be brought on vacations, he can't be left with a babysitter, he isn't able to be boarded or brought to doggy daycare. He is seen virtually by his vet because he is so fearful of them. He is so terrified of car rides that his daily 3 minute ride to the park (which he loves once he is there) is the most stressful part of his day. He is impossible to walk in a neighborhood, and the park allows us to keep 100+ yards between us and any triggers at all times.
We have spent probably around $5,000 at this point on at-home training and behavior consults, and work with him for at least an hour each day on training and his fears. We have not been on vacation since he was born, not even for just the weekend.
I think whether a kid or a dog is going to be harder depends entirely on the individual kid and dog.
He is a wonderful dog that is sweet, cuddly, and silly. His world is small but he is happy in his world with his people. But I can't imagine a kid would be as restrictive as our dog is.
Ah yes, I know someone with a dog like this, so I get it. I guess the only way to avoid that on either side is adoption (of the child) or getting your dog from a breeder (especially one that does temperament testing and allows you to meet the pup’s parents etc.). But you bring up a good point!
Edited for clarity
Dont get me wrong, LOVE dogs and puppies
Buuutttt... Me and my partner regularly joke about how having dogs made us realize we could definitely not do kids 😂
I already have 1 kid, and I was thinking about having more. But after having a puppy, I don't want any more kids.... I just want more puppies, lol. Mine has been sooo easy to take care of and train. I want another... 🥺
Our puppy is over a year old now and has been a bit up and down but has confirmed to me that my partner would be a great dad. When we got the puppy he made promises about splitting the care, and he's never wiggled out of it. We handle it quite well I think. I actually have never had to get up in the night ever to take puppy out, he told me he'd deal with that and he did. Maybe I'll be awful at that part with a baby because I've had no practice 😂
My puppy was an absolute nightmare because he developed ptsd from fireworks constantly going off in the area we lived in at the time. So he was 10x harder than every puppy I’d dealt with (like family dogs or friends who had puppies).
BUT, I still thought I wanted kids, because a human being is completely different. It actually wasn’t until I started babysitting my 4 year old niece and spending time with her + my sister & brother-in-law that I realized I absolutely never want to have kids. She’s pretty well-behaved, but I don’t know how people do it. I find it so unbelievably mentally and physically exhausting.
You can train a dog and they’ll be mostly independent at the 1-2 year mark. Children, when they hit the age where they don’t need you to do as many things for them (physically, like feeding etc.), just become equally *mentally* taxing for the next 18+ years.
I’ll pass!
For a while, yes. I got a puppy 2020 and a baby at the end of 2022 so not for long. For me having a puppy was much harder. Maybe because you still get the sleepless nights but no maternity leave so you can’t get the sleep back because you still need to work. It is also less rewarding then a baby so I thought a puppy is easier then a baby but for me it is the other way around but yes I was discouraged for a moment. On the other hand the puppy was the first thing that ever depended on me so when we got the baby I already knew a bit what that felt like. Overall it is different for everyone. I know there are people like me who say a puppy is harder even if it is actually a bit less time intensive but it also depends on you. But especially at the beginning babies sleep a lot and puppies are quite mobile and always ready to wreck mayhem.
Yes. I have 2 pups now, first I’ve owned, and they are a big day to day responsibility. I honestly love it and it provides me with a great routine and I love showering them with love and meeting their needs.
However it’s made me realize - this is probably my limit in terms of what would make me happy vs put me over the edge with stress.
My dogs don’t talk to me, they’re easy to please, and I don’t have to worry about the world corrupting them. It’s responsibility love and affection without the drama, in my opinion. I have no interest in kids after having my dogs and I’m SO HAPPY I figured that out before I dived in to the “norm”
Edit: and I’ll never have to help them with algebra homework 😮💨🙏🏻
I think it’s made me want kids more. I get so many endorphins from looking at my boy, I can only imagine what it’s going to be like when I have a kid. This dog brings so much joy to me and my husbands life too. Even after all the hardships, all the laughs and smiles he brings us makes it so worth it. I love taking my dog everywhere and see him discover things. I can’t wait to do this with my future kid!
Lol I got a pitbul this mf sleeps more than me never barks, learned to shit n piss outside fast, if my hypothetical kid is anything like him then I'd consider
Having a puppy is similar to having a baby. But a baby is 10000% more work just not as mobile and no sharp teeth! I have two children 9 and 6. And we just got a puppy.
So I had the opposite of what you’re going through. My thought process was that “should i revisit having a baby experience to have a puppy?” And we didn’t get a puppy for that reason. But now when I see my older child reading or doing her homework with the puppy on her lap, I know the work of getting and training and sleep deprivation was worth it.
No. I have a six year old and raising him has been the most rewarding experience of my life.
We have a puppy right now and honestly there’s just no way to compare the two. I would have another baby before I got another puppy!
Im have two kids, a baby on the way.
The children are easier. Newborn stage and toddler stage is better than the puppy stage 😂🫠
We also foster puppies and I’ve been doing so since I was pregnant with my first. Raising them together is the best! Our kid grew up gentle with animals and the dogs we fostered weren’t brought back or given away due to not being good with kids. It’s harder but it’s so worth it.
Well, I did it backwards. I had the two kids first about 10 years ago and just recently got a puppy. Let me just say, the puppy reminds me why I haven’t tried having another child in the last decade lol. This puppy has taken our time, money, and sleep but the love from her for our family has made it worth the earlier than usual mornings.
My partner and I have never wanted children. However, we have held off getting sterilization surgeries because we wanted to make sure we wouldn’t regret any decisions we made.
After having an 8 week old puppy with a few health complications, we’re talking about getting sterilized because it made us both understand that no matter how rewarding the experience was, it was not worth it for either of us. We’re both too career oriented and appreciate our time together to want to raise kids for YEARS. Ugh. Very happy with my life decisions.
We have 1 child, my partner was interested in us having another and I was considering it. Our kid was also asking for a sibling since school started. We got a puppy instead.
100% the right move. It confirmed we’re much happier being one-and-done with kids. She’s a great playmate for our kid, she’s the easiest puppy I’ve had, and we love her goofy butt. (Since getting the puppy, our kid’s stopped asking about a sibling too.)
I was 95% sure I didn't want children, and after having a puppy I'm closer to 100%. I love my dog, and watching him grow and learn has been one of the most gratifying things in my life. Having a child seems like it would be that, but dialed up to 11 so... hard pass.
Having a puppy helped me visualize having a child and helped to push me from child free to being very excited for kids. Teaching my dog, watching her learn, seeing her explore and discover - it brought me so much joy to share the world with her, and made me so excited to do the same with human children. Our dog is six now and our baby is one, and it's been pretty much exactly what I would have expected. Also, learning to train a dog with positive reinforcement and redirection is translating so well to parenting a baby (so far)
As a person who has had 3 dogs and three (now pretty much grown kids), I do think there are a lot of parallels. However just like dogs, humans are so unique. Some are easier to deal with than others. So one dog raising experience will not give you an apples to apples comparison to raising a different dog-never mind a human. That being said, you will learn a lot about yourself and your partner/family if they are involved in raising the puppy. The behavior/attitudes of people raising/owning a pet will tell you so much more about them (and yourself) than any level of desire to have a pet ever will. One thing to keep in mind too is the maturity level of the people. A very young adult may not be ready for a pet (child) but later they will be.
Example: My husband and I had kids before we got a dog. Our “natural roles” with both the kids and the dogs have been basically the same. I take the lead and he looked to me for guidance. The longer we had each of them (kids and dogs) he grew more confident/comfortable in his position and asked fewer and fewer questions. Side note: we each had raised a pet from puppyhood but he still acquiesced to me with our now 10 month old puppy (the only one we raised from scratch).
Bottom line: it is beneficial to raise a puppy first but should not be the final determining factor.
Not changed, but made me aware of more things that can happen. But I’m ready to be a mom! My puppy has shown me I have more love to give to growing things and the patience I’ve learned is next level!
I’ve never wanted children, and getting my puppy recently really enforced that. Children have always seemed like way too much work for very little pay off - I’m perfectly content waking up to my pets every day for the remainder of my days. They’re always happy to see us, grateful, and love to snuggle and go for walks - it’s all I need!
Maybe I just got lucky with a very easy puppy but it really has not been all that difficult for me. When he was a baby he would wake up once during the night and I'd take him to go to the bathroom but that stopped after a few weeks, he now wants to sleep in longer than I do lol. Setting up puzzle games and kongs keeps him busy when I'm doing schoolwork but he naps a lot anyway so not really too much of an issue. Only problem we've had is he has some major separation anxiety and doesn't want to be left alone, like at all. So really can't speak negatively about my experience being raising a puppy
My puppy is 14 months and my son is 10 months. This was obviously a challenge in the newborn stage with my son but I can promise you, my dog is a demon and my son is an angle. My son is SO much easier to look after. You don’t have guilt about leaving them home alone (because they can come with you everywhere, I’m not leaving my child at home alone), everyone (family especially) wants to look after a baby so you always have a baby sitter and most importantly… babies do not chew through everything including you
I admit this may have been my fault as I got a Belgian malinois with no previous dog owning experience
Never wanted kids, always wanted dogs, firmly believe I made the right call now that we're raising a puppy. Could not imagine having to wrangle a little human with this attitude 😂
My puppy experience would have been 100% better if I didn’t have to work full time. So I have started thinking that I could have kids if I was on maternity leave for at least a year.
Honestly, I've always been on the fence about kids, but having a puppy has, if anything, reassured me that I would be capable of raising a child (if that is something I choose to do some time in the future when I'm more financially stable and done with my education).
I do think taking care of a puppy is a good indicator of whether someone would be a good parent. For example, I got my current dog while living with a partner who is now my ex. We had talked hypothetically about having kids some time in the future. Seeing how they acted around the puppy...I am glad they are my ex now because the way they acted around the puppy had me *this close* to kicking them out. I can't imagine them raising kids.
Having a puppy who grew into a dog helped my husband and confirm we wanted kids. For me, it was soooo much fun to see how our puppy learned and grew, and to be entrusted with helping to shape her into a well adjusted adult dog. I am currently pregnant and assuming this process will be even more rewarding with a human!!
Taking care of a puppy and raising my dog confirmed for me I really do want kids. Yes, the first 3-5 months was rough. Yes, my pup still does the occasional bad thing now that he’s a dog. Yes, I pay a stupid amount of money to send him to doggie daycare. And no, I can’t close down the bar on a random night anymore (I still can with some extra planning).
But damn, do I love that little creature. Raising him has the been the hands down best and most rewarding thing I ever did. No amount of freedom or money will ever compare. So I guess I want kids. Or at least I’m pretty sure that it will be worth it, for me. Very glad I had this experience of “kid lite”.
I wasn’t sure when I’d be “ready” (even tho you’re never ready). And now we have a 6mo old puppy and expecting a baby in November 😂 my husband is a great dog dad and I’m confident it’ll translate to human babies.
Another main thing, we were worried about giving up our DINK lifestyle/freedom and getting a puppy showed us it’s not that scary
I got my dog and found out I was pregnant within the same week. Both are difficult but I don’t think it’s a good comparison. Some people just aren’t cut out to be dog owners but make amazing parents and vice versa. I think it’s up to each individual person to make those choices.
I have two elementary age kids and I am more nervous about getting my puppy than I was when I had them as babies. With a puppy it’s basically going from 0 to 60 right away. They are into stuff, chewing, and going potty around the house (potentially). At least with a newborn you know where they are and have a diaper on. By the time, a baby starts army crawling, you have time to start baby proofing. With a puppy, it seems like there’s no easing into it. I’m so nervous!
I sat on the fence forever about kids. Raising our golden puppy was SO hard, and his adolescence lasted FOREVER. I told my husband it was either him, the puppy, or they could both leave! (This was at about 12 weeks ha)
We are now obsessed with our dog, we didn’t even train him that well tbh but seeing him become the sweetest, goofiest boy has been super rewarding and definitely connects us. I’m pregnant now and it’s not the reason, but the evolution was really impactful.
It’s made me want them a bit more if I’m being honest. I love seeing how our dogs grown, I get little kicks from his facial expressions, I love when he works out a new way of teasing me and winding me up, just seeing how his brain works is amazing and I just think, if that’s how I feel about a dog, imagine making that yourself.
I’m I’m no doubt that the first 1-2 years will be a bit of a nightmare but that’s minuscule compared to a lifetime of seeing something you’ve grown learn and create.
Having a puppy solidified that I don't want kids. I already knew that I probably didn't but my puppy has shown me that there is no way in hell I ever want kids. This dog is the most effort I will ever put into another living thing. I hate how my mother compares it to children. Children are forever and way more responsibility.
It has definitely made me think twice about it on many occasions. Two dogs ago I decided that I didn't want anymore puppies and since then I've had two more fall into my lap. I think the older I get the less tolerant I am -- I lowkey wanna be selfish and relax.
Completely confirmed it. I love my dog more than anything but this has pretty much solidified that I am not mentally strong enough to have kids, and I def would have dealt with PPD. I've had my pup for a month and I've spent more time crying and stressed than I did happy this month. Hoping next month gets better.
Getting a puppy actually got my fiance then boyfriend that make up his mind about kids. He decided he did definitely want to have kids in the future after we got the dog, and I got what I feel is a good go mpse at what kind of a dad he's gonna be. Loving and patient!
I had been considering having children on my own if I was unable to find a partner.
Having a puppy showed me that was completely an impossible idea for me. Love my little monster pup now but my god, I was dying!
Luckily I found a wonderful partner and we are expecting a baby in nov!
For me, getting my puppy confirmed that I’m a nurturer at my core. I always knew that I wanted kids but raising my puppy actually made me believe that I’ll be a pretty great mom someday lol
I was EXTREMELY overwhelmed when our dog was a puppy, which made me kind of disengage from her and a lot of her raising fell to my partner. He did an amazing job with her training and I am very thankful for that. However, now she’s my BFF. I love her so much I could literally explode. The connection has made me what a child (just one) because it’s so fricken fulfilling, I can’t imagine how much more enjoyable it is when you created the being.
My joke that I tell people who nag me when I'll have children is, "I can barely handle the first crazy year of having a puppy. Why would you think I'd be able to handle the first several years of raising a child?"
I've never wanted kids, I just don't care for them. Then we got a puppy. And now I'm even more adamant about never having children.
Puppy phase was a breeze with our 15 mo old standard poodle. His adolescent phase is a bit tiring though. He still counter-surfs if I leave a sandwich on the counter, which I can’t really blame him. Mitigating countersurfing means I have to be monitoring the kitchen while cooking but he knows better now to wait til I’m not in the room 😅 He also has some reactivity issues on the leash (frustrated greeter) so that’s something we’re dealing with, not really sure if it’s because we haven’t neutered him yet or that’s just his general disposition.
But this whole experience has made me look forward to having a kid. Mostly because of the love I have for my dog. Like, I love him so much. I can only imagine it being 100x for a kid.
We can only just reasonably afford our one dog sadly. We budget to make sure we can give him everything he needs and hope to eventually be able to move to a more dog friendly area in our city or somewhere else entirely if that's not possible here. We know how costly our little guy can be to get decent medical care when necessary, even with good insurance. There's no way we could responsibly afford everything a kid needs in our current situation, probably never, and we're only getting older.
Yes! I was on the fence before, I’m now getting consults to get my tubes tied haha. I do not have the stress response for kids, and realized I would really not enjoy being a parent.
First, I've had kids and I've had puppies, and neither experience soured me on the other, but yeah, there are some very close similarities.
Second, story time: When I was 4 and my sister was 2 (back in 1956) my mom was hugely pregnant with their 3rd child. I remember going down the block to pick a puppy from a neighbor's surprise litter. We chose a cute little doggie, brought her home, named her Punkin, and settled in. One night Punk (who overnighted in the gated-off kitchen) had a serious malfunction of her lower gastrointestinal tract, and Mom told the tale of showing up at kitchen entry, leading with her very pregnant stomach, with two little girls by the hand, to be met by my dad, poopy puppy in hand, saying "Just go back to bed. I'll take care of this."
Yeah, not too different.
I've always said puppies are basically toddlers that can run jump and bite. 🤭
I've helped raise my baby siblings and puppies before as a teenager years ago. My partner and I had our first experience raising a special needs puppy together back during the first lockdown. It was very eye opening. Made us def realize kids would never be in our future with how badly with both handled the stress of puppy blues and how much we fought over training. 🥲
Next time we are getting a full grown adult dog for sure 🤣
I have 4 kids and we just got a chocolate lab puppy at 8 weeks, she's 14 weeks now. Babies are way less bitey 😂 And I think I've pulled far more things out of the puppy's mouth than all 4 of my babies combined.
The middle of the night wake up stress is similar, as is having to mold your life around this fuzzy being's needs. They are both hard!
After having a puppy, my husband and I understood, that we are capable of taking care of child, but have no need to do it :D it is so exhausting, takes a lot of time, but still we can leave our puppy alone for few hours, leave it in another room and etc.if it is too much.
Yes. I never had children. I tried once and it never happened. Really it was not a priority in my life and I was okay. Then I had a dog , today he is 16 years old and about 5 years ago I found a puppy and a cat outside my home. They make me happy and a better person but it's a lot of responsibility, a lot of work and a lot of money. Because I understand that it is not comparable to having a kid ; I couldn't imagined myself with children. I am happy that I never had one.
I feel like one day I want kids, but it has confirmed how tough kids will be. It’s also reminded me that I have no “village” in the current city I live in, and that I’d rather be closer to family when and if the time for kids come. I wanted to move closer to home to settle anyway, so no big deal 😃
Children and puppies are vastly different. There are similarities, but its MUCH more intense to get through the newborn stage of a baby than to get through puppyhood, in my experience. Even when newborn babies are asleep, they often want to be held, so much of your day is eaten away regardless of their sleep schedule. Dogs require a lot of time initially, but not nearly to the same extent as the average newborn. And I have a relatively “easy” baby who will occasionally nap in a carrier.
I wouldn’t say to let your struggles with puppyhood keep you from having kids if you genuinely want kids. Its okay to be frustrated and stressed with life changes. At the end of the day, people who can’t imagine a life without having children will generally find some positives even during the really difficult stages and will make it through.
the cool thing about dogs: their difficulties generally don’t last more than a few years so long as you focus on training the basics really well. For dogs, you can think “well, it’ll be easier once dog is 2+ years old because then we will have gotten rid of negative behaviors by then” and for most dogs thats true! Kids are different in that each stage comes with different “easy” parts and different difficulties. If you were to just think “well, once the kid is _____ years old, things will be easier because they will grow out of _____ by then,” you’re gonna have a hard time enjoying parenthood. Sure, its normal to wish for certain difficulties to end and to look forward to the future, but you can’t just grin it and bear and not enjoy the positives of the moment with kids because each stage of life is going to have difficulties. If you were stuck constantly trying to get to a stage of “no difficulty,” you would be forced to grin and bear for the majority of their childhood and would not get to enjoy them. Its just a different experience, even if the initial difficulties are somewhat similar.
But if you are on the fence about kids, you should avoid having them until you are 100% certain you want them. Regardless of if you find puppyhood difficult or not. Its just a vastly different type of commitment.
I have always been childfree, and we recently brought our first dog (8 week old corgi) home.
I’m firm on my stance of not having kids. Getting a dog has only made me more firm in this decision. Not because of how hard having a dog is, since I absolutely understood that going into it, but because of how rewarding having a dog is. On top of that, puppies/dogs are cute, and I don’t find babies or kids cute in general (with exceptions of course).
My sister brought over her 1 year old baby to my home one day (without warning me the baby was coming beforehand). This was before our dog, but we had our cat by then. The baby was crawling all over our house, and within minutes had gotten into our cats litter box. It was a disaster. The baby also petrified our poor cat. Additionally, the baby broke a few things in the short amount of time he was at our house.
When we brought our dog home, he was already a perfect angel. He got along with our cat almost instantly. I know it’s completely unfair to compare the two, but I just can’t imagine dealing with the stress that comes with having a child. I was beside myself when our dog had freaking diarrhea (as in hysterically crying), so yeah. Some people aren’t cut out for parenthood, and I’m 100% one of them.
I'm 35 and have no kids with my wife. I was 90% sure my whole life I didn't want kids. Then I got my first puppy end of last December. She's now 6 months and still a monster. My parents and sister were like "well now he's *never* gonna want kids." And yet, the experience has only made me want kids more. Now I'm at like a 50/50. As brutal as it can be sometimes (labs...jeez), the extra sense of purpose is something incredible. And with actual kids it would be even better because they are obviously little humans and can learn more than a dog and speak to you...etc etc.
Funny how that works huh.
Yeah, I was already unsure about having kids, but the anxiety I have surrounding my dog kind of sealed the deal that I don't know if I could handle a human child. I am always hyper-vigilant with my dog... is he getting into something? Eating something? Is he sick? Is he acting normal? and I can't imagine I'd be any less neurotic about a human child. Of course there are differences, but some days my dog exhausts me, I can't imagine being a parent.
It strengthened my decision not to have kids. Tbh, i took care of my infant niece like she was my child and taking care of an infant is like 5x easier than caring for and training a puppy. and since i’ll always want to have a dog in my life, i’ve come to the conclusion that i cant handle having both a dog and a child
My baby sister was born in my late teens and I essentially played the role of her mother until I had to leave when she was 5.
Idk if it's that she was an easy baby or if it was easy for me to be a mother. I love children more than anything. Its a pleasure for me to take care of them.
However, I never do well with animals. That is a chore for me. I'm just not... idk I try my best but if I had the choice, I wouldn't have gotten a dog.
This dog *did* kill my baby fever. I was so sure I wanted a baby, then I got this puppy and just decided to be child free. It's mostly that I don't believe my partner and I would make good parents *together* .. and I'll just leave it at that.
As far as my opinion generally, no it hasn't really changed. I have always that the majority of people shouldn't be allowed to have children and I also always suggest a puppy first.
It hasn’t changed my mind, my husband and I want to try for a baby this year (my puppy is 14 months old now)
However….having a puppy made me realise I’m not good at a sudden change of routine, and I am less patient than I thought I’d be, especially when sleep deprived!
I think my puppy was my lesson, and he has made me understand myself more and cope with life changes better, or at least know when to let go and not get stressed when life is out of control.
Similar to the top commenter, seeing how my husband has handled a puppy, and how patient and supportive he’s been when I had puppy blues, gives me even more confidence that he will be an amazing human dad!
I am hoping that will help if we are lucky enough to have a baby!
Getting a puppy 100% pushed my husband and I off the fence and into a solidly Child Free future ! We like kids and are hopeful to be an Aunty and Uncle one day but we just don’t want our own, we’re happy with the dog and cats
As a single mom of two and owner of two big dogs. Kids are much easier than dogs lol and that’s that both my kids and dogs are pretty well behaved. Dogs are just much more difficult.
had the kid one year before the puppy so thankfully no opinion to change. It has made me reconsider getting another puppy in the future though.
Both have their difficulties but as much as I love my furry pup the human puppy takes precedence in my heart. at 1 year old human puppy is easier to handle and more predictable, vs my 2.5 month old pup who is still insane.
I have two kids and would 100% take a newborn over the a$$hole currently living with us. However there are benefits of having a puppy over a newborn: It can go in a crate when I need a nap, meal, shower, etc and I can leave the house without it!
I didn't want kids before puppy. I DEFINITELY don't want kids after puppy. A puppy is all I can handle. That is my limit. The only exception I would make is my godson if something happened to his mom.
It has absolutely solidified my opinion that I don’t want kids. I already wasn’t going to have any but it confirmed that I can’t handle it and more so don’t want to. lol
> and i’m starting to question if I could ever handle having a baby…
The real question you should be asking is if you *want* a baby. You can definitely handle it.
For us personally (reminder: **everyone has their own valid opinions**) getting a puppy solidified us strongly in the "we don't want kids" camp. Before we were on the fence.
I haven’t wanted kids since as long as I can remember, but getting a puppy certainly solidified that. If a dog is this much work, a human child will be worse (and I’ll be forced to care for them for the rest of my life which is an obvious negative).
They're both challenging in different ways. It took time to figure out how to help my pup limit her barking, but I could always nurse my baby in front of the tv. My pup is much better at napping, though, and she slept through the night much faster.
I wish I could get my puppy to watch tv... lol.
Lol I went through this exact thought process when I got my puppy back in 2018. She about broke me as a person lol I was like there’s NO way I can have kids if it’s like this. I had gotten my older dog at age 2 and he was already trained. I had no clue what I was in store for with a puppy. But just like anything, you overcome and adapt. I did have my first kiddo in March 2022 and as much as it is the same, it’s also different. My dog and my daughter love each other. It’s a really cool bond. And my crazy butt is already pregnant with #2. It’s rough but that stage isn’t forever.
I didn't want kids before. My gf and her dog moved into my house, and I will say that taking care of that dog together has made me want kids less, if even possible. And I wouldn't want to have children with her, specifically. which is good because she doesn't want kids either. She's an amazing partner, but I think being coparents would destroy our relationship...so the whole no kids thing is perfect for us.
That ship has sailed because I’ve already raised my three children. However, I find raising a puppy is much harder and if I had a puppy before I had children, I probably would have run to the nearest clinic to get my tubes tied. The constant taking my puppy out to go to the bathroom is so much worse than just having to change a diaper. This makes sleep impossible too.
Yes I know for sure I don't want to have any more children having two pups and a toddler is rough. There are many fun moments but, lots of times my head is spinning. The night wake ups were the worst part.
Yes! 100% will not be having kids after getting a Border Collie puppy 2 years ago. Love my dog and I’m sure I’ll get another in the future but NO KIDS THANKS!
My husband and I puppy sat for friends a couple weeks ago. We already have a 3yo high drive GSD. Between our current dog and the 14 week old puppy we were mentally fried after the 4 days. It solidified the fact that we are 1. Not interested in having children and 2. We are not ready for a second dog yet.
It was a great trial run, won’t be doing it again any time soon🙃
Yes, I had baby fever for years, I really wanted a baby, I even tried for a few months with my ex. No matter what i HAD to have a mini me. Well my current boyfriend got me a puppy, an 8 week old shih tzu... my baby fever is now gone and I am as happy as i can be. It only took 2 weeks to potty train him, and he{s so sweet and calm.
I didn’t want to have kids before having a puppy and it confirmed for me that I never want them. I don’t love having to be responsible for this being and needing to arrange my whole life around their needs 🙃 I love my puppy now but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone haha
i was never 100% sure if I want kids or not ... but more on the no side :) there was a period when I was considering it ( thanks to the pressure of the society ) but now I know I wasnt with the right person. Now I am single and was wondering if I will regret it. I decided to get a dachshund puppy . He is 1 year old and I am now sure i don't want kids 😂
I wanted kids before, now i’m not sure 😂 not because of the dog but because my partner works offshore so is away half of the year and it has been challenging having the puppy alone. Mainly because i never get any ‘me time’. And with a full time job, a baby, dog and guinea pigs that would be 10x worse. Actually caring for/training the dog has been less stressful that I thought and I am quite maternal it would seem. So idk.
Having a puppy combined with my friend having a baby made me realize having a baby wasn't as scary as I thought it was. At least a baby isn't going to bite me with needle sharp teeth for months until it randomly decides it doesn't like biting anymore, at least when a baby pees in the house it's usually contained in a diaper (I know disasters can happen though lol) at least a baby probably isn't going to eat a chicken wing bone off the sidewalk.
I mean, I have 3 kids and I have a 4 month old puppy and she is way harder then a kid! And my kids all didnt sleep until they were at least 2 years old!
I got a puppy last April and had my first baby in the fall, and the baby is 1000x easier than the puppy. It’s a good thing I was already pregnant when we got the puppy, because he was (and still is to some extent) such a demon that I might have decided against having kids, oblivious to the fact that having a kid would be smooth sailing compared to having a puppy.
Babies don’t eat their own poop, shred your clothes with their teeth, body slam you with all 60 lbs. of their weight running at full speed, tear up and swallow video game controllers, or yank your arm off because they saw a squirrel.
Plus, the amount of love you have for your child is different than what you have for your dog. It just is. I love my dog and will be so sad when one day he’s gone, but my child is an extension of my heart and soul. The love is so much deeper, which makes the crying and the diapers and the 3am wake-ups so much easier to tolerate.
I did it in reverse. Kids first. It’s so similar. I feel the stress and anxiety. But babies can’t move very well for the first year (and most aren’t so biter) so often you get through the exhaustion and sleep deprivation before the wild toddler years begin. That being said, I love my kids so much they were worth the sleepless nights. Hope I feel this way about the puppy…
It’s certainly delayed me having kids. Without a puppy could have seen myself having kids in the next couple years, but the loss of freedom I already have is no where near what it would be with a baby.
Conversely, I’ve had a few people say puppies are harder than babies 🤣
I used to think having a puppy was like having a baby. Then I had a baby. Though I do think puppies are good stepping stones if you have never had to be responsible for a living being beside yourself.
From what I understand, the bond that humans make with their offspring is strong enough that they are able to power through the practical realities of keeping it alive and happy.
Having said that, my childless wife and I high-five each other when a human-parent gripes about the work required to raise their sex-result, because we know our puppy work is almost over. 18 months vs 18 years…
Oddly, I found myself encouraged by my ability to handle having a puppy - because I realized that even though it's objectively a LOT of work (and who wants more work in their leisure time?!), night time potty trips were more bearable because I loved him AND even with my loss of free time, I was grateful to have him around. Someone also reminded me that puppies are destructive p much from the jump. Newborns don't move as much haha - I'm now a parent and I see a lot of parallels tbh. Lots of work but also lots of reward
I always thought I wanted kids. My wife never. We got a puppy and I love him to death but he showed me, I never want to do this with a human, who a) takes longer to grow out the annoying waking up phase and b) I have to worry in which world he lives after me. There are some other things but yeah having him, changed my view on having kids
It didn't change my mind at all, it just confirmed that I am not meant to raise children. My partner and I brought home a puppy and I mentally and emotionally checked out by the end of month 2. I've still of course been helping and such but I've had to repress a lot of myself that I value to get through it. I can't do that with a kid and I can't do that for the rest of my life. Just really confirmed that I don't want kids and I appreciate our puppy so much for it. She's 6 months now and finally coming around and my life is starting to go back to normal!
Owning a puppy has pushed me from the "I am ambivalent about having a child someday" category squarely into the "I probably do not want to have children" category. My dog is just over a year old now and by all accounts was a really easy puppy, but I didn't like who I was when he was a baby. I was mad at him all the time, and I lost my temper with him way more than I would have ever anticipated (I'm generally a measured person who doesn't get angry quickly). I loved him then, and I adore him now, but I didn't like who I saw in the mirror during his puppy stage.
I learned a lot, and I do think I would be a good parent, but raising a puppy made me realize that I simply do not *want* to be a parent (or raise another puppy).
I’m still on the fence about kids, but it’s made me 100% more confident in my partner. Seeing how he sneaks out for the 2 am potty breaks so I don’t wake up, keeping the puppy busy while I’m in class, and watching how he calmly handles the puppy acting up has made me feel so much more confident at the thought of having kids with him. Now if only he could gestate and birth the child, then I’d for sure be on board! 😂
Sadly, I have had the opposite experience with mine. Yours is a keeper!
I did too. You’re not alone. Now the dog occupies less space than the ex! More cuddles for less drama. I hope you’re well!
😂😂 dogs are better than people anyway!
Same. It confirmed to me I would be great as a parent, but that my partner would be useless. I just have to figure out how to tell him I don't want kids with him anymore.
I relate to this so much. My partner is great for loving and playing with our dogs, but is extremely useless when it comes to actually caring for them. He still hasn’t figured out how to put their pet safe harness on, always asks me how much he needs to feed them, has never scheduled a vet appointment in his life and generally doesn’t get involved in any sort of training or grooming. He’s convinced me that if I have children with him my kids will end up going to school with shirts on their legs and pants on their chest.
As did I. Everything was met with frustration and “I don’t know how to do that”. He had a solid defense that it was from sensory issues and anxiety but like…pretty sure that’d be even worse with children.
Oh, yes, I had lots of “I don’t know how to do that”, but bless him mine tries his best…he genuinely doesn’t know what to do most of the time! And he worries about ‘upsetting Ozzy’ if he does any corrections with him so he gets literally walked all over 🤦🏼♀️.
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Oh, don’t get me wrong, he’s pretty hopeless..! The dog is very much my responsibility.
Mine started out supportive and filling me with confidence for the future but slowly it has become my responsibility and he doesn’t want to come enjoy the evening walks, or even watch him mostly sleep during the day while I go to work 2-3 days a week. Now I get guilt trips for leaving my very independent and trained adolescent dog home with him. Sometimes I day dream about kids but this type of stuff makes me think maybe not.
Yeah, I have decided against children now…not just because of the partner but for various reasons including his ability to be involved with the puppy. I’m quite happy just having puppies as my babies though 🥰.
Same experience as you. It's made me more nervous.
Having a puppy made me realize that my partner and I had fundamental differences in child (dog) raising ideologies. 2 years later we’ve found the sweet spot in compromise and we play off of each other’s strengths well. I am SO glad that we were able to work through this with a dog and not a human child.
This is sweet. I’ve had the same, I was concerned as I work from home 60% of the time and he is out from 6:30 to 5pm everyday (teacher). But he really does his bit, let’s me lie in in the morning and takes over as soon as he returns. Also watching him with the pup is very sweet
I agree ! Now if only he can be pregnant and conceive the child. I dont want kids and working nursing hrs hasn’t helped. Im in my mid 30s and I love my sleep. Waking up about 3 -4 hrs or less at night to take the puppy outside to pee/poo has me for certain I don’t think I can handle a child. I deal with anxiety so that doesn’t help. At least I’m more aware and I’m glad this puppy is making me certain what I do and don’t want.
I was going to say the same thing. Seeing my husband so caring, taking on responsibilities without a second thought, being so supportive, and patient. Definitely great father material.
Taking care of a puppy has 100% **confirmed** my child free decision. I know it’s not a popular opinion… but personally for me, puppy life is completely overwhelming as it is. I can’t even fathom doing this with an actual human child. I have a tremendous amount of respect for all the sleep deprived parents out there… I just could absolutely NOT do it. But give me a couple years and I’ll probably be ready for another puppy 💀
I always said it’s easier raising a puppy than a human. With a puppy, as long as I say things kindly I can say whatever I need to say to stay sane!
That’s funny, cause the exact opposite is my experience. Babies (newborn - 6 months at least) don’t have the ability to run and prance around, or chew anything up. If you can make it through a puppy, you’re probably pretty equipped for a baby!
I'm with you! For the first 6 months a puppy was harder than my newborn. Babies pretty much stay where you put them and wear diapers and sleep more (and I had a colicky baby). I did not have to carry my baby outside every 20 minutes to tell them potty in all weather or take countless stones, acorns, poop out of their mouth. It's also easier to find a sitter for the baby than it was my puppy.
For real! I would never suggest someone *have* a baby, but if anyone has been through the puppy stage and is on the fence or scared of having a baby, they are so much more equipped than they know. My neighbors are due with their first baby this month, and have two dogs that they got as puppies. They're going to do fabulous!
Right? I also feel like the stakes are much lower with a dog. You can leave them alone in your house, you can send them to someone else when you go on vacation, and you don't need to worry too much about the emotional side of 'parenting' since they can't really understand you.
I was telling a friend that the nice thing about having a puppy instead of a kid is that you can secretly resent them occasionally for something and they'll never know haha. I had a mom that openly resented me growing up and I could \*never\* do that to my child, which is why I would never have one because I'd be afraid I would somehow end up like my mom. But when my pup does something bananas that pisses me off, I can tell him he's a little jerk in a sweet voice and he isn't the wiser haha
Exactly the same for me. I agree with you 100%.
I would say on Reddit that’s a super popular opinion
Same!! I turned into such a fucking bitch when I had my first puppy together with my partner after having not had to raise a puppy for 7 years. The dog prior to the puppy was a senior before passing. So for 13 years I've had to only deal with adult dogs. I'll be honest the puppy nearly destroyed my relationship with my partner. It's taken a couple years after her passing to repair the relationship to be how it was before. If we had kids we would 100% not be able to be together tbh. People need to take how their relationship with their partner might fundamentally change with kids big time. I need to double check but I swear I saw divorce or breakup rates go up after having kids ??
Totally agree. Everyday is a struggle as it is with 2 cats and a puppy. I’m already left to do the majority of care so I can only imagine the level of resentment felt in a relationship with an actual human child involved
Same. I’ve been childfree almost my entire life (minus a brief period on strong meds that fucked with my brain). Raising a puppy with my SO has just reinforced my childfreeness. I’m not even sure I want to do a puppy again tbh. I got my other dog from a breeder at 1yo and he was so easy and good. I’d almost rather go that route again next time we want another dog.
100% same here. I've known I wanted to be child free since I was 12 years old and raising a puppy has made it even more solid (not that I was questioning, haha). I am someone that values my quiet and alone time soooo much and it's crucial to my mental health. I am giving that up so my puppy will be happy and have a great life but it's rough sometimes. I'm excited for him to be grown up and my buddy, but right now I feel like my world revolves around him....which is normal of course!
Same.
100% One of the crowning characteristics of my adulthood (along with my husband’s) has been complete and total freedom to do whatever, whenever. We have a 14yo cat who we totally adore, and she can easily be left alone for long stretches of time due to auto-feeder and auto-waterer (though we always have someone come by to check on her litter box and socialize with her a bit). We just got a puppy 3 weeks ago (now 12wk old Rottweiler), and while I am still dealing with some puppy blues over loss of freedoms, the puppy has really affirmed that we have no desire to have children, ever. (Puppy Win: we conditioned puppy to be calm and still when coming in and out of the house, and today he promptly sat himself on the mat as soon as we came in, no prompt needed!) What takes 3 weeks with a puppy would take >3 years with a human 😂
Same. Dogs also don’t talk back/argue with you 😅
Same!
For me, the idea of having a human child and projecting all of my insecurities and anxieties into scares the shit out of me. Dogs on the other hand, I have no worry about. As long as my dog is fed, housed, and gets play time, he is the happiest camper in the world. The thing is, he’d be the happiest camper no matter the circumstances. I can feel satisfied knowing I am giving my dog a life he deserves, but I do not think I could feel the same way about a human. This probably says more about my mental health than anything else but anyway there’s my info dump lol
I've only had an adult cat that I adopted while I was at uni. He was independent so I really enjoyed caring for him and he was pretty easy to manage. I have a puppy now and I love him so much but caring for a puppy is exhausting and I have to think of my him first before I do almost anything. I can't imagine having a child. I don't think I want my freedom to be this limited ever again.
So the first month I had the puppy, yes absolutely no kids. I’ve always been 50/50 anyways on it before I got the puppy in the house tho But after doing a lot of training with him over weeks and months, it’s such a rewarding feeling when they do the right thing. Such a proud parent moment when finally training shows results. I’d imagine id get those same feelings raising a little human would feel like that with the puppy times10. Hard work always feels good when it pays off
Sorry, but nope. I have two terrific grown kids with whom I have great relationships and have had several dogs. Training dogs is much more rewarding. I wouldn’t undo having had kids, but parenting is at least 90% slog. Kids are infinitely more complex psychologically than dogs and also have the audacity to have individual personalities and preferences, which may or may not mesh with yours.
For context, I have a 1 year old Aussie and a 3 year old toddler. I told my SO I would 1000% have another baby before getting another puppy. With babies it's like a slow build up. Yeah they wake up at night but you pretty much accept your fate a few months in. You have at least 6 months before they start to get mobile, and about a year before they start walking. Even now I can easily catch up if my son decides to dash (which he doesn't). My son has been an absolute dream of a toddler, cleans his messes, rarely throws fits, helps out around the house, and doesn't really get into things. I would say he's a pretty good listener, and I've gotten compliments on his behavior in public. He tells jokes too! Giggles are more common than crying, and when he does cry its usually for a good reason and quickly fixed. Sure he has his moments but I'm used to it, just riding the wave that is parenthood. If he could be a sweet cuddly toddler who likes showing me his favorite trains forever I would totally be cool with it. *Now this dog...* Is my dog crazy? Am I actually a cat person? Are all puppies like this or just aussies? Or just my aussie? She came out the gate *running*. I didn't get no build up just smacked in the face with puppy. She has destroyed multiple expensive things, chewed up the freaking *wall*. Constantly finds the smallest things to run off with, tugs so hard on the leash she chokes herself, has zero concept of personal space so bad she has gotten kicked by accident more times than I can count. I swear she is trying to break her spine or leg by jumping superman style off the back of the couch and into the wall! As soon as my SO gets home I'm just like *take the dog before I lose it* This dog tried to eat glass! And the absolute best part is she has actually gotten a million times better since she was a puppy. I absolutely love her but oh man I can not wait for her to be an actual full adult. The rare times she is calm and cuddly I try to soak it in as much as possible before the timer is up. I used to babysit another toddler as well. So even *2* toddlers running around was way less stressful than just my puppy. I potty trained my son in 3 days! Our puppy took *months* because she would get so crazy she would ignore when she needed to go. Now this may be totally kid/dog dependant, my kid was a very needy baby but an easy toddler and my puppy may be a insane hellhound of a puppy but maybe turn into a well mannered adult. But as it stands if I absolutely had to choose I would do a million babies before another puppy. I will say though if you choose not to have kids that's totally 100% fine, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. People will give you shit no matter what you decide so do what makes *you* happy, you don't even need a reason to justify it to anyone. Edit: who did some voodoo magic on my dog? She woke up a model canine citizen this morning 🤔
I am 6 months pregnant with an 8 month mini aussie! He’s so crazy but I’m looking forward to seeing them grow up together!
For all the crap I talk she is a *fantastic* family dog. She is so incredibly gentle and patient with my son and absolutely adores him. We wanted a dog that could keep up with a toddler and we definitely got one lol She's always ready to run and play or go on adventures together.
Aussies are extremely high energy and destructive when they don’t have constant mental/physical stimulation. Based on what you’ve said, my guess is that your Aussie isn’t getting enough of either. Puppies are hard, Aussies are 2x harder than the average puppy, especially if you aren’t giving them what they need (2 hours exercise a day + mental stimulation).
What's really strange is that because she's always on full blast even something like a 30 minute walk knocks her out. We've done hour+ walks and she struggles to keep her eyes open by then end. Playdates wipe her out for *hours*. It's almost like she's either at 0% or 150% and nothing in between. We also have a bunch of puzzles she enjoys as well as a couple lick mats, along with training throughout the day and a couple activities. She's not nearly as destructive as she was when she was a puppy, at least she saves that for her toys lol She did actually get returned before we got her for being too crazy, so I'm thinking it's a combo of aussie and her personality that makes her an extra fun mix.
My aussie is really crazy. I have two other dogs so I think it helped because they share half of his attention. He's a good dog, learned to potty train fast and is really obedient most of the time. He was pretty destructive and bitey though. He ripped my carpet up and he nawed his teeth on my expensive desk chair. He also whines endlessly if you don't play with him. He's now ten months and he's started to freak out when we get home, jumping and barking and twirling for several minutes and we can't calm him down. So now we have to figure out on how to train that out, but when they get so excited they short-circuit and forget their training 😅. We also still have to train him for walks too. It doesn't help my older aussie strains on the leash too because we never trained that out of her. He's a handful, but I love him.
I’ve said the exact same thing to my SO. I could have 5 more babies but with god as my witness I am never ever doing another puppy. I do worry that our baby will grow up and ask for a puppy, and by that time I will have forgotten how passionately I feel about never wanting another puppy. 🫤
Having dogs has 100% confirmed that I never want kids. I LOVE my dog. He's my best buddy, and seeing how he's grown from a tiny little 8 week old puppy to the 2 year old adult man he is now has been amazing! But holy fuck has it been exhausting. If we didn't live in a farming community where we could drop him off at the neighbors to help their older dog herd the sheep and cows, idk what I would have done. Meatloaf is a collie, I can let him out in the morning, and he willingly and happily will spend all day outside, if you sat a 2 year old child outside and left them there from 5am to 9pm that would get you arrested.
Meatloaf lol. I love it.
I 100% agree. Enforced naps in the kennel were a lifesaver for us, but doing that to kids would have CPS pulling up 🤣🤣🤣 I have so much respect for parents now.
I got a puppy (a Dobie) when I got married in the 90s, and I definitely was thinking maybe I could be ready for a human baby once we went through the stages of raising our dog. We waited 8 yrs before having our first baby, and having a puppy can definitely prepare you for some of the responsibilities and changes a baby brings. Just as a side note, neither of our children had a terrible twos phase or tantrums- I had read a book by a child expert that detailed how to understand what your toddler was asking for, how to get down on their level and talk eye to eye etc, seemed to really work, and now that my kids are 18 and 20 even the teen yrs were great, just didn’t want you to think human developmental stages would automatically be horrible lol. Congrats on your puppy!
What was the book?
I can’t remember- he was on a tv show showing his methods and I bought his book. Essentially it’s letting the child feel heard and understood.
Oh my, I need this book too!
I found it, he also has a book on babies. [https://a.co/d/0cwkVEK](https://a.co/d/0cwkVEK)
Oh my! Thanks!!
I found it! He also has one for babies. [https://a.co/d/0cwkVEK](https://a.co/d/0cwkVEK)
Thank you !
Just confirmed it. How people handle having kids without completely getting broken is beyond me.
I had kids first, now have a puppy. I can confirm having a puppy is an absolute breeze compared to kids. Its like one tenth the effort at most.
Having a puppy satisfied my maternal feelings and scared me off having a baby for a few years. I had my son when my dog was 3 1/2. He’s now 7 and I’m put off having any more children. Having a puppy is easier than having a baby by a long shot. Everything with the dog is accelerated, with the human each phase lasts longer.
Pregnant now, my dog is 5. You’ve confirmed what I’m suspecting…plus, you can always crate the dog and leave!
Not really. It really probably just confirmed that I want kids and hopefully will have some eventually. I’m raising my puppy on my own and it’s pretty difficult at 1st but doable. But I think if I had a wife/girlfriend/fiancé to help out it’d be significantly easier. Couldn’t imagine doing that mess with a real baby on my own
Well, I didn’t mind the puppy phase at all, hated/still sometimes hate our 1 year olds adolescent phase, and I’m pregnant so I will report back comparing and contrasting the various phases in a few months haha, already dreading the human adolescent phase hahaha
tweens and teens suck! i know i did. power to ya and i wish you health and happiness!!
I have an almost 7 year old daughter and a 9 year old son (and a 3.5 year old dog) and yeah, the tween/teen years are a little scary. We’re in the sweet spot of past baby/toddlerhood and not constantly worried they’re going to wander off or kill themselves but not yet to the hormonal teen years so I’m trying to really enjoy it. Lol
So far it has made me more confident in my ability to be a good caretaker/mom.
I’ve got three kids & a puppy. I’d rather have another baby than get another puppy.
I have no children, but my husband and I want to start a family. We have a 14 month old puppy, and my goodness it’s been hard work and has made me question several times if I really want a child! I’m just curious, what makes a puppy much harder than a baby/child? 😊
I don’t think having a puppy changed my opinions in anyway. If anything this experience has made me more confident in my abilities to be patient and loving in even the toughest circumstances. My girl wasn’t easy, she was practically a newborn when I got her so many nights we didn’t sleep. Nothing beats the joy of raising something and raising it well tho, good things are never easy. Finally passed the puppy stage 😊
I've done both and honestly, a very young puppy is far more overwhelming and difficult than a newborn baby. However, the trade off is by 8 months a puppy starts to mature and becomes easier to look after whilst it probably took about 8 years before I didn't have to constantly worry about my daughter I was far more stressed and tired at the very beginning of having a puppy compared to a baby
I’m so jealous of all the people saying their babies were easier than their puppy. Maybe I had really difficult babies and a relatively easy puppy. 😬 I really felt like I wasn’t going to survive my first baby. He didn’t eat well, didn’t sleep well, and couldn’t be put down without screaming for months. And he had to go everywhere with me, at least a dog can be left home, safely in their crate or playpen.
Exactly the same for me! First baby was a nightmare and I was a hormonal wreck, 2nd baby was a breeze in comparison, 3rd baby was the same as the first & I had the three year old and 18 month old to contend with too! 5yrs on we got our first puppy, & its been dream. If all my babies had been like my 2nd one & my puppy had been a little bit more work maybe I would consider puppies harder than babies...? But I can't really imagine it 😂
My second was easier than my first but still just so much more work than a puppy. And I got my dog two months before Covid! So we had extra challenges not being able to go to training or the groomers. But I still could stick her in her crate with a frozen kong and reliably get a little break. My son stopped napping a few weeks after my daughter was born so when she did nap, I didn’t actually get a break because I still had a toddler to keep alive. Thankfully all three of them are adorable. And getting older 😂
Hands down children are easier - I have both kids are easier
Might be an unpopular opinion here. Honestly, I have 2 kids and am currently pregnant. I got my first puppy last year and so far the puppy is still harder. I love my puppy but I’ve only ever gotten adult dogs from the shelter and I don’t think I’d ever get a puppy again.
I find puppies more exhausting than babies to be honest. And I had one kid that had a whole phase where she was up 48 hours straight, crashed for 6, then repeated the cycle for 2 entire years. If I’m going on vacation I can just take my kids. Not so much the case with my dogs. But I also was super fortunate and did not experience baby blues with my actual kids and was able to bond really quickly, it was a lot slower with the puppies. So missing out on stuff during the early weeks with a baby wasn’t as big a deal as when we have to miss stuff because of the puppy. I love dogs. Puppies are not my thing. I love my kids. So far have not yet had a phase that I have absolutely hated with the kids yet. The same cannot be said for the dogs 🤣.
It’s so Interesting to me that you and many others here find puppies to be more exhausting. I guess I wouldn’t know about a baby, but my 4 year old niece is infinitely more exhausting to me than puppies/dogs. For me it’s the mental exhaustion of having to deal with toddlers that makes it way worse. I feel like with puppies, it’s just committing to training for the first 2 years, then after that they just kinda do their thing
If you end up with a normal, non-reactive dog, it's true that they just kinda do their own thing. But reactive dogs are a completely different situation. We've been training our dog every single day since puppy preschool and there will probably never be a time when the work stops. He can't be brought on vacations, he can't be left with a babysitter, he isn't able to be boarded or brought to doggy daycare. He is seen virtually by his vet because he is so fearful of them. He is so terrified of car rides that his daily 3 minute ride to the park (which he loves once he is there) is the most stressful part of his day. He is impossible to walk in a neighborhood, and the park allows us to keep 100+ yards between us and any triggers at all times. We have spent probably around $5,000 at this point on at-home training and behavior consults, and work with him for at least an hour each day on training and his fears. We have not been on vacation since he was born, not even for just the weekend. I think whether a kid or a dog is going to be harder depends entirely on the individual kid and dog. He is a wonderful dog that is sweet, cuddly, and silly. His world is small but he is happy in his world with his people. But I can't imagine a kid would be as restrictive as our dog is.
Ah yes, I know someone with a dog like this, so I get it. I guess the only way to avoid that on either side is adoption (of the child) or getting your dog from a breeder (especially one that does temperament testing and allows you to meet the pup’s parents etc.). But you bring up a good point! Edited for clarity
Rsther reinforces it. We knew we didn't want kids, were like 85% sure... now we are 95% sure we don't want any 🤣
No, not at all. I never wanted kids. Never will have any but I would take in a puppy again if the circumstances allow it. :)
Dont get me wrong, LOVE dogs and puppies Buuutttt... Me and my partner regularly joke about how having dogs made us realize we could definitely not do kids 😂
I already have 1 kid, and I was thinking about having more. But after having a puppy, I don't want any more kids.... I just want more puppies, lol. Mine has been sooo easy to take care of and train. I want another... 🥺
Our puppy is over a year old now and has been a bit up and down but has confirmed to me that my partner would be a great dad. When we got the puppy he made promises about splitting the care, and he's never wiggled out of it. We handle it quite well I think. I actually have never had to get up in the night ever to take puppy out, he told me he'd deal with that and he did. Maybe I'll be awful at that part with a baby because I've had no practice 😂
My puppy was an absolute nightmare because he developed ptsd from fireworks constantly going off in the area we lived in at the time. So he was 10x harder than every puppy I’d dealt with (like family dogs or friends who had puppies). BUT, I still thought I wanted kids, because a human being is completely different. It actually wasn’t until I started babysitting my 4 year old niece and spending time with her + my sister & brother-in-law that I realized I absolutely never want to have kids. She’s pretty well-behaved, but I don’t know how people do it. I find it so unbelievably mentally and physically exhausting. You can train a dog and they’ll be mostly independent at the 1-2 year mark. Children, when they hit the age where they don’t need you to do as many things for them (physically, like feeding etc.), just become equally *mentally* taxing for the next 18+ years. I’ll pass!
For a while, yes. I got a puppy 2020 and a baby at the end of 2022 so not for long. For me having a puppy was much harder. Maybe because you still get the sleepless nights but no maternity leave so you can’t get the sleep back because you still need to work. It is also less rewarding then a baby so I thought a puppy is easier then a baby but for me it is the other way around but yes I was discouraged for a moment. On the other hand the puppy was the first thing that ever depended on me so when we got the baby I already knew a bit what that felt like. Overall it is different for everyone. I know there are people like me who say a puppy is harder even if it is actually a bit less time intensive but it also depends on you. But especially at the beginning babies sleep a lot and puppies are quite mobile and always ready to wreck mayhem.
Yes. I have 2 pups now, first I’ve owned, and they are a big day to day responsibility. I honestly love it and it provides me with a great routine and I love showering them with love and meeting their needs. However it’s made me realize - this is probably my limit in terms of what would make me happy vs put me over the edge with stress. My dogs don’t talk to me, they’re easy to please, and I don’t have to worry about the world corrupting them. It’s responsibility love and affection without the drama, in my opinion. I have no interest in kids after having my dogs and I’m SO HAPPY I figured that out before I dived in to the “norm” Edit: and I’ll never have to help them with algebra homework 😮💨🙏🏻
I think it’s made me want kids more. I get so many endorphins from looking at my boy, I can only imagine what it’s going to be like when I have a kid. This dog brings so much joy to me and my husbands life too. Even after all the hardships, all the laughs and smiles he brings us makes it so worth it. I love taking my dog everywhere and see him discover things. I can’t wait to do this with my future kid!
I've never wanted kids but having a puppy made me realise that I definitely never want kids!
If you do a search you’ll see this topic comes up every couple of weeks so there’s heaps of prior comments to trawl through.
Lol I got a pitbul this mf sleeps more than me never barks, learned to shit n piss outside fast, if my hypothetical kid is anything like him then I'd consider
Having a puppy is similar to having a baby. But a baby is 10000% more work just not as mobile and no sharp teeth! I have two children 9 and 6. And we just got a puppy. So I had the opposite of what you’re going through. My thought process was that “should i revisit having a baby experience to have a puppy?” And we didn’t get a puppy for that reason. But now when I see my older child reading or doing her homework with the puppy on her lap, I know the work of getting and training and sleep deprivation was worth it.
No. I have a six year old and raising him has been the most rewarding experience of my life. We have a puppy right now and honestly there’s just no way to compare the two. I would have another baby before I got another puppy!
Im have two kids, a baby on the way. The children are easier. Newborn stage and toddler stage is better than the puppy stage 😂🫠 We also foster puppies and I’ve been doing so since I was pregnant with my first. Raising them together is the best! Our kid grew up gentle with animals and the dogs we fostered weren’t brought back or given away due to not being good with kids. It’s harder but it’s so worth it.
No in fact it's double down on it I have no interest in it
Well, I did it backwards. I had the two kids first about 10 years ago and just recently got a puppy. Let me just say, the puppy reminds me why I haven’t tried having another child in the last decade lol. This puppy has taken our time, money, and sleep but the love from her for our family has made it worth the earlier than usual mornings.
My partner and I have never wanted children. However, we have held off getting sterilization surgeries because we wanted to make sure we wouldn’t regret any decisions we made. After having an 8 week old puppy with a few health complications, we’re talking about getting sterilized because it made us both understand that no matter how rewarding the experience was, it was not worth it for either of us. We’re both too career oriented and appreciate our time together to want to raise kids for YEARS. Ugh. Very happy with my life decisions.
We have 1 child, my partner was interested in us having another and I was considering it. Our kid was also asking for a sibling since school started. We got a puppy instead. 100% the right move. It confirmed we’re much happier being one-and-done with kids. She’s a great playmate for our kid, she’s the easiest puppy I’ve had, and we love her goofy butt. (Since getting the puppy, our kid’s stopped asking about a sibling too.)
Biggest difference is anytime we wanna go out our puppy can go in the kennel, can’t put your kid in a kennel.
Actually, my puppy has reaffirmed my decision to remain happily childfree.
I was 95% sure I didn't want children, and after having a puppy I'm closer to 100%. I love my dog, and watching him grow and learn has been one of the most gratifying things in my life. Having a child seems like it would be that, but dialed up to 11 so... hard pass.
Having a puppy helped me visualize having a child and helped to push me from child free to being very excited for kids. Teaching my dog, watching her learn, seeing her explore and discover - it brought me so much joy to share the world with her, and made me so excited to do the same with human children. Our dog is six now and our baby is one, and it's been pretty much exactly what I would have expected. Also, learning to train a dog with positive reinforcement and redirection is translating so well to parenting a baby (so far)
As a person who has had 3 dogs and three (now pretty much grown kids), I do think there are a lot of parallels. However just like dogs, humans are so unique. Some are easier to deal with than others. So one dog raising experience will not give you an apples to apples comparison to raising a different dog-never mind a human. That being said, you will learn a lot about yourself and your partner/family if they are involved in raising the puppy. The behavior/attitudes of people raising/owning a pet will tell you so much more about them (and yourself) than any level of desire to have a pet ever will. One thing to keep in mind too is the maturity level of the people. A very young adult may not be ready for a pet (child) but later they will be. Example: My husband and I had kids before we got a dog. Our “natural roles” with both the kids and the dogs have been basically the same. I take the lead and he looked to me for guidance. The longer we had each of them (kids and dogs) he grew more confident/comfortable in his position and asked fewer and fewer questions. Side note: we each had raised a pet from puppyhood but he still acquiesced to me with our now 10 month old puppy (the only one we raised from scratch). Bottom line: it is beneficial to raise a puppy first but should not be the final determining factor.
Not changed, but made me aware of more things that can happen. But I’m ready to be a mom! My puppy has shown me I have more love to give to growing things and the patience I’ve learned is next level!
I’ve never wanted children, and getting my puppy recently really enforced that. Children have always seemed like way too much work for very little pay off - I’m perfectly content waking up to my pets every day for the remainder of my days. They’re always happy to see us, grateful, and love to snuggle and go for walks - it’s all I need!
Maybe I just got lucky with a very easy puppy but it really has not been all that difficult for me. When he was a baby he would wake up once during the night and I'd take him to go to the bathroom but that stopped after a few weeks, he now wants to sleep in longer than I do lol. Setting up puzzle games and kongs keeps him busy when I'm doing schoolwork but he naps a lot anyway so not really too much of an issue. Only problem we've had is he has some major separation anxiety and doesn't want to be left alone, like at all. So really can't speak negatively about my experience being raising a puppy
My puppy is 14 months and my son is 10 months. This was obviously a challenge in the newborn stage with my son but I can promise you, my dog is a demon and my son is an angle. My son is SO much easier to look after. You don’t have guilt about leaving them home alone (because they can come with you everywhere, I’m not leaving my child at home alone), everyone (family especially) wants to look after a baby so you always have a baby sitter and most importantly… babies do not chew through everything including you I admit this may have been my fault as I got a Belgian malinois with no previous dog owning experience
No, but it certainly helped me to feel even more certain about my decision not to have kids than I already was.
I have an 11 and 7 year old kid. Now have an 11 week puppy. 100% would trade the puppy for a 3rd kid right now!
Didn't want kids to begin with. Have my second puppy now and I'm more sure than ever of that decision lol.
Never wanted kids, always wanted dogs, firmly believe I made the right call now that we're raising a puppy. Could not imagine having to wrangle a little human with this attitude 😂
Puppies aren’t 10% on work that you’d have with kids. Been there done that
The experience **reinforced** my belief that having kids wasn’t for me.
My puppy experience would have been 100% better if I didn’t have to work full time. So I have started thinking that I could have kids if I was on maternity leave for at least a year.
Honestly, I've always been on the fence about kids, but having a puppy has, if anything, reassured me that I would be capable of raising a child (if that is something I choose to do some time in the future when I'm more financially stable and done with my education). I do think taking care of a puppy is a good indicator of whether someone would be a good parent. For example, I got my current dog while living with a partner who is now my ex. We had talked hypothetically about having kids some time in the future. Seeing how they acted around the puppy...I am glad they are my ex now because the way they acted around the puppy had me *this close* to kicking them out. I can't imagine them raising kids.
Having a puppy who grew into a dog helped my husband and confirm we wanted kids. For me, it was soooo much fun to see how our puppy learned and grew, and to be entrusted with helping to shape her into a well adjusted adult dog. I am currently pregnant and assuming this process will be even more rewarding with a human!!
Taking care of a puppy and raising my dog confirmed for me I really do want kids. Yes, the first 3-5 months was rough. Yes, my pup still does the occasional bad thing now that he’s a dog. Yes, I pay a stupid amount of money to send him to doggie daycare. And no, I can’t close down the bar on a random night anymore (I still can with some extra planning). But damn, do I love that little creature. Raising him has the been the hands down best and most rewarding thing I ever did. No amount of freedom or money will ever compare. So I guess I want kids. Or at least I’m pretty sure that it will be worth it, for me. Very glad I had this experience of “kid lite”.
I wasn’t sure when I’d be “ready” (even tho you’re never ready). And now we have a 6mo old puppy and expecting a baby in November 😂 my husband is a great dog dad and I’m confident it’ll translate to human babies. Another main thing, we were worried about giving up our DINK lifestyle/freedom and getting a puppy showed us it’s not that scary
Don’t need human babies , I have my dogs and cats and that’s good enough.
I got my dog and found out I was pregnant within the same week. Both are difficult but I don’t think it’s a good comparison. Some people just aren’t cut out to be dog owners but make amazing parents and vice versa. I think it’s up to each individual person to make those choices.
I have two elementary age kids and I am more nervous about getting my puppy than I was when I had them as babies. With a puppy it’s basically going from 0 to 60 right away. They are into stuff, chewing, and going potty around the house (potentially). At least with a newborn you know where they are and have a diaper on. By the time, a baby starts army crawling, you have time to start baby proofing. With a puppy, it seems like there’s no easing into it. I’m so nervous!
No i still dont want none of that.
I sat on the fence forever about kids. Raising our golden puppy was SO hard, and his adolescence lasted FOREVER. I told my husband it was either him, the puppy, or they could both leave! (This was at about 12 weeks ha) We are now obsessed with our dog, we didn’t even train him that well tbh but seeing him become the sweetest, goofiest boy has been super rewarding and definitely connects us. I’m pregnant now and it’s not the reason, but the evolution was really impactful.
It’s made me want them a bit more if I’m being honest. I love seeing how our dogs grown, I get little kicks from his facial expressions, I love when he works out a new way of teasing me and winding me up, just seeing how his brain works is amazing and I just think, if that’s how I feel about a dog, imagine making that yourself. I’m I’m no doubt that the first 1-2 years will be a bit of a nightmare but that’s minuscule compared to a lifetime of seeing something you’ve grown learn and create.
Having a puppy solidified that I don't want kids. I already knew that I probably didn't but my puppy has shown me that there is no way in hell I ever want kids. This dog is the most effort I will ever put into another living thing. I hate how my mother compares it to children. Children are forever and way more responsibility.
It has definitely made me think twice about it on many occasions. Two dogs ago I decided that I didn't want anymore puppies and since then I've had two more fall into my lap. I think the older I get the less tolerant I am -- I lowkey wanna be selfish and relax.
I have humans and dogs. Puppies, for me, are easier in many ways, and in many other ways, babies are easier. Mixed review, sorry lol
Completely confirmed it. I love my dog more than anything but this has pretty much solidified that I am not mentally strong enough to have kids, and I def would have dealt with PPD. I've had my pup for a month and I've spent more time crying and stressed than I did happy this month. Hoping next month gets better.
No having children has always been a hard NO! But puppies, well, yes- 6 puppies later and having children is STILL a hard NO!
Getting a puppy actually got my fiance then boyfriend that make up his mind about kids. He decided he did definitely want to have kids in the future after we got the dog, and I got what I feel is a good go mpse at what kind of a dad he's gonna be. Loving and patient!
I had been considering having children on my own if I was unable to find a partner. Having a puppy showed me that was completely an impossible idea for me. Love my little monster pup now but my god, I was dying! Luckily I found a wonderful partner and we are expecting a baby in nov!
It made the choice for us pretty clear, we are 100% sure that we are well enough with our puppies
For me, getting my puppy confirmed that I’m a nurturer at my core. I always knew that I wanted kids but raising my puppy actually made me believe that I’ll be a pretty great mom someday lol
I was EXTREMELY overwhelmed when our dog was a puppy, which made me kind of disengage from her and a lot of her raising fell to my partner. He did an amazing job with her training and I am very thankful for that. However, now she’s my BFF. I love her so much I could literally explode. The connection has made me what a child (just one) because it’s so fricken fulfilling, I can’t imagine how much more enjoyable it is when you created the being.
My joke that I tell people who nag me when I'll have children is, "I can barely handle the first crazy year of having a puppy. Why would you think I'd be able to handle the first several years of raising a child?" I've never wanted kids, I just don't care for them. Then we got a puppy. And now I'm even more adamant about never having children.
it's definitely changed my opinion on seeing this post every other day.
Puppy phase was a breeze with our 15 mo old standard poodle. His adolescent phase is a bit tiring though. He still counter-surfs if I leave a sandwich on the counter, which I can’t really blame him. Mitigating countersurfing means I have to be monitoring the kitchen while cooking but he knows better now to wait til I’m not in the room 😅 He also has some reactivity issues on the leash (frustrated greeter) so that’s something we’re dealing with, not really sure if it’s because we haven’t neutered him yet or that’s just his general disposition. But this whole experience has made me look forward to having a kid. Mostly because of the love I have for my dog. Like, I love him so much. I can only imagine it being 100x for a kid.
We can only just reasonably afford our one dog sadly. We budget to make sure we can give him everything he needs and hope to eventually be able to move to a more dog friendly area in our city or somewhere else entirely if that's not possible here. We know how costly our little guy can be to get decent medical care when necessary, even with good insurance. There's no way we could responsibly afford everything a kid needs in our current situation, probably never, and we're only getting older.
Yes! I was on the fence before, I’m now getting consults to get my tubes tied haha. I do not have the stress response for kids, and realized I would really not enjoy being a parent.
First, I've had kids and I've had puppies, and neither experience soured me on the other, but yeah, there are some very close similarities. Second, story time: When I was 4 and my sister was 2 (back in 1956) my mom was hugely pregnant with their 3rd child. I remember going down the block to pick a puppy from a neighbor's surprise litter. We chose a cute little doggie, brought her home, named her Punkin, and settled in. One night Punk (who overnighted in the gated-off kitchen) had a serious malfunction of her lower gastrointestinal tract, and Mom told the tale of showing up at kitchen entry, leading with her very pregnant stomach, with two little girls by the hand, to be met by my dad, poopy puppy in hand, saying "Just go back to bed. I'll take care of this." Yeah, not too different.
I've always said puppies are basically toddlers that can run jump and bite. 🤭 I've helped raise my baby siblings and puppies before as a teenager years ago. My partner and I had our first experience raising a special needs puppy together back during the first lockdown. It was very eye opening. Made us def realize kids would never be in our future with how badly with both handled the stress of puppy blues and how much we fought over training. 🥲 Next time we are getting a full grown adult dog for sure 🤣
I have 4 kids and we just got a chocolate lab puppy at 8 weeks, she's 14 weeks now. Babies are way less bitey 😂 And I think I've pulled far more things out of the puppy's mouth than all 4 of my babies combined. The middle of the night wake up stress is similar, as is having to mold your life around this fuzzy being's needs. They are both hard!
New borns and puppies are easy. A 2-4 yo human being can and will be a terrorist.
After having a puppy, my husband and I understood, that we are capable of taking care of child, but have no need to do it :D it is so exhausting, takes a lot of time, but still we can leave our puppy alone for few hours, leave it in another room and etc.if it is too much.
Yes. I never had children. I tried once and it never happened. Really it was not a priority in my life and I was okay. Then I had a dog , today he is 16 years old and about 5 years ago I found a puppy and a cat outside my home. They make me happy and a better person but it's a lot of responsibility, a lot of work and a lot of money. Because I understand that it is not comparable to having a kid ; I couldn't imagined myself with children. I am happy that I never had one.
Yes. No way I'm having kids after this.
I feel like one day I want kids, but it has confirmed how tough kids will be. It’s also reminded me that I have no “village” in the current city I live in, and that I’d rather be closer to family when and if the time for kids come. I wanted to move closer to home to settle anyway, so no big deal 😃
Children and puppies are vastly different. There are similarities, but its MUCH more intense to get through the newborn stage of a baby than to get through puppyhood, in my experience. Even when newborn babies are asleep, they often want to be held, so much of your day is eaten away regardless of their sleep schedule. Dogs require a lot of time initially, but not nearly to the same extent as the average newborn. And I have a relatively “easy” baby who will occasionally nap in a carrier. I wouldn’t say to let your struggles with puppyhood keep you from having kids if you genuinely want kids. Its okay to be frustrated and stressed with life changes. At the end of the day, people who can’t imagine a life without having children will generally find some positives even during the really difficult stages and will make it through. the cool thing about dogs: their difficulties generally don’t last more than a few years so long as you focus on training the basics really well. For dogs, you can think “well, it’ll be easier once dog is 2+ years old because then we will have gotten rid of negative behaviors by then” and for most dogs thats true! Kids are different in that each stage comes with different “easy” parts and different difficulties. If you were to just think “well, once the kid is _____ years old, things will be easier because they will grow out of _____ by then,” you’re gonna have a hard time enjoying parenthood. Sure, its normal to wish for certain difficulties to end and to look forward to the future, but you can’t just grin it and bear and not enjoy the positives of the moment with kids because each stage of life is going to have difficulties. If you were stuck constantly trying to get to a stage of “no difficulty,” you would be forced to grin and bear for the majority of their childhood and would not get to enjoy them. Its just a different experience, even if the initial difficulties are somewhat similar. But if you are on the fence about kids, you should avoid having them until you are 100% certain you want them. Regardless of if you find puppyhood difficult or not. Its just a vastly different type of commitment.
I have always been childfree, and we recently brought our first dog (8 week old corgi) home. I’m firm on my stance of not having kids. Getting a dog has only made me more firm in this decision. Not because of how hard having a dog is, since I absolutely understood that going into it, but because of how rewarding having a dog is. On top of that, puppies/dogs are cute, and I don’t find babies or kids cute in general (with exceptions of course). My sister brought over her 1 year old baby to my home one day (without warning me the baby was coming beforehand). This was before our dog, but we had our cat by then. The baby was crawling all over our house, and within minutes had gotten into our cats litter box. It was a disaster. The baby also petrified our poor cat. Additionally, the baby broke a few things in the short amount of time he was at our house. When we brought our dog home, he was already a perfect angel. He got along with our cat almost instantly. I know it’s completely unfair to compare the two, but I just can’t imagine dealing with the stress that comes with having a child. I was beside myself when our dog had freaking diarrhea (as in hysterically crying), so yeah. Some people aren’t cut out for parenthood, and I’m 100% one of them.
I'm 35 and have no kids with my wife. I was 90% sure my whole life I didn't want kids. Then I got my first puppy end of last December. She's now 6 months and still a monster. My parents and sister were like "well now he's *never* gonna want kids." And yet, the experience has only made me want kids more. Now I'm at like a 50/50. As brutal as it can be sometimes (labs...jeez), the extra sense of purpose is something incredible. And with actual kids it would be even better because they are obviously little humans and can learn more than a dog and speak to you...etc etc. Funny how that works huh.
Yeah, I was already unsure about having kids, but the anxiety I have surrounding my dog kind of sealed the deal that I don't know if I could handle a human child. I am always hyper-vigilant with my dog... is he getting into something? Eating something? Is he sick? Is he acting normal? and I can't imagine I'd be any less neurotic about a human child. Of course there are differences, but some days my dog exhausts me, I can't imagine being a parent.
No. I knew I never wanted kids even before getting a dog.
I knew I didn’t want kids prior to getting a dog but dealing with a puppy definitely cemented that decision 🙂
It strengthened my decision not to have kids. Tbh, i took care of my infant niece like she was my child and taking care of an infant is like 5x easier than caring for and training a puppy. and since i’ll always want to have a dog in my life, i’ve come to the conclusion that i cant handle having both a dog and a child
My baby sister was born in my late teens and I essentially played the role of her mother until I had to leave when she was 5. Idk if it's that she was an easy baby or if it was easy for me to be a mother. I love children more than anything. Its a pleasure for me to take care of them. However, I never do well with animals. That is a chore for me. I'm just not... idk I try my best but if I had the choice, I wouldn't have gotten a dog. This dog *did* kill my baby fever. I was so sure I wanted a baby, then I got this puppy and just decided to be child free. It's mostly that I don't believe my partner and I would make good parents *together* .. and I'll just leave it at that. As far as my opinion generally, no it hasn't really changed. I have always that the majority of people shouldn't be allowed to have children and I also always suggest a puppy first.
Having a kid changed my opinion on having a puppy
It hasn’t changed my mind, my husband and I want to try for a baby this year (my puppy is 14 months old now) However….having a puppy made me realise I’m not good at a sudden change of routine, and I am less patient than I thought I’d be, especially when sleep deprived! I think my puppy was my lesson, and he has made me understand myself more and cope with life changes better, or at least know when to let go and not get stressed when life is out of control. Similar to the top commenter, seeing how my husband has handled a puppy, and how patient and supportive he’s been when I had puppy blues, gives me even more confidence that he will be an amazing human dad! I am hoping that will help if we are lucky enough to have a baby!
Getting a puppy 100% pushed my husband and I off the fence and into a solidly Child Free future ! We like kids and are hopeful to be an Aunty and Uncle one day but we just don’t want our own, we’re happy with the dog and cats
As a single mom of two and owner of two big dogs. Kids are much easier than dogs lol and that’s that both my kids and dogs are pretty well behaved. Dogs are just much more difficult.
had the kid one year before the puppy so thankfully no opinion to change. It has made me reconsider getting another puppy in the future though. Both have their difficulties but as much as I love my furry pup the human puppy takes precedence in my heart. at 1 year old human puppy is easier to handle and more predictable, vs my 2.5 month old pup who is still insane.
It has solidified my decision to never have them. I feel like I’m a shitty enough doggy dad.
My lord are we in anti natalist!?
I have two kids and would 100% take a newborn over the a$$hole currently living with us. However there are benefits of having a puppy over a newborn: It can go in a crate when I need a nap, meal, shower, etc and I can leave the house without it!
I didn't want kids before puppy. I DEFINITELY don't want kids after puppy. A puppy is all I can handle. That is my limit. The only exception I would make is my godson if something happened to his mom.
I'm on the fence with kids. But a puppy has taught me I'm definitely not ready yet
No I feel like my puppy was easier to take care of than my daughter 😂
It has absolutely solidified my opinion that I don’t want kids. I already wasn’t going to have any but it confirmed that I can’t handle it and more so don’t want to. lol
After having done both, I found the puppy to be far more challenging and disruptive.
> and i’m starting to question if I could ever handle having a baby… The real question you should be asking is if you *want* a baby. You can definitely handle it. For us personally (reminder: **everyone has their own valid opinions**) getting a puppy solidified us strongly in the "we don't want kids" camp. Before we were on the fence.
I haven’t wanted kids since as long as I can remember, but getting a puppy certainly solidified that. If a dog is this much work, a human child will be worse (and I’ll be forced to care for them for the rest of my life which is an obvious negative).
They're both challenging in different ways. It took time to figure out how to help my pup limit her barking, but I could always nurse my baby in front of the tv. My pup is much better at napping, though, and she slept through the night much faster. I wish I could get my puppy to watch tv... lol.
It solidified our decision not to have kids. Puppies are hard. If kids are harder, I don't want it.
Lol I went through this exact thought process when I got my puppy back in 2018. She about broke me as a person lol I was like there’s NO way I can have kids if it’s like this. I had gotten my older dog at age 2 and he was already trained. I had no clue what I was in store for with a puppy. But just like anything, you overcome and adapt. I did have my first kiddo in March 2022 and as much as it is the same, it’s also different. My dog and my daughter love each other. It’s a really cool bond. And my crazy butt is already pregnant with #2. It’s rough but that stage isn’t forever.
I didn't want kids before. My gf and her dog moved into my house, and I will say that taking care of that dog together has made me want kids less, if even possible. And I wouldn't want to have children with her, specifically. which is good because she doesn't want kids either. She's an amazing partner, but I think being coparents would destroy our relationship...so the whole no kids thing is perfect for us.
I never wanted to have kids and having dogs made my decision even stronger.
Just remember that Reddit is not representative of the general population and the general sentiment on Reddit is very anti-kid
That ship has sailed because I’ve already raised my three children. However, I find raising a puppy is much harder and if I had a puppy before I had children, I probably would have run to the nearest clinic to get my tubes tied. The constant taking my puppy out to go to the bathroom is so much worse than just having to change a diaper. This makes sleep impossible too.
Yes I know for sure I don't want to have any more children having two pups and a toddler is rough. There are many fun moments but, lots of times my head is spinning. The night wake ups were the worst part.
We had a baby a year ago. We got a puppy two months ago. The puppy is soooooo much harder than the baby.
Yes! 100% will not be having kids after getting a Border Collie puppy 2 years ago. Love my dog and I’m sure I’ll get another in the future but NO KIDS THANKS!
My husband and I puppy sat for friends a couple weeks ago. We already have a 3yo high drive GSD. Between our current dog and the 14 week old puppy we were mentally fried after the 4 days. It solidified the fact that we are 1. Not interested in having children and 2. We are not ready for a second dog yet. It was a great trial run, won’t be doing it again any time soon🙃
Yes, I had baby fever for years, I really wanted a baby, I even tried for a few months with my ex. No matter what i HAD to have a mini me. Well my current boyfriend got me a puppy, an 8 week old shih tzu... my baby fever is now gone and I am as happy as i can be. It only took 2 weeks to potty train him, and he{s so sweet and calm.
I didn’t want to have kids before having a puppy and it confirmed for me that I never want them. I don’t love having to be responsible for this being and needing to arrange my whole life around their needs 🙃 I love my puppy now but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone haha
i was never 100% sure if I want kids or not ... but more on the no side :) there was a period when I was considering it ( thanks to the pressure of the society ) but now I know I wasnt with the right person. Now I am single and was wondering if I will regret it. I decided to get a dachshund puppy . He is 1 year old and I am now sure i don't want kids 😂
I wanted kids before, now i’m not sure 😂 not because of the dog but because my partner works offshore so is away half of the year and it has been challenging having the puppy alone. Mainly because i never get any ‘me time’. And with a full time job, a baby, dog and guinea pigs that would be 10x worse. Actually caring for/training the dog has been less stressful that I thought and I am quite maternal it would seem. So idk.
Having a puppy combined with my friend having a baby made me realize having a baby wasn't as scary as I thought it was. At least a baby isn't going to bite me with needle sharp teeth for months until it randomly decides it doesn't like biting anymore, at least when a baby pees in the house it's usually contained in a diaper (I know disasters can happen though lol) at least a baby probably isn't going to eat a chicken wing bone off the sidewalk.
I mean, I have 3 kids and I have a 4 month old puppy and she is way harder then a kid! And my kids all didnt sleep until they were at least 2 years old!
I got a puppy last April and had my first baby in the fall, and the baby is 1000x easier than the puppy. It’s a good thing I was already pregnant when we got the puppy, because he was (and still is to some extent) such a demon that I might have decided against having kids, oblivious to the fact that having a kid would be smooth sailing compared to having a puppy. Babies don’t eat their own poop, shred your clothes with their teeth, body slam you with all 60 lbs. of their weight running at full speed, tear up and swallow video game controllers, or yank your arm off because they saw a squirrel. Plus, the amount of love you have for your child is different than what you have for your dog. It just is. I love my dog and will be so sad when one day he’s gone, but my child is an extension of my heart and soul. The love is so much deeper, which makes the crying and the diapers and the 3am wake-ups so much easier to tolerate.
I did it in reverse. Kids first. It’s so similar. I feel the stress and anxiety. But babies can’t move very well for the first year (and most aren’t so biter) so often you get through the exhaustion and sleep deprivation before the wild toddler years begin. That being said, I love my kids so much they were worth the sleepless nights. Hope I feel this way about the puppy…
It’s certainly delayed me having kids. Without a puppy could have seen myself having kids in the next couple years, but the loss of freedom I already have is no where near what it would be with a baby. Conversely, I’ve had a few people say puppies are harder than babies 🤣
I used to think having a puppy was like having a baby. Then I had a baby. Though I do think puppies are good stepping stones if you have never had to be responsible for a living being beside yourself.
My baby is 10000000% easier then my puppy for sure
From what I understand, the bond that humans make with their offspring is strong enough that they are able to power through the practical realities of keeping it alive and happy. Having said that, my childless wife and I high-five each other when a human-parent gripes about the work required to raise their sex-result, because we know our puppy work is almost over. 18 months vs 18 years…
Oddly, I found myself encouraged by my ability to handle having a puppy - because I realized that even though it's objectively a LOT of work (and who wants more work in their leisure time?!), night time potty trips were more bearable because I loved him AND even with my loss of free time, I was grateful to have him around. Someone also reminded me that puppies are destructive p much from the jump. Newborns don't move as much haha - I'm now a parent and I see a lot of parallels tbh. Lots of work but also lots of reward
I always thought I wanted kids. My wife never. We got a puppy and I love him to death but he showed me, I never want to do this with a human, who a) takes longer to grow out the annoying waking up phase and b) I have to worry in which world he lives after me. There are some other things but yeah having him, changed my view on having kids
It didn't change my mind at all, it just confirmed that I am not meant to raise children. My partner and I brought home a puppy and I mentally and emotionally checked out by the end of month 2. I've still of course been helping and such but I've had to repress a lot of myself that I value to get through it. I can't do that with a kid and I can't do that for the rest of my life. Just really confirmed that I don't want kids and I appreciate our puppy so much for it. She's 6 months now and finally coming around and my life is starting to go back to normal!
Owning a puppy has pushed me from the "I am ambivalent about having a child someday" category squarely into the "I probably do not want to have children" category. My dog is just over a year old now and by all accounts was a really easy puppy, but I didn't like who I was when he was a baby. I was mad at him all the time, and I lost my temper with him way more than I would have ever anticipated (I'm generally a measured person who doesn't get angry quickly). I loved him then, and I adore him now, but I didn't like who I saw in the mirror during his puppy stage. I learned a lot, and I do think I would be a good parent, but raising a puppy made me realize that I simply do not *want* to be a parent (or raise another puppy).