When Do Puppies Get Easier? [Timeline]

Puppies are cute and fun; even the word ‘puppies’ can put a smile on people’s faces. Puppies are just baby animals that need to learn the ropes of life and what you expect of them in the future. The first several months in a puppy’s life can be overwhelming, but eventually, it will get easier.

What Are Puppy Blues?

New human moms can get the blues after having a baby, but all human pet parents can also get the puppy blues, which has nothing to do with hormones. Puppy blues come on when the reality of having a puppy sets in. 

Eventually, the new pet parent begins to see past the puppy’s adorableness and ends up being frustrated and overwhelmed by the many aspects of owning the puppy. Many pet owners feel regret for getting a puppy. Some go as far as returning the pet, while others can push through the sadness and anxiety of dealing with puppy behaviors. 

The truth is puppies need to be raised and trained like any other creature on the planet. When you put in the thoughtful time with your pup, this dog will become your most loyal friend. Puppy blues shouldn’t last too long.

Once you develop a bond and love for your newest family member, you will, in turn, have more patience and determination to train your puppy to the fullest.

What To Do With Newborn Pups?

Newborn puppies are mostly reliant on their mothers. At this point, it is the mother’s job to feed and protect her little pups. This is an important time in a puppy’s life.

A puppy will learn how to feed, walk and interact with littermates. Being a helping hand for dog mothers is encouraged, but there is nothing that you can do better than the puppy’s biological mother at this moment.

What Should You Expect in the First Two Months of a Puppy’s Life?

For the first eight to twelve weeks, the puppy will be learning basic life skills from its mother. In most cases, the puppy will also learn to interact very well with humans, including the vet. The puppy should be vaccinated and microchipped within the first eight weeks. 

It is also time for a puppy to learn basic potty-training skills by the second month. If the puppy hasn’t come to live with you yet, it is best to communicate with the current litter owner about what they are doing as far as training. 

It is important to continue utilizing the same language as the previous owner when the puppy comes to live in your home. Consistency is the most important thing when it comes to potty training. Commands like ‘go potty,’ ‘empty,’ ‘go wee-wee,’ or ‘bathroom’ are all frequently used.

The key is to always use the same phrase to avoid confusing the puppy. Don’t be overly helpful when taking the puppy out to go potty.

• Take a puppy out every two hours to go potty. Routine will help the puppy learn when and where it is proper to go potty.
• Let the dog walk on its own to the door and outside to go potty.
• Reward the puppy when it actually goes potty. Then, the little pup will begin to comprehend that this action is what earns the reward.

What’s a Puppy Doing at Three Months Old?

By three months, the puppy should be sleeping a little less and getting used to its new surroundings by now, at least in the light of day. You should be able to have plenty of adorable, playful moments with your little best friend. The puppy is probably getting to know its name at this point, too.

However, if you decide on crate training, it can be a lonely experience for a puppy, especially in the late hours. 

Having a puppy cry at night is still common at this point. The night is the time they most miss you, their mother, and their littermates, nestling close together. Having a blanket with their mother’s scent or a stuffed animal with a battery-operated heartbeat might make this transition easier for the puppy to sleep through the night. 

If the puppy’s cries are keeping you up at night, you must decide if you are going to stick to the plan or deviate. The choice is yours, but what they ‘live’ with you first will become what they ‘learn’ as an acceptable habit.

Things to try to reduce puppy’s nighttime crying

• Keep the crate near your bed so they can see and smell you.
• Keep the crate far from you as well as strange household noises like refrigerator or heater, but place a sheet that smells like you into the crate.
• Nix the crate and use a fenced playpen setup to give more space and the illusion of freedom.
• Give the puppy the freedom to sleep where it wants, but be sure because this behavior is very difficult to change in the future.

What’s a Puppy Doing at Four Months?

At four months, your cute bundle of fur should be well adjusted to the lay of its land. The puppy will have confidence and trust in you as their pet parent. There should be an improvement in potty training, but don’t worry if it’s still a work in progress.

As old frustrations subside, new ones will take their place. 

Around this time, a puppy will begin teething. Puppies will find anything and everything to chew on to release the pressure, so it is essential to give them the right things to chew on. It can be a painful experience for you and your puppy.

Stuffed toys, rubber toys, and dog chews are toys perfectly made for the puppy’s young teeth. Anytime you witness your doggie gnawing on you or the wrong thing, say ‘No,’ and then supply them with the proper chew toy to nibble on.

Has it Been Five Months Already?

By the time you’ve hit the five-month mark, it is hard to imagine life before your fur baby. Your bond is tight, and your love is insurmountable. Yet, this is when your perfect, cuddling furball can turn into a deviant and spiteful critter.

Vets call this time the ‘Teens’. 

The puppy will try to push for dominance in the relationship. However, this is the critical time to stick to your regimen. Letting the puppy slide on too many points will allow it to think that it has gained the upper hand in the relationship.

Stand firm, and your puppy will remember its place in line.

Did You Make it to Six Months with This Puppy?

At six months, you can begin to congratulate yourself and your puppy on a job well done so far. The puppy should be well potty trained and have no doubt in knowing who’s boss. At this time, the puppy should be getting its adult set of teeth.

Chew toys will still be an important item to have on hand. Truthfully, most dogs of all ages love to chew toys, but there is a rare chance you might go through fewer chew toys at a slower rate as your puppy grows.

Conclusion 

So, things are going pretty smooth, and this dog parenting thing isn’t that hard anymore. You can barely remember that adorable face keeping you up in the middle of the night. That’s great!

Nevertheless, you need to remember that the puppy is still a puppy. There will probably be a few moments that will still send you into a fury of frustration, but they will begin to be farther and fewer in between as your puppy matures. 

At one year, a puppy is considered mature. If your pup is still having troubles, most pet parents admit they see a difference after the puppy has been ’fixed.’ Also, don’t be ashamed if you need to call in a professional.

Some pet owners need to learn the correct structure from a professional trainer, so they can implement it in the home. 

The most important thing to remember is that every puppy is trainable, and with structure and repetition, the puppy will get easier in time.