I regret getting my puppy
Hi everyone, I am feeling like I am regretting getting my puppy. I am 26 years old engaged with no kids. I recently made a huge decision to quit my toxic job and for years I’ve wanted to get a dog. After a lot of dog sitting and contemplation my partner and I decided to get an 8 week old English Staffy. Now because I don’t work anymore and I am finishing my degree and am studying online at home and thought what a perfect opportunity.
My partner works away from home 2 weeks out of the month. It’s only been week 1 of having the puppy and I feel really really down. I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake. I feel like I have no freedom anymore, I feel like a single mom trying to keep up with raising what feels like a child. I didn’t realise how hard this would be and how sad I would feel. She is actually a really really good puppy - She is very clingy but I don’t mind too much, she’s doing well with training and toilet training, she knows a couple of commands now and she’s so adorable. I feel like she would be better with a large family - being home alone with her so far has been so depressing. I can’t leave the house without her. She is crate training and doing well but I feel irresponsible if I even went next door for groceries. I feel so down I forget to eat because all my attention is on her. I feel really alone and like I’ve made a mistake.
I wonder if it will get better when I can finally take her outside and exercise outside, but the weight of this commitment is huge. I cancelled our India trip to have her. I quit my job to stay home and raise her and I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake. I had so much freedom before we adopted her - My partner and I would travel overseas very often and around the country, now we have her we can’t spontaneously travel. I think also because I quit my job I’m finding it really hard adjusting being home alone all the time and with her. It’s exhausting. She is so needy. She really loves people and I so badly consider taking her back to her breeder but I feel like a failure 😭😭😭
I’ve cried every night since I’ve had her. Absolutely no fault of her own - she is an amazing happy easy puppy. It’s just the loss of freedom, the constant attention and nurturing she needs and her clinginess makes me feel smothered. I have no support or family here and feel very alone. I contemplate returning her but I’m not sure 😔