So, We Have a New Toddler”¦ Er, I Mean Puppy

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We have a 4-month-old puppy, Eevee, who brings our family much joy. As my 13-year-old often exclaims, ”She is adorable!” But Eevee is also a lot of work. In fact, living with her is like living with a toddler. Here are 10 reasons why.

 

She is still being potty trained.

Like a child who needs to be reminded to use the potty, I am constantly asking Eevee if she needs to go outside and do her business. And, when she does let me know she needs to go out, there is an urgency to get outside not unlike the urgency when a toddler announces they need to go potty right now even when you are nowhere near a bathroom.

She puts everything in her mouth.

Toddlers explore their world through they mouths and so does my puppy. She puts everything she finds on our walks in her mouth tissues, plastic wrappers, cigarette butts, bugs, and even rocks.

She wants to be with me all the time.

Like a child going through a ”mommy phase,” my puppy needs to have me in her sight at all times. I can’t go the bathroom without my puppy knocking on the door to be let in. When I take a shower, I have to leave the bathroom door open so she can sit outside the shower door waiting for me. When I leave the house, she cries.

She doesn’t sleep through the night.

While many toddlers do sleep through the night, there’s fair number who still need to go potty in the middle of the night. That’s my puppy. Without fail, Eevee wakes me up around 2 am each night so I can let her out in the backyard and she can do her business. As annoying as this is, it is definitely better than the alternative.

She is teething.

Like a teething toddler needing to chew on a teething ring, my puppy is losing her needle-sharp puppy teeth and she wants to chew everything she can get her mouth around my rugs, my arm, my hand, my furniture, our shoes. If only Eevee would just use a teething ring. This also goes back to putting everything in her mouth.

She whines when she wants something.

Like a toddler having a tantrum, when my puppy wants something (a walk, a treat, someone to pet her or play with her) she tell us the only way she can — by barking loudly and jumping up and down.

She wants to go to the playground all the time.

Even puppies need to learn how to play well with others. And ever since her first trip to the dog park, she has wanted to go back and play some more.  I even set up play dates for her with other puppies.

Her toys are all over the floor.

When my daughter was a toddler, my living room floor was littered with blocks, wooden puzzle pieces, stuffed animals and toy cars. Now the floor is littered with squeaky toys, balls and plastic chewable bones.

She delays bedtime.

Like a child delaying bedtime by asking for one more book to be read, one more glass of water or one more trip to the bathroom, my puppy delays getting into her crate, making it a 15-minute game of chase around the house. Eventually, when I’m at my wits’ end, Eevee will jump into the crate and let me win.

She loves to cuddle.

Like all toddlers, Eevee loves when you get on the floor with her and play, when you let her sit on your lap, or when you lie down next to her stroking her head and rubbing her belly.

 

Here’s Evee, by the way:

Eevee

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