The absolute best advice I can give you is not about your dog

If you re on here, theres a good chance, like me, you have a new puppy, and have been struggling. You re overwhelmed, its so much harder than you thought, the puppy is so difficult etc.

So you look up solutions to each issue that comes up whackamole style, buy more gear, watch more videos, hoping each time it will be the magic bullet that makes things easier and life can go back to normal.

And like me, you might be getting increasingly frustrated at all the advice and help out there, because, to be blunt, its all completely contradictory and fearmongering, and you just want help.

My experience, such as it is, of a new puppy, has taught me this:

• Puppy blues is overwhelmingly due to naive or incorrect expectations on THE HUMANS PART. You might have known it was 'gonna be hard', but you just didnt fully understand how much your life was going to change overnight, and that reality is very jarring and scary initially

• The 2nd biggest issue is fear or lack of understanding over developmental time scales, especially with the guff some people post on here about how their 9 week old sleeps 3 hours a go never bites them. Why hasnt he perfectly learnt this skill immediately? Why is he not paying attention? Why is he still biting so much? What am i doing wrong? Comparison is the thief of joy

If you ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS, both of the pup and yourself, this whole thing becomes soooooo much easier. It is hard, and stressful, and thats ok. You re not doing anything wrong, especially if you re on here agonising about being perfect. The pup isnt doing anything, hes being a puppy. Training takes TIME, weeks and months of time. Its ok if they dont get it. Its ok.

Adjust your expectations, and be loving, patient and persistent, and, like new shoots in spring, you will find yourself starting to notice changes little by little.

Love, patience, and persistence, and above all, listen to YOUR pup. Trainers and 'experts' can certainly help and provide guidance, but what works for one or a few dogs isnt necessarily going to work for yours, AND THATS OK. Within reason, try to work WITH your pup, not against them.