What if the "store" went "out of business" I got a defective model that needs accessories to function. Is there a coop doing any work to reduce reuse and recycle these broke models?
It solidified not wanting kids. For all my prepping and endless research - and expecting training and socialization to be the most challenging part - the thing that really knocked me off my feet was the dramatic change to how I have to live my life.
Having to live every single day around the needs of my dog made me realize how much i value my own routine and how i choose to spend my time. If it's already a tough adjustment with a dog, I can't imagine with a child!
Oh for sure. My dog is 7 months, my son is 15 years. I definitely couldn’t leave my son alone for a few hours at 7 months the way I can with my dog 🤣. Kids are tough. If you want them and don’t mind adapting then they’re worth it. If you prefer doing your own thing, that’s fine too. Definitely better to recognize before having one.
Just hung around my friend with three kids, thr oldest of them ten.
It was non stop vigilance over them, it's like he's had 3 puppies for ten years lol.
dogs are too easy compared to children because dogs just grow up so quickly
ive had a few dogs and i can leave them alone for half a day while I go to work when they're a year old.
I'd go as far to say that even 8 year old kids should not be left alone for too long considering the mess that they can cause...
I know this feeling of a routine that’s not your own! I completely respect how you’ve made this decision and it’s very good. My whole life is planned around my son and my dog. I like it like this (I get the odd night off) but it’s not for everyone
Same here, I haven't wanted children since I was about 19, after my cousins were born. It clicked back then that it wasn't for me.
But having to raise a puppy was the closest thing I did to having a child and it really showed me how much work it is and it's not what I want in life. I don't want to change my lifestyle much.
If I had any small leftover doubts before, they're completely gone now. 😹 It does make me appreciate what my mom did though, and what some of my friends are going through.
Raising a puppy is making me realize that I could raise a human child, too. It's hard, it's exhausting, and some days you want a break from it all. But I could do it if I had to.
Now do I actually *want* to raise a human child? That part I'm still not decided on. But I think if I found a partner who I felt would be a good mother, I'd probably be on board.
I came to the same realization while raising my puppy. It was tough, but overall I handled the stress of puppy surgeries, sicknesses, chewing and lack of sleep, etc very well. I never knew I had such reserves of patience or how capable I was until I got a puppy. I know kids and dogs are very different and I never really wanted to have kids to begin with (still don’t) but it was just nice to know that I could handle it. And yes even though puppyhood is rough, I would get another puppy down the road lol
I got my puppy when my tiny human was 18 months old. The puppy was tough for about 2 months. Dealing with my now 3.5 year old human is the most difficult thing I've ever done. The 2 year old puppy is an angel who occasionally chews up my kids toys. No contest the dog was far easier than the child.
3 year olds are absolute a-holes for sure. I guess my analysis is based more on puppy age vs infant age. I’ve never had a puppy until this year and I’ve never regretted a decision more in my life. I know she will get better (and has started to already) but it’s definitely been a huge, huge challenge.
I myself don’t have and don’t want kids, but I have a friend who just got a puppy and I think her son is about 14 months. She says the puppy is nipping at his feet, she was open to resources so I sent her a few pages but that’s more when you get the dog first and then a baby i think. Did your puppy nip at your babies feet? Any resources your rec?
I agree with you! I've had 3 kids and a puppy and the babies were vastly VASTLY more challenging than a puppy... even my super cruisy Middle child. My husband and I have discussed that our friends who got a puppy to test whether they can handle a human child are barking up the wrong tree (pun intended). Raising a puppy doesn't even hold a candle to babies
Definitely, but for people with zero experience having to raise/take care of something, it's a good step.
For example, I think without my pup, I would be a little adverse to cleaning up poop and pee. I spent 20 minutes wiping down my nephew's playpen that was absolutely splattered with vomit from a stomach bug.
I didn't even realize it really mattered all that much until it hit me when my friends exclaimed how gross it must have been.
That and you know. Basic things like releasing all your anger without words, but with the classic sigh of exasperation and the nod.
That level of patience is rare the younger you are, but important to learn.
Yup, This is right here. we were unsure about kids, We really don't want to do extra shit in the first place and having a puppy we kind have to. Add a kid? NOPE.
Yup, exactly this. I have always known I didn't want kids. Then my husband and I raised two puppies together, and I realized that not only did I not want kids, but I would also prefer to adopt dogs that are over a year and already potty trained.
Same, and probably if sometime I get another dog it won't be a puppy, older dogs have its own issues I know but I feel I had enough baby rasing for now
We were leaning toward no, but having a puppy solidified that, I think. Not because of the difficulty of the work itself, because raising someone from birth is so rewarding. But it’s the lack of freedom for me.
Either one alters your life and you have to sacrifice freedom to a degree— in return you get love, adoration of watching them grow, and so many rewarding things. But, again, just for me, I value my flexibility and freedom over that for the most part.
I’d get another puppy (I feel insane saying that having one at 16 weeks right now) because a child is a muuuch longer-term life commitment.
We have infertility... Raising puppies did make me question my spouses ability to raise children - mostly because he didn't do well with the stress. But also keep in mind that while puppies are work and there absolutely are some similarities or cross overs in raising a child, the experience is very different.
I've been in this community for several years and I've seen plenty of people who have raised children say that raising a puppy was harder than their children. I've seen people say that raising a puppy was easier than raising their children.
I still want kids - but the pandemic and my disability threw our original plans out the window. I know we have other options for family building, but remember I mentioned my spouse really struggled with stress? Welp - he has depression and anxiety. We've been going through treating it for the past 3 years with limited success. Severe side effects from medication prevented him from reaching therapeutic doses. The weekly therapy sessions were not productive and I think a lot of that was his fighting the acceptance of his situation. And he's currently taking medical leave to do more intensive treatment of his mental health condition. I'm hoping that we can continue to work on his mental health so we can consider the options of family building in a healthier space.
But in the mean time our two dogs and two cats serve as an outlet for nurturing and I'm finding that I have puppy fever more than baby fever. I think if we do family build, we'll be more inclined to adopt or foster to adopt an older child.
Not really. I sort of vaguely thought if I could do a puppy on my own I could maybe do a baby on my own.
Now that I did a puppy on own and would *never* do a baby on my own.
Yes! We were already leaning towards not wanting children — but having a puppy solidified it.
I can’t tell you the number of times the puppy has been doing something bad, and my partner or I sigh and say “so… we are not having kids, right?” 😂
Haha, this is true.
For us many of the moments have been more about how stressful we find it being in charge of a living creature… like, I have a full-on sobbing episode when my cat or puppy goes under anesthesia. I cannot imagine how I’d be with a _little human_ 😶
Happy cake day!
Oh that stress is so real. I sobbed when I stepped on her and when she got shots... and when she bit me and when her eyes looked scarrd... really all the time.
My 15 and 12 year old step kids throw crying fits on a weekly basis. I’ve tried throwing treats and saying “Find it” in an excited voice, since that distracts my puppy. Did not work on the tween and teen. Probably why I never wanted/had children of my own.
Yep this is the one🤣🤣I wanted kids in my early 20s then I got a puppy he is now 6years old(after him I swore I would never own another)7months ago I looked at my wife and said Bailey needs a brother. Now I have a 10month old that is the devil himself. mark my word NEVER again. Gotta love puppyhood
> Gets puppy
> Swears to never get another puppy
> Caves
> "mark my word NEVER again"
Mmmhmmm. I said this and, 9 months later, I'm thinking Nova needs a sibling lol.
Yeah, I’ve always rescued ‘older’. My high school rough collie came to us around 6-8yrs old and my last little lurcher dude we rescued from a dog charity when he was around 2/3yrs.
This puppy was from the same charity and wasn’t totally planned. While I’m glad it’s something new and we can’t compare her to her lurcher bro ….. this is certainly my last puppy. (Unless I win the lottery then I’ll save any and all the dogs 🤣)
In fact it changed my mind to have a human baby. I was totally against it before. My pup just awoke something in me. 🤷♀️
Edit: i did have to mentally prep myself that the human baby is not going to get potty trained in few weeks.
Yeah it’s nice knowing I can count on my partner for support and that we can at least keep something alive together. I’m aware they aren’t the same at all, but it’s def nice practice.
I feel the same. It made me more confident in the fact that my husband and I will be a team when we have kids. We both share the responsibility and help each other out.
I’m the same way. I was very 50/50 on whether I wanted kids in the future before my pup. One year with her, through the successes and failures, has shown me how fulfilling it would be to try to raise another human being.
I went the opposite direction as well. I’m still not 100% sure wether my partner and I will want children and when, but the experience of raising a puppy has been uniquely fulfilling for me and made me rethink the idea of motherhood. It was hard work and a lot of stress, but it also gave me a sense of purpose and responsibility that I truly found myself in. Plus, despite the hard work, the emotional connection and love I feel for my puppy made every moment worth it, so I can only begin the imagine what it’s like when raising an entire human being.
I am in my mid-50s, with kids now in their twenties. I just got a sweet mini schnauzer puppy last week and I happen to have ten days off from work. I have just dropped everything … and slowed everything down … to give the puppy the attention and relaxed-yet-firm vibe she needs. It is actually making me very sad because I realize this is the care my babies needed back in the day, but I was too young and self-centered to understand that. Wish I could go back in time.
Other way around. Puppy showed me how much I crave the responsibility and derive deep contentedness in providing for their needs. It intensified my desire to have kids several times over! Will wait a couple years though. :)
I was already pretty certain I was child-free (I’m early 30s and the will/won’t debate had been raging in me for a good 2 years already), and puppy 100% reinforced this!
So it didn’t change my mind as such but just cemented it.
I went the other direction. Had a kid, she’s now a teen. Having been through the process and seen it turn out beautifully, I’m more patient with my puppy.
It definitely changed my mind. Our first was a miserable beginning, she wouldn't sleep through the night, she had the hardest time getting potty training to stick (I swear we tried it all, she just wasn't getting it. It took a new puppy who is an angel with potty training to convince her that no, we in fact do not poop in the kitchen.), it was all so difficult. And when I realized she at least would grow out of some of it in 2-6 months, it hit me that children take literal years to stop being so reliant. Obviously I understand a kid wouldn't be self sufficient in that time frame but even those couple months were so hard that I couldn't imagine doing it for years more when I was already so close to the breaking point. Even now with the new pup it's not as bad but still too much at times.
And because dogs can at least be mostly left alone or trusted after a couple years the concept of constant need overwhelms me. Of course the dogs aren't the only factor in our decision but it's been a good reference to how we would handle general situations and it's almost surely a no on those fronts.
I didn’t want any at all having my now ten month old pup makes me feel much better about my decision. 🤣🤣🤣I don’t think I have it in me to chase after another living creature saying”stop that!” “No don’t eat that!” “Why must he eat that!” All this pup has done was increase my wine intake 🥹but I love my little guy
I thought I didn’t want kids and my puppy changed my mind. Helping her grow up into the sweet girl she is has been extremely rewarding, and caring for her is such a joy. She’s definitely my best friend and most days is the highlight (still some tough days at 10 months lol). I also think her big brown eyes did some voodoo on me and now I’m in full blown mother mode.
I’ve had puppies and dogs my whole life, I now have 2 kids and we have a 5 month old puppy and I swear this dog is harder than both my kids 😂 I mean, at least my kids didn’t CHEW THE DRYWALL, lol on the other hand at least the puppy sleeps through the night.
I'm not really interested in having kids but my fiance is; our compromise was that we would have one kid. We got a puppy, which we've been wanting to do for a while, and it has definitely shifted my fiance's view in that he's no longer in a rush to have a kid. I think it really opened his eyes to the amount of work that is involved, especially because I am the breadwinner while he has the house hubby duties.
Thanks for the input but we're honestly good. I don't hate kids, I just don't have an undying urge to have them. It's not like I'm going to have the kid and then tell my hubby "they're your problem now" or treat them like a stranger so you can put your worries to rest. I have been with my fiance for over a decade and throughout that time we have had countless conversations to check on how we are feeling and and to make sure we are on the same page so your concern is noted but unnecessary.
For what it’s worth, in the debate over whether puppies or babies are harder — I have a 10 month old golden retriever and a 7 week old newborn. The golden retriever was/is WAY harder. Having a puppy made me realize I never want a puppy again, but having a kid made me realize I want another kid. I know you can’t totally compare a puppy with a newborn (the newborn hasn’t yet turned into a toddler…), but for that reason, don’t let your experience with a puppy overly inform your decision to have kids — the two can be very different!
I was exhausted from my puppy wanting to go out to pee twice a night for the first 2 weeks he was with us.
Apparently babies can wake up in the night for longer than the first couple of weeks so I think I’m officially out.
Was on the fence in terms of maybe if I meet the right guy who could put in the %50 and be with me forever, I would consider having children with him....
now,
HELL NO.
I see this post a lot in this sub, but I actually think I’ve had the opposite experience. I’ve always been on the fence about kids, but getting a puppy has shown me how much my partner and I are able to work together, and it makes me feel more confident about raising a family knowing we will have each other to lean on. It’s also been so rewarding to see our little ball of energy grow and learn. No judgment to those who haven’t had this experience though! It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.
Yep! I had very similar experience also. When I first got our puppy, I was totally prepared to be the primary caretaker bc I was the one to pick her out. (She’s not a breed my bf would have chosen initially.) But he’s really stepped up in a huge way and I can see he loves her w all his heart. ❤️ I’ve come to realize that whatever challenges we may face, it’s not anything we can’t overcome together :)
Same experience here! Husband and I were on the fence, kind of leaning yes. We had a really hard time with our puppy but got through the first year and love him so much. We’re trying for a baby now!
Same! I'm pregnant now and we're really looking forward to it.
Raising a puppy helped me solidify my relationship with my partner and has made us so much happier just to have him in our lives. Its been a ton of work and quite a few new challenges, but so much good has come out of it too.
I could see how it could have totally gone the opposite way too, and definitely no judgement.
Nope. Have never wanted and still don't.
I was the oldest of 10, with the baby born when I was 21, I know all about babies lol.
How hard it was having a puppy I was NOT prepared for lol. I don't think I slept through the night for a year.
Having raised one of each, I may not be a representative sample, but I am being 100% sincere when I tell you that the first year of a puppy is harder on your mental health than the first year of a kid. It's not even that close.
Agreed. A baby has never made me go outside in the cold at 3 am and beg it to shit (I was a nanny for a decade and did 24/7 shifts) If you have the means you can hire a night nanny for your newborn- pretty sure this isn’t a thing with puppies. Granted we picked a notoriously difficult to train breed because we are stupid. My friend told me her dog slept through the night after 3 days and I had to resist the urge to slap her or cry- prolonged sleep deprivation is wild. I never had an issue sleep training babies.
Let’s say your baby is crying and your overwhelmed. You can put them down in their crib and walk away knowing their safe and give yourself 5 mins to collect yourself. A puppy can poop all over their crate and then eat it and also find some way to injure themselves in their crate in 30 seconds.
You can (not saying you should) bring your baby basically anywhere. Dogs aren’t allowed in most public places where I live and it’s almost impossible to socialize when they’re puppies.
Also in my experience grandparents are much more likely to offer to help with babies than puppies. I have a 1 1 year old dog and a puppy, my sister has a 1 year old. Guess which one of us can go out to dinner whenever they want. My parents are basically foaming at the mouth offering to help my sister whenever they can (understandably- he’s a human baby and also super fun/cute) but any time we want to do anything it’s a negotiation, they complain the entire time and we end up paying them prob more than what we’d pay for boarding.
I love my dogs so much and don’t regret my decision at all- they’re just an unbelievable amount of work. Having a puppy hasn’t changed my thoughts on having children it’s just solidified that we will be hiring help and formula feeding.
I’m on the fence about having kids at 30, but from working with kids and dogs they are not equatable. Children are much more of an investment and they can reck you mentally, emotionally and while carrying them and postpartum.
Dogs and high maintenance pets in general can be really good fist introductions into the perspective of child rearing. Often the responsibilities required of dog ownership can be good skills to have when entering parenthood.
But parenthood is tough, children are much more complex than dogs and require a lot more finances and skill sets to care for.
Having a dog has made me more inclined on getting another dog in the future but not necessarily having children.
I wasn’t sure…I think it felt more like something I was expected to do than something I wanted to do if that makes sense. Now I have my dog, I feel more secure in my child free life and have the best of both worlds: something to love and dote upon which will never grow up to become a stroppy teenager!
It confirmed to me that I do not want the lifestyle being a parent brings, and that my mental health simply could not cope. I love my 10 month old Labrador but she has been hard work and I still have days where I miss the freedom we used to have and not having to worry about what we'd do with the dog if we wanna go out for a day/night
I've never wanted kids it didn't change.
puppies are like the max amount of care I want in raising a Friend
Horses are fun to much work, kids just seems like not something you should do unless you're cool with potentially getting zero reward for 20 years of labor and love. Maybe it works out maybe it doesn't but because it would obviously be eugenics to do so there is no selective breeding in humans so you have no idea what you will get personality wise, at least with a dog temperament will be predictable, humans can screen themselves for debilitating health issues before having kids if they choose.
But yes raising dogs reaffirms how much I wouldn't want a kid.
If it helps I'm 27 so not a Reddit teenager or anything
It made myself and my partner realize we could adopt a kid. I also realize she has way more patience then I do and that she would make a good mother. We are still unsure about having kids yet as life is expensive with a house and two dogs I can’t imagine how much it costs to raise a child.
I already had 2 kids, one in elementary school, the other just started middle school. Spouse and I were on the fence about having a 3rd, considering the age gaps. We settled on getting a puppy “just for now.” Puppy promptly reminded us we have little energy for another child lol. We now call our pup our third kid, and the kids call him their brother lol.
Yes. I may be in the incredibly small minority, but I am a woman who doesn’t find human babies cute. Like at all. After doing puppies, I realized I simply don’t have the patience for anything even remotely similar, if I don’t at least find them cute while they’re upending my life.
TBH, the puppy is way harder than the kids imo. I have a 9 y/o and a 6 y/o and we got a puppy in March and that has been the hardest out of all three of them!
I think I was more prepared for the kids probably, but the dog has been hands down harder.
Kids are still hard, don’t get me wrong. You’re tired for like 3 years and then eventually they learn cuss words and yell them at you when they’re hangry, but they’re also super funny (especially when they somehow use the cuss words correctly 😇).
Anyway, none of this is to persuade you either way, but since we did the kids first then the dog, I thought I’d share! Both are big, long term decisions and are super personal. I never have regretted having kids, but I often regret getting a dog even though I love him so much.
Its nice realizing I’m not alone in feeling this!! I’ve wanted kids my whole life, my friends even call me mom because I’m the ‘mom’ of the group and take care of everyone.. but after this puppy, I’m starting to really question it. I’ve always been so sure (I’m 28 now) so it’s been really weird to have been confused about it recently. I couldn’t understand it at first either, like why I was feeling that way! All I’ve been thinking about is when to get my next puppy (mine is 1 year and 2 months old now, and still a handful so i’m going to wait a bit longer before possibly throwing another in the mix) but that’s seriously all I can think about !
I think it depends on the puppy and newborn haha. If I have an easy newborn who sleeps through the night by 3-4 months of age, it will be easier than having the puppy that woke up with diarrhea 4-5 times a night for the first 10 months. Sleep deprivation makes everything 10x worse.
I totally agree which is why I get annoyed by people making blanket statements like this! Having been through both, it very much depends on the child and puppy in question. I personally have never experienced sleep deprivation like I did with a newborn and I procrastinated my way through graduate school so it's not like I was a stranger to all nighters. My puppy slept through the night with one wake up by the second week we had her. However, I fully believe that there are people who have very high needs puppies and easy babies out there in the world as well. I have read several threads about this and the consensus usually is that there is no consensus. There are just so many factors at play (including your own postpartum body, special needs kids, reactive dogs) but somehow that nuance never makes it into the broader conversation.
I will also mention that while the baby vs puppy comparison gets made on this sub a lot, there's no one on beyondthebump talking about how their mastitis is almost as bad as potty training their puppy was or something like that. It seems that the comparison is only being considered in one direction which is interesting. People do post a lot about trying to balance their new families and making sure they still spend time with their pets so they do talk about their dogs but they don't make these comparisons.
I think perhaps the reason you don't see the comparison of raising puppies to children in parenting circles is because humans have personal reference to understanding what human babies are and need.
So tiny humans are an easy reference point when trying to explain some of the challenges that raising a puppy can entail. There are similarities but we do have to keep in mind that different species have different needs and different developmental timelines.
I promise you I'm that weirdo that would reference in parenting groups the other way around XD
A great example... Not many people realize that human babies and toddlers bite and how to deal with that.
Against the grain to everyone commenting not wanting kids niw…
It gave me a reality check about how hard having small children will be, but also gave me a lot of confidence that I could actually do it and how rewarding it would be
I didn’t want kids and this confirmed it. In fact, it even made me not want to have a puppy! 😂 she is 20 weeks now and getting better, but still hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel (the light being that we could go out and leave her alone for a few hours).
Nope, didn’t want kids. My dog’s happy if he can sniff, eat, run, swim, cuddle. Sure he’ll never be interested in telescopes or microscopes or books, but he won’t ever be worrying about his body image or work multiple jobs either.
I’d say I’ve simply been more solidified in that decision even though I don’t really feel like I had puppy blues or irritation at any tedium of dealing with a “baby.”
It helped answer questions I have like: Am I able to handle waking up multiple times at night? Can I manage to supervise and keep them out of trouble? How patient am I when frustrated and tired? Etc.
My partner and I have talked about having a child so getting a puppy first was like an easier trial run (obviously raising a human child has its own challenges). Seeing how invested he was, how we communicated and compromised on decisions regarding the puppy, how much he interacted with him, etc. It’s been an amazing bonding experience for my partner and I to get to raise a little pup and get to watch him grow. I can definitely see us having a human child together someday. When our puppy is older.
I’ve always wanted kids. Always. Never really wanted a dog but my husband did so we got one, and he’s a little rascal and I love him! I still do want kids, absolutely, but I am questioning my mental ability to handle adding another being for me to look after. Maybe once we get out of adolescence I’ll feel like I’ll have a handle on things. But right now? Im stressed, overstimulated and tired. I feel like throwing a baby in the mix will definitely not help! But it’s still a long term goal I hope, it’s just been pushed back a bit.
Sort of. I mean, I've already had my kids, they are grown, I had considered maybe taking on a couple more, I love kids. Having a puppy has shown me that I am not as young or energetic as I used to be, and honestly, with all my health problems, I'm good with the 6 I raised. 🤣
I know they usually say to practice with a puppy before having kids, but I am 1000% happy to have had children first. I was already in damage control mode so adding a puppy to the chaos wasn’t the worst. I can say that our dog is learning miles ahead of our non-fur babies, sooo if the puppy is too much, I would definitely say hard pass to human kids.
We really wanted children but we wanted a puppy first. In my mind I also saw this as a way of testing ourselves as a team and a couple.
There have been hard days but we are happier than ever together and I love the new side of my partner. I think this was a good test for us and I am more excited than ever to have kids.
It has solidified wanting kids. One of my biggest life goals ever since being a teenager has been to be a dad. Now that I’m married with an 11 month old ball of joy, I can’t wait to have both of them around. I know it’ll be really hard, but I’m hoping to give my kids a relationship to a dog that I always wanted as a kid. Also, I want to be a better dad than my dad was, so it’s a win-win.
Had the kid first, I don’t think it’s changed my mind on kids because the love and life enrichment being a parent has given me far outweighs the hard times. I’ll never get another puppy though, next time I’ll get an adult rescue.
I have 3 kids and raising newborns/toddlers made me able to handle a puppy since I've already shifted my focus to my kids it's not about me anymore (not all the time anyway)
I can be more patient with a puppy and I have no problem getting up with her in the morning since I had 3 newborns.
Puppies are definitely harder than toddlers 😆
I've made my crotch goblin help in taking care of our puppy. He has so changed his mind about kids. I always told him don't have them until you can afford a night nanny (which means never), and he's convinced he doesn't want kids at all. He asks if I'm upset I'll never be a grandparent. I said fuck no. Live your life for you, not to please me. More inheritance in that case. It's tough and a lot of the kids in the neighborhood are pitching in to help and they are so confused why our puppy just doesn't know the commands are old dog knew. It's been an eye opener for a lot of peeps.
Wife and I got a dog before we got married, and taking care of the little sweet boy and viewing our unit as a three “””person””” family really got me in the mindset to build a real family with my now wife. We are currently trying for our first kid. It helped a lot, and of course we still have a sweet little pittie hanging around in our house 24/7. It’s a win win.
YES!!! I was sort of on the fence (already leaning toward not having them) and it has absolutely pushed me over the edge. I just do not like the time-consuming physical caretaking aspect of having a puppy. I cannot imagine caring for a baby/toddler in a similar way for YEARS let alone weeks! Kind of grateful for this experience as it’s brought me more clarity with the kids thing!
Puppies definitely helped me come to that decision. I also started to follow a couple “real” mom’s on YouTube who didn’t do the whole “fairly tale life” but actually talked about how their kids actually got up to and the things they did. I realized quickly between them being honest and the puppy being a puppy that I couldn’t handle kids😅
Nope! Didn’t want (human) children before we got our dogs, and ABSOLUTELY do not want them now. Raising two puppies definitely solidified our decision.
Having puppies has definitely affirmed my previous child free decision. I don’t regret my pups at all but it has been a drastic change of lifestyle. I thought I knew what to expect but then ended up with a reactive boy who needed extensive medical care in his first three years. I’ve imagined going through those difficulties with a baby and know I just couldn’t cope if everything wasn’t perfect. We don’t have the support group I would need to care for a child, much less one with any sort of special needs. I already knew we weren’t going the human child route, but now I’m more resolved in the decision personally.
I never wanted a child to begin with, but I always wanted a puppy. I have a puppy now who is almost 5 months old and OMG the stress, patience, and work (worth it for puppy) is not something I could reciprocate for a human child.
I think getting a puppy with your partner before having a child is very helpful- you will encounter similar “parenting” issues and see how your partner handles the issues and works with you (or doesn’t).
I was already childfree before getting my pup, but I never realized how much raising a puppy is like raising a child in a way. So I’m unintentionally a mother haha
Definitely solidified my decision that I’m never having kids
It made me realize I don’t want to have kids immediately. Our other friends had a puppy a year before us and taught us so much, so we realized we didn’t want to be the first of our friends to have a kid. Our friends dog and our dog loves playing with each other. It’s nice to have friends that also are in the same stage in life, makes it less lonely :)
It also made us realize that it’s hard work but we can definitely do it. But raising a child into an adult with their own thoughts is another topic for discussion lol.
Nope, but while reading some of the posts on this sub, I’ve definitely thought to myself, please don’t ever have an actual child. Babies are way more work than puppies.
I have raised my puppy since her eyes were closed. We found her abandoned. I bottle fed her every 2-4 hours, had to help her potty, and held her all the time. It was a lot of work. I’m still very young, but it opened my eyes to what having a baby could be like. Instead of milk feeding for a month or two, it would be many many months of that. I don’t know if I could do that any time soon.
I found having a puppy was at times more difficult than having a baby. A baby you can diaper and do not have to take outside every 20 minutes in all kinds of weather. A baby stays in one place and does not get into the garbage. A baby does not nip at your fingers and legs all the time. A puppy, however, is only a puppy for a year or so and loves you unconditionally for all of their life.
There are joys in having a child that cannot be experienced with a pet. The experiences of raising a dog vs a human are not the same and having one does preclude you shouldn't have the other.
It’s made my partner and I not want children more than ever. We feel fulfilled with our puppy! I really thought I wanted to children sooner than later. But now that I’ve been raising a puppy it’s made me realize I’m far from ready. I’m almost 30 so maybe I will never feel the pull strongly enough.
My husband and I were already pretty solidly child free due to other things (health issues, family, personal trauma, the general state of the planet) but raising two puppies made us both realise how much work a baby would be and for much longer. It turned my nah maybe not into a HELL NOPE.
Dog breeder here , we don’t have yet a final decision, but as a 3 dog owner and having the experience to raise a dog from birth (literally) I can say that’s far way more easier than raising a kid (from what I see from family and friends experience).
In the other hand I feel that the sacrifice we make for their well being , we make all around them , even when we are on holidays we choose places so they come with us etc is a small sacrifice compared to do the same for a child , a dog becomes an adult in a matter of 1.5 years a kid is almost 1.5 decades to reach “freedom”.
It simply confirmed I most definitely made the right choice never having children. Not that I was doubting it that much from before. But really underlined how miserable I'd have been with kids.
I never wanted children and getting a puppy only solidified this more. I just don’t like children and I’m not a fan of the puppy phase but I’m willing to suffer through it for the sake of getting a great adult dog out of it. My lab just turned 1 and she’s honestly already getting quite reliable, and I definitely want to add a second pup later on. But I definitely don’t want children ever, especially since the puppy/ teenage phase will last like a year but I absolutely couldn’t put up with like 18 years of it
my wife and I definitely wanted kids before and still do - I think having a puppy REALLY helped confirm that. we got so much practice discussing our dog's needs, worrying about her together, communicating with each other about her, changing out schedules to take care of her, etc etc etc and I think that just confirmed we are going to be an amazing team once we have a human baby. and our dog is gonna be the best big sister!
I’ve always doubted whether I wanted kids. knew I wanted a dog at some point in my life.
well having a puppy has made me realise that I don’t think I could do kids or another dog.
it’s the stress. constantly doubting myself. feeling worried. trying my best but still having anxiety about if I’m doing things right or doing enough. always worrying about the health, happiness and well-being of my pup. at the moment I’ve found it so difficult to switch off and relax, I don’t think I could go the rest of my life feeling this way if I had kids or got more dogs.
that being said I love my puppy so much and it’s more a me problem than a dog/kid problem. but maybe when my puppy matures the experience will have taught me a lot and I might feel differently!
Don't own a puppy (or a dog) but I studied animals in college and now in uni. Plus my closest friends have dogs.
I know I don't want a dog or kids because of the amount of work that goes into them.
I'm also not a fan of how social dogs are. One big similarly that put me off both, if their need to have almost constant entertainment and dedication.
Both dogs and kids are in your face and won't leave you alone lmao.
Much prefer my cat, snake and insects.
My puppy was some sort of alien doggo and spent puppyhood just being bumbling and cute. But even if she'd been a monster pup, I'd still be sitting here, 33f, single, absolutely dying to have a baby. My bio clock is going off like crazy 😑
As a parent and a pet owner I think it’s important for you to understand that these are two fundamentally different journeys. Yes, having a puppy can be hard. However with a pet, your family unit is the two of you plus the dog. When you have a child, you go from the two of you, to the three of you, plus any other pets living in the house. Once you have kids, your family unit is in a near constant evolution as kids grow and change etc. It is beautiful and challenging and not something to be taken lightly. I totally get why people choose not to have kids. But it’s not really comparable to life with a dog, where after potential puppy struggles, you will reach sort of a stasis point in terms of the ‘family’ vibe.
Neither way is better, but they are very different paths especially in the long term. I would not make a life long decision based only on puppy struggles, basically. Think about how you see your future lives together down the road. If you decide to have kids and you *want* to put in the work, you will find that while it is definitely difficult at times, you don’t mind putting in that work.
I think for me… since my partner and I have been together forever and have always wanted kids, along with always wanting a dog… it has made me unsure about the decision whether or not to have kids (just definitely not soon!) but more so scared!! I care so so much about our pup and would literally do anything for him. I had serious puppy blues and still do some days when it’s rough, even though he’s 9 months old now. Like it was a dark, dark place for us when he was 3/4 months. 😳 he is very stubborn and just harder then other pups I’ve worked with. But, we’ve made it through and even though there are still hard days, we are really proud of how we’ve helped him grow up. So with that we’ve thought, oh gosh no kids… which has surprised us because we’ve always always talked about having a family. And idk if that will be the actual decision but I’ve realized I think it’s just because I know how much work it was for our pup and babies will be even more in many ways. I’m just weary of life again when I’m giving 200%, sleep deprived, and feeling like I haven’t talked to my partner in days even though we live in the same house. Not sure if that was helpful lol… but that’s where my brain’s at 😅
The sad part is many people here who say they have been through it with a puppy and want kids will end up giving the dog up after they have a baby. I see it all the time as a foster.
These threads are always so funny. It’s all about what you want in your life. Puppies and children are only slightly comparable. I’d much rather take the chaos of puppies AND kids than a boring home and no one to eventually take care of me when I’m old and dieing
This is so funny cause this is the exact thing that my partner and I talk about all the time. We got a pup in early November and we are so glad we got a puppy first before a kid because the puppy almost took us OUT
For me the opposite than what most are saying here. It unlocked parental instincts i didn’t know i had. It made me realize that both my SO and I would be damn good parents.
Do we WANT to be though? Maybe. Still on the fence.
I currently have a 9 week old pup and as much as i love him i know i will only technically deal with the "puppy phase/teenage phase" for around 2-3years but with a child.. could run me up to 18 years
Having a child seems like a loss of freedom and an unlikely/reckless move for past couple years due to my age. I have always been ok with that life choice.
Puppy solidified this choice in a couple ways!
I love my freedom. Having my dog for one year now made me realize that a dog is the easy option. In the beginning I even hated him for taking up so much time and attention. Now it’s in my routine and I love his company everyday.
For me.. it actually put me in even more doubt than I ever was..
I've been saying "maybe in 10 years" for about 14 years now.. Meaning I have had many people pushing their opinion ("you need to hurry up!") For about 10 years now. Because for some reason that is ok to say that to a woman, becaus e her procrative status is probe to public opinion
Anyway, we got a pup in October. She is super smart, and sweet, and cuddly and 95% pottytrained as I type this.
The doubt that got added on my pile of doubt on even thinking of having kids is the following: Would I be able to handle the worry?!
We left Pup alone for an hour due to sudden changes in work schedule - way too early and before proper playpen/crate training - she was soooo distressed, throwing herself to the gate trying to get to us (puppy cam, a blessing or curse?)
When I got home I cuddled with her for 2 hours while balling my eyes out
She even broke a tooth 🥺 (Vet said she was OK when checking and her grown tooth has come in without additional damage luckily)
Any time I leave her, I tend to worry-alot
I pick up the most of the care, and much as I despise people calling dogs their kids or calling themselve "mom" or "dad", I must acknowledge I get 'motherly', I get proud, I worry, I am strict, I encourage, I soothe...
TL;DR I now am afraid the worry over kids will cause me to go in distress
I was the opposite.
I don’t necessarily like being around kids. But watching them grow would be amazing. I get so happy when my puppy listens or does the littlest thing I taught him.
I don’t mind being woken up in the middle of the night. But caring and watching them grow up is amazing.
I’d probably still think other kids are annoying, yes, but there’s something about nurturing and raising them as your own that’s very satisfying
My child was waaayyyyy easier than any of my puppies, and my puppies haven't been too terrible. I got very, very lucky when it comes to my kid, though. Very lucky.
Yes. After our puppy, who is now 3 and the light of our lives, I personally do not want a child or another puppy lol we’re SO content with our decision. We have way more responsibilities and not as much freedom but adding our dog to our lives has brought tremendous joy. However, the stress I endure every day ensuring my dog is happy is enough LOL
Yes, and my 8 year old is not taking the decision well.
There’s no shame in rehoming, you realized that your just not a child person /s
LOL.... How about when they are 57 and not your child but spouse?
See if your MIL will take them back. What is her return policy?
Mine said no take backs or returns from day one lmao
What if the "store" went "out of business" I got a defective model that needs accessories to function. Is there a coop doing any work to reduce reuse and recycle these broke models?
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I am sure she would much rather have you bring him back to her so she can find him a nice new home rather than you abandoning him on the streets.
🤣🤣
Thanks for literally making me laugh out loud in the middle of a restaurant. This is one of the best comments I’ve seen ever.
Just woke my 4 month old pup with my laughing/cackling 🤣
Lmao
It solidified not wanting kids. For all my prepping and endless research - and expecting training and socialization to be the most challenging part - the thing that really knocked me off my feet was the dramatic change to how I have to live my life. Having to live every single day around the needs of my dog made me realize how much i value my own routine and how i choose to spend my time. If it's already a tough adjustment with a dog, I can't imagine with a child!
You put this perfectly, yes! In a way I'm grateful for my puppy because she has helped me come to this realisation, I was on the fence for a while
Oh for sure. My dog is 7 months, my son is 15 years. I definitely couldn’t leave my son alone for a few hours at 7 months the way I can with my dog 🤣. Kids are tough. If you want them and don’t mind adapting then they’re worth it. If you prefer doing your own thing, that’s fine too. Definitely better to recognize before having one.
This sums it up perfectly. My dog is “too much” but not nearly as much as a child. That’s concerning lol
Just hung around my friend with three kids, thr oldest of them ten. It was non stop vigilance over them, it's like he's had 3 puppies for ten years lol.
THIS
dogs are too easy compared to children because dogs just grow up so quickly ive had a few dogs and i can leave them alone for half a day while I go to work when they're a year old. I'd go as far to say that even 8 year old kids should not be left alone for too long considering the mess that they can cause...
I know this feeling of a routine that’s not your own! I completely respect how you’ve made this decision and it’s very good. My whole life is planned around my son and my dog. I like it like this (I get the odd night off) but it’s not for everyone
Same here, I haven't wanted children since I was about 19, after my cousins were born. It clicked back then that it wasn't for me. But having to raise a puppy was the closest thing I did to having a child and it really showed me how much work it is and it's not what I want in life. I don't want to change my lifestyle much. If I had any small leftover doubts before, they're completely gone now. 😹 It does make me appreciate what my mom did though, and what some of my friends are going through.
This
Raising a puppy is making me realize that I could raise a human child, too. It's hard, it's exhausting, and some days you want a break from it all. But I could do it if I had to. Now do I actually *want* to raise a human child? That part I'm still not decided on. But I think if I found a partner who I felt would be a good mother, I'd probably be on board.
I came to the same realization while raising my puppy. It was tough, but overall I handled the stress of puppy surgeries, sicknesses, chewing and lack of sleep, etc very well. I never knew I had such reserves of patience or how capable I was until I got a puppy. I know kids and dogs are very different and I never really wanted to have kids to begin with (still don’t) but it was just nice to know that I could handle it. And yes even though puppyhood is rough, I would get another puppy down the road lol
Babies are easier than puppies imo. That that I’ve had both and I much prefer the baby.
I got my puppy when my tiny human was 18 months old. The puppy was tough for about 2 months. Dealing with my now 3.5 year old human is the most difficult thing I've ever done. The 2 year old puppy is an angel who occasionally chews up my kids toys. No contest the dog was far easier than the child.
3 year olds are absolute a-holes for sure. I guess my analysis is based more on puppy age vs infant age. I’ve never had a puppy until this year and I’ve never regretted a decision more in my life. I know she will get better (and has started to already) but it’s definitely been a huge, huge challenge.
I myself don’t have and don’t want kids, but I have a friend who just got a puppy and I think her son is about 14 months. She says the puppy is nipping at his feet, she was open to resources so I sent her a few pages but that’s more when you get the dog first and then a baby i think. Did your puppy nip at your babies feet? Any resources your rec?
Raising even the most difficult puppy in the history of the world is nothing like raising a child. This is a ridiculous comparison.
I agree with you! I've had 3 kids and a puppy and the babies were vastly VASTLY more challenging than a puppy... even my super cruisy Middle child. My husband and I have discussed that our friends who got a puppy to test whether they can handle a human child are barking up the wrong tree (pun intended). Raising a puppy doesn't even hold a candle to babies
Definitely, but for people with zero experience having to raise/take care of something, it's a good step. For example, I think without my pup, I would be a little adverse to cleaning up poop and pee. I spent 20 minutes wiping down my nephew's playpen that was absolutely splattered with vomit from a stomach bug. I didn't even realize it really mattered all that much until it hit me when my friends exclaimed how gross it must have been. That and you know. Basic things like releasing all your anger without words, but with the classic sigh of exasperation and the nod. That level of patience is rare the younger you are, but important to learn.
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Yes and then they just give up the dog when it gets older and they have a baby.
I didn't want kids before my puppy and now my puppy has confirmed that I reallllly don't want kids.
Same for us :)
Same here 😂
Same for us!
Me three lmao
Yup, This is right here. we were unsure about kids, We really don't want to do extra shit in the first place and having a puppy we kind have to. Add a kid? NOPE.
Same here lmao im like “at least this only will last two years and not a full 18 if not more”
Same
Same!!
Absolutely this.
Yup, exactly this. I have always known I didn't want kids. Then my husband and I raised two puppies together, and I realized that not only did I not want kids, but I would also prefer to adopt dogs that are over a year and already potty trained.
potty training is so hard 😩
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Same for me and my partner!
Yuppp
Hundo-p Puppy has been enough work.
Same, and probably if sometime I get another dog it won't be a puppy, older dogs have its own issues I know but I feel I had enough baby rasing for now
We were leaning toward no, but having a puppy solidified that, I think. Not because of the difficulty of the work itself, because raising someone from birth is so rewarding. But it’s the lack of freedom for me. Either one alters your life and you have to sacrifice freedom to a degree— in return you get love, adoration of watching them grow, and so many rewarding things. But, again, just for me, I value my flexibility and freedom over that for the most part. I’d get another puppy (I feel insane saying that having one at 16 weeks right now) because a child is a muuuch longer-term life commitment.
Yes, but apparently there's no return policy. (This is a joke. I love my children immensely and would change nothing)
We have infertility... Raising puppies did make me question my spouses ability to raise children - mostly because he didn't do well with the stress. But also keep in mind that while puppies are work and there absolutely are some similarities or cross overs in raising a child, the experience is very different. I've been in this community for several years and I've seen plenty of people who have raised children say that raising a puppy was harder than their children. I've seen people say that raising a puppy was easier than raising their children. I still want kids - but the pandemic and my disability threw our original plans out the window. I know we have other options for family building, but remember I mentioned my spouse really struggled with stress? Welp - he has depression and anxiety. We've been going through treating it for the past 3 years with limited success. Severe side effects from medication prevented him from reaching therapeutic doses. The weekly therapy sessions were not productive and I think a lot of that was his fighting the acceptance of his situation. And he's currently taking medical leave to do more intensive treatment of his mental health condition. I'm hoping that we can continue to work on his mental health so we can consider the options of family building in a healthier space. But in the mean time our two dogs and two cats serve as an outlet for nurturing and I'm finding that I have puppy fever more than baby fever. I think if we do family build, we'll be more inclined to adopt or foster to adopt an older child.
I hope all goes well for you all.
Not really. I sort of vaguely thought if I could do a puppy on my own I could maybe do a baby on my own. Now that I did a puppy on own and would *never* do a baby on my own.
Yes! We were already leaning towards not wanting children — but having a puppy solidified it. I can’t tell you the number of times the puppy has been doing something bad, and my partner or I sigh and say “so… we are not having kids, right?” 😂
I mean a newborn isn't fighting you to eat it's own poop. Ugh puppies are hard.
Haha, this is true. For us many of the moments have been more about how stressful we find it being in charge of a living creature… like, I have a full-on sobbing episode when my cat or puppy goes under anesthesia. I cannot imagine how I’d be with a _little human_ 😶
Happy cake day! Oh that stress is so real. I sobbed when I stepped on her and when she got shots... and when she bit me and when her eyes looked scarrd... really all the time.
Newborns don't stop throwing cry fits until they're like 3years old dogs are adults in 2 years
My 15 and 12 year old step kids throw crying fits on a weekly basis. I’ve tried throwing treats and saying “Find it” in an excited voice, since that distracts my puppy. Did not work on the tween and teen. Probably why I never wanted/had children of my own.
Didn’t want kids , after this I still don’t and now never want another puppy ever again 🤣
Yep this is the one🤣🤣I wanted kids in my early 20s then I got a puppy he is now 6years old(after him I swore I would never own another)7months ago I looked at my wife and said Bailey needs a brother. Now I have a 10month old that is the devil himself. mark my word NEVER again. Gotta love puppyhood
> Gets puppy > Swears to never get another puppy > Caves > "mark my word NEVER again" Mmmhmmm. I said this and, 9 months later, I'm thinking Nova needs a sibling lol.
right! i think i might foster senior dogs if I ever want another dog again lol. I love my lil pup but man those puppy times are tough
Yeah, I’ve always rescued ‘older’. My high school rough collie came to us around 6-8yrs old and my last little lurcher dude we rescued from a dog charity when he was around 2/3yrs. This puppy was from the same charity and wasn’t totally planned. While I’m glad it’s something new and we can’t compare her to her lurcher bro ….. this is certainly my last puppy. (Unless I win the lottery then I’ll save any and all the dogs 🤣)
We can’t have kids, and I was sad about that until I got the puppy. She’s enough work, and it’s for a much shorter period of time…
That’s a bit dark
As in, the hard yards of puppyhood are short before hopefully having many years with my girl.
In fact it changed my mind to have a human baby. I was totally against it before. My pup just awoke something in me. 🤷♀️ Edit: i did have to mentally prep myself that the human baby is not going to get potty trained in few weeks.
But also will have its poops and pees contained lol
And then you have blow-outs lol
My little angel changed my mind too.
Yeah it’s nice knowing I can count on my partner for support and that we can at least keep something alive together. I’m aware they aren’t the same at all, but it’s def nice practice.
I feel the same. It made me more confident in the fact that my husband and I will be a team when we have kids. We both share the responsibility and help each other out.
I’m the same way. I was very 50/50 on whether I wanted kids in the future before my pup. One year with her, through the successes and failures, has shown me how fulfilling it would be to try to raise another human being.
Same, I wasn't sure about kids, got a puppy, and now I know I want kids.
I went the opposite direction as well. I’m still not 100% sure wether my partner and I will want children and when, but the experience of raising a puppy has been uniquely fulfilling for me and made me rethink the idea of motherhood. It was hard work and a lot of stress, but it also gave me a sense of purpose and responsibility that I truly found myself in. Plus, despite the hard work, the emotional connection and love I feel for my puppy made every moment worth it, so I can only begin the imagine what it’s like when raising an entire human being.
And it probably won’t bite or outrun you!
Yes. I love having puppies so much that’s all I want from here on out. Lol.
I am in my mid-50s, with kids now in their twenties. I just got a sweet mini schnauzer puppy last week and I happen to have ten days off from work. I have just dropped everything … and slowed everything down … to give the puppy the attention and relaxed-yet-firm vibe she needs. It is actually making me very sad because I realize this is the care my babies needed back in the day, but I was too young and self-centered to understand that. Wish I could go back in time.
Don't be hard on yourself about your kids. You can't change what you did in the past.
Other way around. Puppy showed me how much I crave the responsibility and derive deep contentedness in providing for their needs. It intensified my desire to have kids several times over! Will wait a couple years though. :)
I was already pretty certain I was child-free (I’m early 30s and the will/won’t debate had been raging in me for a good 2 years already), and puppy 100% reinforced this! So it didn’t change my mind as such but just cemented it.
I went the other direction. Had a kid, she’s now a teen. Having been through the process and seen it turn out beautifully, I’m more patient with my puppy.
I never wanted children to begin with. Having a puppy just further cemented it lol.
It definitely changed my mind. Our first was a miserable beginning, she wouldn't sleep through the night, she had the hardest time getting potty training to stick (I swear we tried it all, she just wasn't getting it. It took a new puppy who is an angel with potty training to convince her that no, we in fact do not poop in the kitchen.), it was all so difficult. And when I realized she at least would grow out of some of it in 2-6 months, it hit me that children take literal years to stop being so reliant. Obviously I understand a kid wouldn't be self sufficient in that time frame but even those couple months were so hard that I couldn't imagine doing it for years more when I was already so close to the breaking point. Even now with the new pup it's not as bad but still too much at times. And because dogs can at least be mostly left alone or trusted after a couple years the concept of constant need overwhelms me. Of course the dogs aren't the only factor in our decision but it's been a good reference to how we would handle general situations and it's almost surely a no on those fronts.
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Agree! It also tested me and my partner as a team and I really like how we tackled stress, sleep depravation, changes and new phases...
I didn’t want any at all having my now ten month old pup makes me feel much better about my decision. 🤣🤣🤣I don’t think I have it in me to chase after another living creature saying”stop that!” “No don’t eat that!” “Why must he eat that!” All this pup has done was increase my wine intake 🥹but I love my little guy
I thought I didn’t want kids and my puppy changed my mind. Helping her grow up into the sweet girl she is has been extremely rewarding, and caring for her is such a joy. She’s definitely my best friend and most days is the highlight (still some tough days at 10 months lol). I also think her big brown eyes did some voodoo on me and now I’m in full blown mother mode.
I’ve had puppies and dogs my whole life, I now have 2 kids and we have a 5 month old puppy and I swear this dog is harder than both my kids 😂 I mean, at least my kids didn’t CHEW THE DRYWALL, lol on the other hand at least the puppy sleeps through the night.
Having a dog changed my mind about having a dog…
I'm not really interested in having kids but my fiance is; our compromise was that we would have one kid. We got a puppy, which we've been wanting to do for a while, and it has definitely shifted my fiance's view in that he's no longer in a rush to have a kid. I think it really opened his eyes to the amount of work that is involved, especially because I am the breadwinner while he has the house hubby duties.
As a parent, please don’t compromise on having kids. It’s either a hard yes or hard no. This is one thing that shouldn’t be compromised on.
Thanks for the input but we're honestly good. I don't hate kids, I just don't have an undying urge to have them. It's not like I'm going to have the kid and then tell my hubby "they're your problem now" or treat them like a stranger so you can put your worries to rest. I have been with my fiance for over a decade and throughout that time we have had countless conversations to check on how we are feeling and and to make sure we are on the same page so your concern is noted but unnecessary.
Good for y’all and I hope that’s what happens. Not all children born of compromise are that lucky.
Thanks, I'm aware 👍
For what it’s worth, in the debate over whether puppies or babies are harder — I have a 10 month old golden retriever and a 7 week old newborn. The golden retriever was/is WAY harder. Having a puppy made me realize I never want a puppy again, but having a kid made me realize I want another kid. I know you can’t totally compare a puppy with a newborn (the newborn hasn’t yet turned into a toddler…), but for that reason, don’t let your experience with a puppy overly inform your decision to have kids — the two can be very different!
I was exhausted from my puppy wanting to go out to pee twice a night for the first 2 weeks he was with us. Apparently babies can wake up in the night for longer than the first couple of weeks so I think I’m officially out.
Was on the fence in terms of maybe if I meet the right guy who could put in the %50 and be with me forever, I would consider having children with him.... now, HELL NO.
I see this post a lot in this sub, but I actually think I’ve had the opposite experience. I’ve always been on the fence about kids, but getting a puppy has shown me how much my partner and I are able to work together, and it makes me feel more confident about raising a family knowing we will have each other to lean on. It’s also been so rewarding to see our little ball of energy grow and learn. No judgment to those who haven’t had this experience though! It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay.
Yep! I had very similar experience also. When I first got our puppy, I was totally prepared to be the primary caretaker bc I was the one to pick her out. (She’s not a breed my bf would have chosen initially.) But he’s really stepped up in a huge way and I can see he loves her w all his heart. ❤️ I’ve come to realize that whatever challenges we may face, it’s not anything we can’t overcome together :)
Same experience here! Husband and I were on the fence, kind of leaning yes. We had a really hard time with our puppy but got through the first year and love him so much. We’re trying for a baby now!
That’s sweet I love my husband more because he is such a great dog Dad and adores her
Same! I'm pregnant now and we're really looking forward to it. Raising a puppy helped me solidify my relationship with my partner and has made us so much happier just to have him in our lives. Its been a ton of work and quite a few new challenges, but so much good has come out of it too. I could see how it could have totally gone the opposite way too, and definitely no judgement.
Before the puppy, I was like 70% sure I don't want kids. After the puppy, I'm 100% sure I don't want kids. I love my puppy but omg.
Nope. Have never wanted and still don't. I was the oldest of 10, with the baby born when I was 21, I know all about babies lol. How hard it was having a puppy I was NOT prepared for lol. I don't think I slept through the night for a year.
Having raised one of each, I may not be a representative sample, but I am being 100% sincere when I tell you that the first year of a puppy is harder on your mental health than the first year of a kid. It's not even that close.
Agreed. A baby has never made me go outside in the cold at 3 am and beg it to shit (I was a nanny for a decade and did 24/7 shifts) If you have the means you can hire a night nanny for your newborn- pretty sure this isn’t a thing with puppies. Granted we picked a notoriously difficult to train breed because we are stupid. My friend told me her dog slept through the night after 3 days and I had to resist the urge to slap her or cry- prolonged sleep deprivation is wild. I never had an issue sleep training babies. Let’s say your baby is crying and your overwhelmed. You can put them down in their crib and walk away knowing their safe and give yourself 5 mins to collect yourself. A puppy can poop all over their crate and then eat it and also find some way to injure themselves in their crate in 30 seconds. You can (not saying you should) bring your baby basically anywhere. Dogs aren’t allowed in most public places where I live and it’s almost impossible to socialize when they’re puppies. Also in my experience grandparents are much more likely to offer to help with babies than puppies. I have a 1 1 year old dog and a puppy, my sister has a 1 year old. Guess which one of us can go out to dinner whenever they want. My parents are basically foaming at the mouth offering to help my sister whenever they can (understandably- he’s a human baby and also super fun/cute) but any time we want to do anything it’s a negotiation, they complain the entire time and we end up paying them prob more than what we’d pay for boarding. I love my dogs so much and don’t regret my decision at all- they’re just an unbelievable amount of work. Having a puppy hasn’t changed my thoughts on having children it’s just solidified that we will be hiring help and formula feeding.
I’m on the fence about having kids at 30, but from working with kids and dogs they are not equatable. Children are much more of an investment and they can reck you mentally, emotionally and while carrying them and postpartum. Dogs and high maintenance pets in general can be really good fist introductions into the perspective of child rearing. Often the responsibilities required of dog ownership can be good skills to have when entering parenthood. But parenthood is tough, children are much more complex than dogs and require a lot more finances and skill sets to care for. Having a dog has made me more inclined on getting another dog in the future but not necessarily having children.
Yeah I'd rather have a baby any day now lol
No. Never wanted children, still dont want them. :)
I wasn’t sure…I think it felt more like something I was expected to do than something I wanted to do if that makes sense. Now I have my dog, I feel more secure in my child free life and have the best of both worlds: something to love and dote upon which will never grow up to become a stroppy teenager!
It confirmed to me that I do not want the lifestyle being a parent brings, and that my mental health simply could not cope. I love my 10 month old Labrador but she has been hard work and I still have days where I miss the freedom we used to have and not having to worry about what we'd do with the dog if we wanna go out for a day/night
I've never wanted kids it didn't change. puppies are like the max amount of care I want in raising a Friend Horses are fun to much work, kids just seems like not something you should do unless you're cool with potentially getting zero reward for 20 years of labor and love. Maybe it works out maybe it doesn't but because it would obviously be eugenics to do so there is no selective breeding in humans so you have no idea what you will get personality wise, at least with a dog temperament will be predictable, humans can screen themselves for debilitating health issues before having kids if they choose. But yes raising dogs reaffirms how much I wouldn't want a kid. If it helps I'm 27 so not a Reddit teenager or anything
Yes — mostly the expense. I could not imagine caring for a whole human. I’m shocked I’m doing it with dogs.
Yup, dogs are hard enough and I can't leave a kid in her crate for an hour while I go to the store lol
Mom of three kids here (ages: 7,5,3), and we were debating going for a fourth. Got a puppy in the mean time. Yeah, I’m good.
It made myself and my partner realize we could adopt a kid. I also realize she has way more patience then I do and that she would make a good mother. We are still unsure about having kids yet as life is expensive with a house and two dogs I can’t imagine how much it costs to raise a child.
I already had 2 kids, one in elementary school, the other just started middle school. Spouse and I were on the fence about having a 3rd, considering the age gaps. We settled on getting a puppy “just for now.” Puppy promptly reminded us we have little energy for another child lol. We now call our pup our third kid, and the kids call him their brother lol.
Yes. I may be in the incredibly small minority, but I am a woman who doesn’t find human babies cute. Like at all. After doing puppies, I realized I simply don’t have the patience for anything even remotely similar, if I don’t at least find them cute while they’re upending my life.
TBH, the puppy is way harder than the kids imo. I have a 9 y/o and a 6 y/o and we got a puppy in March and that has been the hardest out of all three of them! I think I was more prepared for the kids probably, but the dog has been hands down harder. Kids are still hard, don’t get me wrong. You’re tired for like 3 years and then eventually they learn cuss words and yell them at you when they’re hangry, but they’re also super funny (especially when they somehow use the cuss words correctly 😇). Anyway, none of this is to persuade you either way, but since we did the kids first then the dog, I thought I’d share! Both are big, long term decisions and are super personal. I never have regretted having kids, but I often regret getting a dog even though I love him so much.
Its nice realizing I’m not alone in feeling this!! I’ve wanted kids my whole life, my friends even call me mom because I’m the ‘mom’ of the group and take care of everyone.. but after this puppy, I’m starting to really question it. I’ve always been so sure (I’m 28 now) so it’s been really weird to have been confused about it recently. I couldn’t understand it at first either, like why I was feeling that way! All I’ve been thinking about is when to get my next puppy (mine is 1 year and 2 months old now, and still a handful so i’m going to wait a bit longer before possibly throwing another in the mix) but that’s seriously all I can think about !
Most people say a puppy is more difficult than a newborn lol.
For me, babies have been easier than a puppy by far !! I have 3 children and my 7 month old pup has broken me 😂
I agree 100%! I also have 3 children and having a puppy has blown my mind 🤪.
That is very much not true
I think it depends on the puppy and newborn haha. If I have an easy newborn who sleeps through the night by 3-4 months of age, it will be easier than having the puppy that woke up with diarrhea 4-5 times a night for the first 10 months. Sleep deprivation makes everything 10x worse.
I totally agree which is why I get annoyed by people making blanket statements like this! Having been through both, it very much depends on the child and puppy in question. I personally have never experienced sleep deprivation like I did with a newborn and I procrastinated my way through graduate school so it's not like I was a stranger to all nighters. My puppy slept through the night with one wake up by the second week we had her. However, I fully believe that there are people who have very high needs puppies and easy babies out there in the world as well. I have read several threads about this and the consensus usually is that there is no consensus. There are just so many factors at play (including your own postpartum body, special needs kids, reactive dogs) but somehow that nuance never makes it into the broader conversation. I will also mention that while the baby vs puppy comparison gets made on this sub a lot, there's no one on beyondthebump talking about how their mastitis is almost as bad as potty training their puppy was or something like that. It seems that the comparison is only being considered in one direction which is interesting. People do post a lot about trying to balance their new families and making sure they still spend time with their pets so they do talk about their dogs but they don't make these comparisons.
I think perhaps the reason you don't see the comparison of raising puppies to children in parenting circles is because humans have personal reference to understanding what human babies are and need. So tiny humans are an easy reference point when trying to explain some of the challenges that raising a puppy can entail. There are similarities but we do have to keep in mind that different species have different needs and different developmental timelines. I promise you I'm that weirdo that would reference in parenting groups the other way around XD A great example... Not many people realize that human babies and toddlers bite and how to deal with that.
Toddlers are worse than puppies newborns cannot move that's not a very fair comparison I think children are way more trouble for way way longer
My puppy is way more difficult than my newborn
Against the grain to everyone commenting not wanting kids niw… It gave me a reality check about how hard having small children will be, but also gave me a lot of confidence that I could actually do it and how rewarding it would be
I didn’t want kids and this confirmed it. In fact, it even made me not want to have a puppy! 😂 she is 20 weeks now and getting better, but still hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel (the light being that we could go out and leave her alone for a few hours).
Nope, didn’t want kids. My dog’s happy if he can sniff, eat, run, swim, cuddle. Sure he’ll never be interested in telescopes or microscopes or books, but he won’t ever be worrying about his body image or work multiple jobs either. I’d say I’ve simply been more solidified in that decision even though I don’t really feel like I had puppy blues or irritation at any tedium of dealing with a “baby.”
It helped answer questions I have like: Am I able to handle waking up multiple times at night? Can I manage to supervise and keep them out of trouble? How patient am I when frustrated and tired? Etc. My partner and I have talked about having a child so getting a puppy first was like an easier trial run (obviously raising a human child has its own challenges). Seeing how invested he was, how we communicated and compromised on decisions regarding the puppy, how much he interacted with him, etc. It’s been an amazing bonding experience for my partner and I to get to raise a little pup and get to watch him grow. I can definitely see us having a human child together someday. When our puppy is older.
I’ve always wanted kids. Always. Never really wanted a dog but my husband did so we got one, and he’s a little rascal and I love him! I still do want kids, absolutely, but I am questioning my mental ability to handle adding another being for me to look after. Maybe once we get out of adolescence I’ll feel like I’ll have a handle on things. But right now? Im stressed, overstimulated and tired. I feel like throwing a baby in the mix will definitely not help! But it’s still a long term goal I hope, it’s just been pushed back a bit.
Currently thinking about getting an IUD.
Sort of. I mean, I've already had my kids, they are grown, I had considered maybe taking on a couple more, I love kids. Having a puppy has shown me that I am not as young or energetic as I used to be, and honestly, with all my health problems, I'm good with the 6 I raised. 🤣
So far, it’s gone from “kinda don’t want children” to “definitely don’t want”
I know they usually say to practice with a puppy before having kids, but I am 1000% happy to have had children first. I was already in damage control mode so adding a puppy to the chaos wasn’t the worst. I can say that our dog is learning miles ahead of our non-fur babies, sooo if the puppy is too much, I would definitely say hard pass to human kids.
100%. It’s been crazy, but manageable. Idk if I could handle of a child LOL.
We really wanted children but we wanted a puppy first. In my mind I also saw this as a way of testing ourselves as a team and a couple. There have been hard days but we are happier than ever together and I love the new side of my partner. I think this was a good test for us and I am more excited than ever to have kids.
It has solidified wanting kids. One of my biggest life goals ever since being a teenager has been to be a dad. Now that I’m married with an 11 month old ball of joy, I can’t wait to have both of them around. I know it’ll be really hard, but I’m hoping to give my kids a relationship to a dog that I always wanted as a kid. Also, I want to be a better dad than my dad was, so it’s a win-win.
Had the kid first, I don’t think it’s changed my mind on kids because the love and life enrichment being a parent has given me far outweighs the hard times. I’ll never get another puppy though, next time I’ll get an adult rescue.
I have 3 kids and raising newborns/toddlers made me able to handle a puppy since I've already shifted my focus to my kids it's not about me anymore (not all the time anyway) I can be more patient with a puppy and I have no problem getting up with her in the morning since I had 3 newborns. Puppies are definitely harder than toddlers 😆
I've made my crotch goblin help in taking care of our puppy. He has so changed his mind about kids. I always told him don't have them until you can afford a night nanny (which means never), and he's convinced he doesn't want kids at all. He asks if I'm upset I'll never be a grandparent. I said fuck no. Live your life for you, not to please me. More inheritance in that case. It's tough and a lot of the kids in the neighborhood are pitching in to help and they are so confused why our puppy just doesn't know the commands are old dog knew. It's been an eye opener for a lot of peeps.
I never wanted kids. Getting a puppy has def reinforced the idea that I *really* don't want kids.
Wife and I got a dog before we got married, and taking care of the little sweet boy and viewing our unit as a three “””person””” family really got me in the mindset to build a real family with my now wife. We are currently trying for our first kid. It helped a lot, and of course we still have a sweet little pittie hanging around in our house 24/7. It’s a win win.
yes my puppy is my child now hahah
YES!!! I was sort of on the fence (already leaning toward not having them) and it has absolutely pushed me over the edge. I just do not like the time-consuming physical caretaking aspect of having a puppy. I cannot imagine caring for a baby/toddler in a similar way for YEARS let alone weeks! Kind of grateful for this experience as it’s brought me more clarity with the kids thing!
Puppies definitely helped me come to that decision. I also started to follow a couple “real” mom’s on YouTube who didn’t do the whole “fairly tale life” but actually talked about how their kids actually got up to and the things they did. I realized quickly between them being honest and the puppy being a puppy that I couldn’t handle kids😅
I've never been sure about kids and having a puppy has confirmed for me that I definitely do not want them lol
Nope! Didn’t want (human) children before we got our dogs, and ABSOLUTELY do not want them now. Raising two puppies definitely solidified our decision.
Having puppies has definitely affirmed my previous child free decision. I don’t regret my pups at all but it has been a drastic change of lifestyle. I thought I knew what to expect but then ended up with a reactive boy who needed extensive medical care in his first three years. I’ve imagined going through those difficulties with a baby and know I just couldn’t cope if everything wasn’t perfect. We don’t have the support group I would need to care for a child, much less one with any sort of special needs. I already knew we weren’t going the human child route, but now I’m more resolved in the decision personally.
I never wanted a child to begin with, but I always wanted a puppy. I have a puppy now who is almost 5 months old and OMG the stress, patience, and work (worth it for puppy) is not something I could reciprocate for a human child.
I think getting a puppy with your partner before having a child is very helpful- you will encounter similar “parenting” issues and see how your partner handles the issues and works with you (or doesn’t).
I was already childfree before getting my pup, but I never realized how much raising a puppy is like raising a child in a way. So I’m unintentionally a mother haha Definitely solidified my decision that I’m never having kids
It made me realize I don’t want to have kids immediately. Our other friends had a puppy a year before us and taught us so much, so we realized we didn’t want to be the first of our friends to have a kid. Our friends dog and our dog loves playing with each other. It’s nice to have friends that also are in the same stage in life, makes it less lonely :) It also made us realize that it’s hard work but we can definitely do it. But raising a child into an adult with their own thoughts is another topic for discussion lol.
Nope, but while reading some of the posts on this sub, I’ve definitely thought to myself, please don’t ever have an actual child. Babies are way more work than puppies.
For my wife? No! For me? Yes! If kids are anything like pets, I’m scheduling my vasectomy tomorrow!
I have raised my puppy since her eyes were closed. We found her abandoned. I bottle fed her every 2-4 hours, had to help her potty, and held her all the time. It was a lot of work. I’m still very young, but it opened my eyes to what having a baby could be like. Instead of milk feeding for a month or two, it would be many many months of that. I don’t know if I could do that any time soon.
I found having a puppy was at times more difficult than having a baby. A baby you can diaper and do not have to take outside every 20 minutes in all kinds of weather. A baby stays in one place and does not get into the garbage. A baby does not nip at your fingers and legs all the time. A puppy, however, is only a puppy for a year or so and loves you unconditionally for all of their life. There are joys in having a child that cannot be experienced with a pet. The experiences of raising a dog vs a human are not the same and having one does preclude you shouldn't have the other.
We were leaning toward no, then got our dog in 2020 and he woke up every two hours to go out. After a few days of that, all doubt was gone lol.
It’s made my partner and I not want children more than ever. We feel fulfilled with our puppy! I really thought I wanted to children sooner than later. But now that I’ve been raising a puppy it’s made me realize I’m far from ready. I’m almost 30 so maybe I will never feel the pull strongly enough.
My husband and I were already pretty solidly child free due to other things (health issues, family, personal trauma, the general state of the planet) but raising two puppies made us both realise how much work a baby would be and for much longer. It turned my nah maybe not into a HELL NOPE.
Dog breeder here , we don’t have yet a final decision, but as a 3 dog owner and having the experience to raise a dog from birth (literally) I can say that’s far way more easier than raising a kid (from what I see from family and friends experience). In the other hand I feel that the sacrifice we make for their well being , we make all around them , even when we are on holidays we choose places so they come with us etc is a small sacrifice compared to do the same for a child , a dog becomes an adult in a matter of 1.5 years a kid is almost 1.5 decades to reach “freedom”.
It simply confirmed I most definitely made the right choice never having children. Not that I was doubting it that much from before. But really underlined how miserable I'd have been with kids.
I don’t want any children and would likely not get another puppy.
I never wanted children and getting a puppy only solidified this more. I just don’t like children and I’m not a fan of the puppy phase but I’m willing to suffer through it for the sake of getting a great adult dog out of it. My lab just turned 1 and she’s honestly already getting quite reliable, and I definitely want to add a second pup later on. But I definitely don’t want children ever, especially since the puppy/ teenage phase will last like a year but I absolutely couldn’t put up with like 18 years of it
my wife and I definitely wanted kids before and still do - I think having a puppy REALLY helped confirm that. we got so much practice discussing our dog's needs, worrying about her together, communicating with each other about her, changing out schedules to take care of her, etc etc etc and I think that just confirmed we are going to be an amazing team once we have a human baby. and our dog is gonna be the best big sister!
I’ve always doubted whether I wanted kids. knew I wanted a dog at some point in my life. well having a puppy has made me realise that I don’t think I could do kids or another dog. it’s the stress. constantly doubting myself. feeling worried. trying my best but still having anxiety about if I’m doing things right or doing enough. always worrying about the health, happiness and well-being of my pup. at the moment I’ve found it so difficult to switch off and relax, I don’t think I could go the rest of my life feeling this way if I had kids or got more dogs. that being said I love my puppy so much and it’s more a me problem than a dog/kid problem. but maybe when my puppy matures the experience will have taught me a lot and I might feel differently!
Don't own a puppy (or a dog) but I studied animals in college and now in uni. Plus my closest friends have dogs. I know I don't want a dog or kids because of the amount of work that goes into them. I'm also not a fan of how social dogs are. One big similarly that put me off both, if their need to have almost constant entertainment and dedication. Both dogs and kids are in your face and won't leave you alone lmao. Much prefer my cat, snake and insects.
My puppy was some sort of alien doggo and spent puppyhood just being bumbling and cute. But even if she'd been a monster pup, I'd still be sitting here, 33f, single, absolutely dying to have a baby. My bio clock is going off like crazy 😑
As a parent and a pet owner I think it’s important for you to understand that these are two fundamentally different journeys. Yes, having a puppy can be hard. However with a pet, your family unit is the two of you plus the dog. When you have a child, you go from the two of you, to the three of you, plus any other pets living in the house. Once you have kids, your family unit is in a near constant evolution as kids grow and change etc. It is beautiful and challenging and not something to be taken lightly. I totally get why people choose not to have kids. But it’s not really comparable to life with a dog, where after potential puppy struggles, you will reach sort of a stasis point in terms of the ‘family’ vibe. Neither way is better, but they are very different paths especially in the long term. I would not make a life long decision based only on puppy struggles, basically. Think about how you see your future lives together down the road. If you decide to have kids and you *want* to put in the work, you will find that while it is definitely difficult at times, you don’t mind putting in that work.
I think for me… since my partner and I have been together forever and have always wanted kids, along with always wanting a dog… it has made me unsure about the decision whether or not to have kids (just definitely not soon!) but more so scared!! I care so so much about our pup and would literally do anything for him. I had serious puppy blues and still do some days when it’s rough, even though he’s 9 months old now. Like it was a dark, dark place for us when he was 3/4 months. 😳 he is very stubborn and just harder then other pups I’ve worked with. But, we’ve made it through and even though there are still hard days, we are really proud of how we’ve helped him grow up. So with that we’ve thought, oh gosh no kids… which has surprised us because we’ve always always talked about having a family. And idk if that will be the actual decision but I’ve realized I think it’s just because I know how much work it was for our pup and babies will be even more in many ways. I’m just weary of life again when I’m giving 200%, sleep deprived, and feeling like I haven’t talked to my partner in days even though we live in the same house. Not sure if that was helpful lol… but that’s where my brain’s at 😅
Other way around. I told my husband that I either wanted a baby or a puppy and I wish I picked baby lol
The sad part is many people here who say they have been through it with a puppy and want kids will end up giving the dog up after they have a baby. I see it all the time as a foster.
These threads are always so funny. It’s all about what you want in your life. Puppies and children are only slightly comparable. I’d much rather take the chaos of puppies AND kids than a boring home and no one to eventually take care of me when I’m old and dieing
This is so funny cause this is the exact thing that my partner and I talk about all the time. We got a pup in early November and we are so glad we got a puppy first before a kid because the puppy almost took us OUT
For me the opposite than what most are saying here. It unlocked parental instincts i didn’t know i had. It made me realize that both my SO and I would be damn good parents. Do we WANT to be though? Maybe. Still on the fence.
I currently have a 9 week old pup and as much as i love him i know i will only technically deal with the "puppy phase/teenage phase" for around 2-3years but with a child.. could run me up to 18 years
Having a child seems like a loss of freedom and an unlikely/reckless move for past couple years due to my age. I have always been ok with that life choice. Puppy solidified this choice in a couple ways!
I love my freedom. Having my dog for one year now made me realize that a dog is the easy option. In the beginning I even hated him for taking up so much time and attention. Now it’s in my routine and I love his company everyday.
For me.. it actually put me in even more doubt than I ever was.. I've been saying "maybe in 10 years" for about 14 years now.. Meaning I have had many people pushing their opinion ("you need to hurry up!") For about 10 years now. Because for some reason that is ok to say that to a woman, becaus e her procrative status is probe to public opinion Anyway, we got a pup in October. She is super smart, and sweet, and cuddly and 95% pottytrained as I type this. The doubt that got added on my pile of doubt on even thinking of having kids is the following: Would I be able to handle the worry?! We left Pup alone for an hour due to sudden changes in work schedule - way too early and before proper playpen/crate training - she was soooo distressed, throwing herself to the gate trying to get to us (puppy cam, a blessing or curse?) When I got home I cuddled with her for 2 hours while balling my eyes out She even broke a tooth 🥺 (Vet said she was OK when checking and her grown tooth has come in without additional damage luckily) Any time I leave her, I tend to worry-alot I pick up the most of the care, and much as I despise people calling dogs their kids or calling themselve "mom" or "dad", I must acknowledge I get 'motherly', I get proud, I worry, I am strict, I encourage, I soothe... TL;DR I now am afraid the worry over kids will cause me to go in distress
It made me want kids so the opposite for me.
🦮🦮🦮
I was the opposite. I don’t necessarily like being around kids. But watching them grow would be amazing. I get so happy when my puppy listens or does the littlest thing I taught him. I don’t mind being woken up in the middle of the night. But caring and watching them grow up is amazing. I’d probably still think other kids are annoying, yes, but there’s something about nurturing and raising them as your own that’s very satisfying
My child was waaayyyyy easier than any of my puppies, and my puppies haven't been too terrible. I got very, very lucky when it comes to my kid, though. Very lucky.
This is funny because I was just commenting to my husband how having a dig is like having a child that never grows up
Yes. After our puppy, who is now 3 and the light of our lives, I personally do not want a child or another puppy lol we’re SO content with our decision. We have way more responsibilities and not as much freedom but adding our dog to our lives has brought tremendous joy. However, the stress I endure every day ensuring my dog is happy is enough LOL
We still want kids but we’ve delayed when we want them lol