Day 14. I Googled 'did I make a mistake getting a puppy' at 3am. Tell me it gets better.

You're not a bad dog parent. You're exhausted, overwhelmed, and adjusting to a massive life change that nobody properly warned you about. The puppy blues hit almost every new puppy parent.

It happened to us when we got out 9-week Golden and I realized how much I love and miss sleep.

The intensity surprises people. Many describe feeling "kidnapped" by their puppy, crying daily, questioning every decision. Here's what actually helps:

Remember they're babies. A 10-week-old puppy has the cognitive development of a human toddler and no impulse control . They literally don't know better yet.

Forced separation is healthy. Put the puppy in a safe space and walk away. Take 30 minutes. An hour. The puppy will survive, and so will you.

The timeline that helped me:

- Week 1: Honeymoon period or immediate overwhelm

- Weeks 2-4: Peak exhaustion, questioning everything ← you are here

- Month 2-3: Gradual improvement, occasional setbacks

- Month 4-6: Real progress, personality emerging

One day something will click—maybe your puppy sleeps through the night, or finally pees outside, or curls up next to you without biting—and you'll realize the switch is flipping.

It always gets better. If you're in it right now, you're in the hardest part, but on a path for a best friend for the rest of their lives.