I always considered myself a cat person. Until I learned about Australian Shepherds. Now we’re getting a puppy.
It’s only two weeks left until we are bringing home our very first pet! An Australian Shepherd puppy named Alfie Freddie.
Honestly, I’m feeling quite overwhelmed right now. And it’s like a bouquet of joy and frustration all together.
The joy of getting a puppy
In the beginning, when we first saw the newborn puppies and signed the papers of getting our lovely boy, I was over the moon. Incredibly happy and confident that it’s an amazing future waiting for us.
All those wiggles that will meet us after coming home. To all the licks and cuddles. To the curiosity and siliness of exploring the world. And to all the “that’s all I need” moments in the future.
I can’t wait to bring Freddie home and help him grow into a fabulous friend and family member.
But I must admit, the preparation for the puppy makes me nervous too…
The frustration of getting a puppy
This is the first time in my adult life when I will have a pet. I had dogs and cats when I was living with my parents but my mom always was the one who took care of all of us, the kids, and the pets. Also, we lived in a house surrounded by woods so there was no need to adjust our lifestyle too much to the pets. They could be outside for the whole day if needed. And we never walked them since we simply used to let them out.
Now, I’m going to actually have to take care of a pet. Come back home right after work and go for a walk with Freddie. Get up early in the morning and again go on a walk. Will have to make sure he has enough mental and physical activities. And to look after him for the next 13-15 years.
Also, there are so many things I have to learn I can’t even list them all. Starting pet training and ending food recipes that will be healthy for the pup.
The more I read on the internet of how to take care of an aussie puppy, the more fearful I am that I will fail. Even though I try convince myself it’s a nonsense and, of course, I will do everything right. But the knowing of the many threats that may come our way makes me frustrated.
Why all the frustration?
The thing is, aussies require very good socialization in order not to be afraid of simple things such as trains or the sound of foil when they grow up. And as I dream of traveling with him, I really want him to get used to as many things as possible.
Then comes in the diseases and potty training. I want Freddie to be potty trained as soon as possible. However, since he will not be vaccinated until he’s three months old, he can easily get diseases from unvaccinated cats and dogs. And there are lots of unvaccinated cats living by our house.
And the last thing is training. I want an obedient dog who behaves as asked and has good manners. For that we’re gonna go to the training school. But since I have no idea what he’s character is gonna be like I’m a little bit afraid.
Everything is going to be good in the end
However, at the same time I understand, that the joy Freddie will bring, hopefully, will last for years. And all the things I’m feeling fearful about will be sorted in a couple of months.
So for now, I’m trying not to worry too much and pay more attention to the joys he will bring.
Oh, and also watching lots of dog videos on the YouTube! There can’t be too much info about the very first days of a puppy at a new home, puppy training and the toys. Some of my favourite channels are these:
- Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution
- How To Train A Dream Dog
- Dog Training by Kikopup
- Simpawtico Dog Training
- McCann Dog Training
Hopefully, these vlogs will help me be a good human mom for the little Freddie.
If you’re also a dog person or simply love the joy they bring, follow Freddie on Instagram!
P.s. His official name had to begin with letter A so we named him Alfie but we feel like name Freddie is the right one for him, so he’s Alfie Freddie, called just Freddie.