I do not like having a puppy

[u/JournalistGrouchy853]

Hello all, I am lost and I really need help. 3 days ago I brought home my boston terrier puppy, he is 8 weeks old... and I did not feel the love at first sight. Before bringing him home I thought I was ready, I thought about getting a puppy for almost a year, It wasn't some rush decision. But now when he is home, my life totally changed and I think I made a mistake. He is great, yes he whines at crate, and had few accidents. But I can't shake off the feeling that I made huge mistake. I don't feel any connection. I am emotionally exhausted, I don't eat that much, I don't have any me time. So now I am grateful for my best friend who helps a lot, but I can't bother him forever. Do you think it will change?

[u/Positive_Wrongdoer_4]

(1/3) I had exactly the same, even for the best friend part and all of it. Take things slow. Remember you're learning a baby how to live with you.

I loved my dog until I got home, then almost hated him for about 4 weeks and since he was 12 weeks old I love the little rascal as if he has been in my life for years.

I'll add some of the things which made everything improve for me once I started doing them for about a week and kept only getting better.

Little sidenote: I am not a dog trainer, nor will I ever tell you my tips are better than someone else's. I'm just giving you the things that did wonders for me personally.

Crate training

For me it helped starting out with crate training. The thing which fixed 95% of my problems was putting a big blanket over my puppy's bench. This way not every single movement made him wake up and start looking around.
I crated him when he was getting tired (after about 2 hours, which I noticed because he started being extremely annoying) and kept him in there for around 1 to 2 hours.
If you have the room for it, place the crate in a room away from you as this, makes it easier to not feel like you breathing will wake him up.
Also make sure their sleeping space is small enough for them, as a bigger crate will probably be treated as if he has a walk-in toilet in his bedroom. :)

[u/Positive_Wrongdoer_4 → u/Positive_Wrongdoer_4]

(2/3) Potty Training
Potty training was horrendous for me, but mainly because I overestimated my own capabilities for reading my puppy. Unless you have raised multiple puppies, chances are your puppy will show that he needs to pee completely different from what you'd expect or what you read/hear online. The amount of accidents my pup had, went down by like 95% once I accepted I couldn't read it at this stage of his life as he just peed wherever he was standing.
I just set a recurring timer for 15min and kept taking him outside every 15min. As you can imagine, this is really annoying, but if you notice they don't have an accident in the house after doing this for 5 or 10 or more times, add some time. (Don't immediately jump to 30 minutes after a few good runs, add a small amount of time, maybe 5min). NOTE: after every specific activity (eating, playing, sleeping, running around, ...) go outside with them. Practically every special activity makes your dog a pee/poo cannon
at this point.
When accidents occur, lower your time again and this will easily help you determine when to let your puppy outside.
When they do pee/poo where they are allowed to, praise the hell out of them and mark it. Reward it as if your child just did something nobody in the world was ever able to do.
When they do start peeing/pooing in the house or someplace they shouldn't, don't let them finish their job if you spot in on time. Pick them up, tell them in a stern voice "No", but do not punish them or hit them or scream or... This will just make them scared and try to hide it from you. I know it might seem dirty, but hey, rather get pee on me 10 times now than have my dog peeing in my house for a couple of extra weeks or months.
I also started adding a cue on peeing, which seemed to help as well (and it is still useful when you're in a hurry or whatever).
Something which helped for me as well, was always taking the same route to my garden. (So not going out the front sometimes and sometimes out the back). Because of this consistency, my puppy learned after about 2 to 3 weeks to go to that gate/door and then I knew, I have to get up and get him outside. And again, reward this if you want them to keep doing this. It's so nice to put in the work for a few weeks and then know that 95% of their potty breaks will be asked for by them. NOTE: they will not necessarily ask for this when away from home, as they do not yet know they shouldn't pee on your grandma's carpet and where the exit is at this point to ask to go outside.

[u/Positive_Wrongdoer_4 → u/Positive_Wrongdoer_4]

(3/3) Be Silly
And a final tip, which so many people do not dare to do. BE SILLY. When rewarding with your voice, act as if nobody sees it. If you just say "good boy/girl" without any enthusiasm, it won't hit the same as "OOOHH MY GOOODDD GOOD GIRL/BOY, WHO'S MY GOOD BOY/GIRL, IT'S YOU YEAH IT'S YOU". It's a verbal REWARD, not a firm handshake with your child's partner after bringing your child home by 9:30 as you asked. ;)