7 reasons why parenting the puppy phase is harder than raising any baby: 'I've raised 3 kids… and still this puppy has me questioning every life decision I've ever made'

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jul 31, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Oh, puppies. They are simultaneously the cutest, fluffiest things in the world and also the bane of our existence. They are the reason for our happiness and also our pain. We've been dog lovers since we were kids, and we have had three to four dogs as pets pretty consistently. We grew up around puppies, but we never raised one ourselves. Our parents (and the dogs) raised them. So, when we got our first puppy as adults, we thought we knew everything.

We could not have been more wrong.

What we thought would be a fun, enjoyable journey turned into one of sleepless nights, bite marks all over our arms and legs, and endless cuteness overload. They were the most adorable and most painful months of our lives. Puppies are hard to raise, and if you don't believe us, you can for sure believe the dog trainer below who pawfectly explained why it's harder to parent the puppy phase than it is to raise a hooman child. We couldn't have said it better ourselves.

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  • 01
    7 reasons I firmly believe having a puppy is harder than having a baby (Qualifications: I am a dog trainer with a puppy and have also birthed 3 whole humans)
    via popcornthelab
  • 02
    popcornthelab I used to roll my eyes when people would call themselves dog moms I've raised 3 kids (and then some I've trained countless dogs. - iykyk ♡) And still this puppy has me questioning every life decision I've ever made some days AA
    via popcornthelab
  • 03
    1. You can burrito a baby to get them to sleep. If I tried to burrito my puppy, he'd eat the blanket, yell at me, and then hop whatever remained of the blanket. TRADER JOE'S SARD
    via popcornthelab
  • 04
    If you're in the thick of it, you're not alone. It's not just you Puppies are actually just THAT hard. Especially in the beginning.
    via popcornthelab

  • Would we trade 10 years of our lives to have our doggo go back to being a puppy for a few months? Absolutely. Would we want them to be puppies forever? Absolutely not. Our limbs wouldn't be able to take it. We'll just have to continue scrolling through their puppy pictures until we cry about how small they were. (She was so smol).

  • 05
    2. Babies don't bite your ankles. (Usually.)
    via popcornthelab
  • 06
    Been there? In it now? What's the hardest part of having a puppy you've experienced so far?
    via popcornthelab
  • 07
    3. Diapers You never appreciate the sheer brilliance of diapers until you're outside at 2am in the rain whispering "go potty" with circle patches under your eyes.
    via popcornthelab
  • 08
    aimeeym You are my absolute favourite. Currently have a 5 month old beagle puppy. He's equal parts delightful and unhinged maniac in a very cute beagle suit
    via aimeeym
  • 09
    કામ FTSMAN CRAFTSMAN 225 359 CRAFTSMAN CRAFTSMEN CRAFTSMAN GAS CRAFTSMAN 2CYCLE 25 4. No one tells you to socialize your baby to leaf blowers and people in hats before 16 weeks or they'll be scared of everything forever.
    via popcornthelab

  • If we could go back and do one thing differently, we would expose our puppy to more loud noises. She's always been a little scaredy-cat, but we wonder if we would have exposed her to more “scary” things then, that she wouldn't be as fearful now. You live and you learn!

  • 10
    shanakcpa Two days in with an eight week old black lab. Lost our fourteen year old lab in December. I'm exhausted. Obviously I didn't remember this part.
    via shanakcpa
  • 11
    5. You don't need a 37-step plan to teach a baby how to lie down. You kinda just... lie them down.
    via popcornthelab
  • 12
    laumcc16 There must be a defect in me and my husband. We have raised seven service puppies with no intent to stop any time soon. We live in a perpetual state of "puppy" and it's so rewarding.
    via laumcc16
  • 13
    6. It is widely socially acceptable to put your baby in a crib. To keep them safe. And support sleep.
    via popcornthelab
  • 14
    jeannaa_ Puppy is coming in two weeks, i'm both scared and exited
    via jeannaa_
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    7. When babies cry, people ask how they can help. When puppies cry, people ask what you did wrong and if you're even qualified to own a dog. OME.COM
    via popcornthelab
  • 16
    lil_bit_sassy_lotta_bit_savage Raised our two girls in back to back summers. Rainy summers. While healing from the loss of my first 2 lab girls. Puppy raising is HARD
    via lil_bit_sassy_lotta_bit_savage
  • 17
    Still thinking about getting a puppy? Just make sure your coffee is strong. Your floors are moppable. And your expectations are real low Been there? Surviving it now? Follow along so we can cry-laugh together AA
    via popcornthelab
  • 18
    annemarie718 An infant has never left my thighs and forearms completely covered in bruises and scratches from all of the biting →
    via annemarie718
  • 19
    halsavannah It's a good thing they're soo000 cute
    via halsavannah
  • 20
    The turboletsgo This is so validating! puppy biting stage had us close to tears every day and constantly questioning whether we were doing something wrong. And those 2/4/5am toilet trips can definitely nearly break you as well!
    via turboletsgo
  • 21
    redgoldenscout You can also walk with your baby and take them outside with solid confidence that it probably won't have another kid sprint up to it and try and bite it out of no where, scarring it forever LOL
    via redgoldenscout
  • 22
    carolwine375 I volunteer at my local animal shelter. You'd be horrified with how many people surrender young dogs. Today the most beautiful cattle dog mix, 4 months old... was dropped off because she bites (nibbles) when she plays with them....yes, puppies are hard. But the rewards are absolutely amazing.
    via carolwine375
  • 23
    _riannecbrandt Another aspect I think is that people go into having babies expecting them to be difficult lol. But humans have MAJOR rose colored glasses when it comes to puppies G
    via __riannecbrandt
  • 24
    neenee527 And you can bring a child wherever you want and you don't have to arrange for someone to look after your puppy so you can buy food
    via neenee527

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baby animals dog training puppy dog parents puppies cute puppies parenting animals children
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