“I Thought I’d Made a Huge Mistake”: An Honest Letter to New Puppy Owners
If you’ve ever found yourself sobbing into a tea towel because your puppy’s drawn blood again
with those tiny crocodile teeth, or Googling “is it normal to hate my puppy a little bit” at 2am — you are absolutely not alone.
I’ve been there. With my youngest, Napa, I vividly remember standing in the kitchen, crying in pain from another bite, frustrated beyond belief, wondering how on earth something so small could flip my life upside down so completely. I loved her — of course I did — but in those early days, I didn’t always like
her very much. And the guilt that came with that? Awful.
Napa’s now 3.5 years old, and she’s the most wonderful, sensitive, and clever girl. But those early days? Oh, they were rough. If you’re in that stage now — the sticky, shouty, messy, confusing bit — this blog is for you.
“This Isn’t What I Signed Up For…”
You probably pictured bringing your puppy home and having snuggles on the sofa, peaceful walks, sleepy evenings. Instead, you’re living with:
- Puppy biting
that hurts
and makes you feel resentful
- Toileting accidents
that leave your house smelling... let’s just say, “lived in”
- Broken sleep
and constant second-guessing
- Kids crying because the puppy nipped again, and a growing sense that maybe you’ve made a terrible mistake
It’s not just exhausting — it’s lonely. Everyone else seems to be managing. Social media is full of adorable puppy reels and #blessed captions. And here you are, trying not to cry because you’ve just stood in another puddle barefoot and the sofa’s been chewed.
Let’s Talk About Puppy Biting…
This is the one that breaks people. I get messages almost daily saying, “I just don’t like my puppy at the moment — I feel awful admitting it.”
And most of the time, it’s biting at the heart of it.
With Napa, I remember crying after she bit me hard enough to draw blood. It’s not just the pain — it’s the frustration. You feel like you’ve done something wrong. You start resenting them. And it’s not
the bonding experience you were promised.
But here’s what I know now: puppies bite when their needs aren’t being met.
When Napa was at her bitey worst, I started running through a checklist in my head:
- Is she tired
and overtired like a grumpy toddler?
- Is she hungry
— even if she just ate, has she burnt it all off with zoomies?
- Does she need the toilet?
- Is she thirsty?
- Has she had any mental stimulation, or have we been firefighting all day?
Often, meeting that unmet need reduces biting dramatically.
And when it is
play? That’s natural. But I always made sure our play involved toys that kept my hands safe — long tuggies, big plushy toys, anything that let her chew and chase without nipping me. Your hands should never be the toy.
If she got too wound up, we’d have a gentle reset. A short break, a natural chew, some time in a quiet space. Not a punishment — just a pause to help her nervous system calm down.
“I’ve Tried Everything… Nothing’s Working”
Most of the puppy owners I meet have already been through the rabbit hole of Google, YouTube, dog owner forums, and TikTok trends. Everyone has an opinion — and they all contradict each other.
Add in advice from breeders, friends, your neighbour’s brother who once had a Labrador… and it’s no wonder you're overwhelmed. You feel pulled in a hundred directions, and your confidence gets chipped away bit by bit.
Then comes the shame: “Why am I struggling when everyone else seems fine?”
But here’s the truth: they’re not fine either. They’re just not talking about it.
You’re Not Failing – You Just Need Support
Puppyhood is hard. Not because you’re not good enough — but because you’re learning how to communicate with a totally different species during the most sensitive stage of their development.
And they didn’t come with an instruction manual.
But this is what I do. I make sense of the madness. I help you see the world through your puppy’s eyes — so you can start enjoying each other again. My methods are kind, simple, science-backed, and genuinely doable
— even on four hours of sleep and with Weetabix in your hair.
What Working With Me Looks Like
My puppy classes aren’t about churning through commands. They’re designed to help you and your puppy connect.
Yes, we teach the essentials — recall, lead walking, settling, polite greetings — but we also:
- Practise off-lead recall
in a secure 15-acre field
- Support safe, structured puppy socialisation
- Help you understand puppy body language and emotions
- Answer all your questions
— even the ones you’re embarrassed to ask
They’re fun, friendly, and judgement-free. You’ll meet other owners who get it, and leave each week feeling lighter, more confident, and actually excited to train your puppy again.
I also offer puppy home visits, before, during or after your puppy attended classes.
To read my recent blog on why puppy classes are important, click here.
From Crying Over a Food Bowl to Changing Lives
I started this business because of a very different puppy — my first, Nika. I was told by our trainer to “show her I’m the boss” by taking her food away. It backfired terribly. She began guarding her bowl, growling, even biting. We didn’t know what we were doing. It took years, and the help of a qualified behaviourist, to rebuild trust.
That experience was heartbreaking — but it was also the beginning of something much bigger. I knew then I wanted to help others avoid the same mistakes. So now, I teach prevention, not punishment. Support, not shame.
You and Your Puppy Deserve to Enjoy Each Other
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, guilty, or like you’ve made a huge mistake — you haven’t. You’re just in the trenches. And I can help you out of them.
Whether you’re in Reading, Caversham, Burghfield, Henley or Mortimer — we’ve got friendly, expert puppy classes with rolling start dates, so you never have to wait for support.
Come and join us. Let’s get you and your puppy back on the same team.
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📍 Find out more about our puppy classes
💬 Need Urgent in-home support with your puppy - email us info@dogsbedogs.co.uk — no judgement, just support.
