I think having a new puppy, and being young myself is already a huge challenge. And ofcourse im doing it with everything i have and love Joey absolutely to death, but i hate having little support from my parents. It seems every time im excited to do something with him or take him somewhere or get him into showing, they always have something negative to say or just dont care at all. Two weeks ago when Joey was sick, my parents were getting mad at him and me becuase he puked on the floor, can they actually be that not understanding? When i get worried about something with Joey and want to take him to the vet, i get a 'oh hes fine just leave him be' no support. When i told my parents about getting into showing i got a 'oh thats a waste of time'. When i get so into and serious about what food im going to change Joey on, they say 'oh just go back to pedigree, it didnt give him any problems' okay but its terrible for him! And then when i tell them about the new food im going to put him on they threaten that if he gets sick again, were both in trouble. I just feel like although they help me when im at work like feeding him and walking him, that im doing this all alone and its so hard. If i didnt have this forum i seriously dont know what id be doing or how id be managing. Tonight when i was at work (12-9) My mom had to watch Joey alone because dad is away on business. Well when i come home i get an ear full because MY dog was being a brat and IM not training him properly and its MY fault. Im sorry but after 9 hours on my feet i dont want to hear you b*tch and complain to me about how terrible of a job im doing when you cant control him! I also think that Joeys going through that 'i wanna test what you say mom' stage. Another thing my parents dont believe in. I hate that they also think things can change in one night. I told them way before we knew about Joey, and i continue to tell them that Puppies are TIME and PATIENCE. Without one or both, you will fail. Joey for some reason was pulling on his walk tonight (which he has never done) and my mom totally freaked out and said that id better fix this by the next time she has to walk him.. Even if he is starting to pull, it takes time to fix!

uhh sorry for my ranting, i just get so frustrated about the lack of support from my parents. I have no idea how someone like myself, being an animal lover and wanting to surround myself with animals, was born to two people who dont have a care in the world for animals. Makes me question so many things. Thanks for reading

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Sorry I wish you had more suppport at home....but you know and we all know what a wonderful job you are doing with Joey. And don't forget Joey loves you. :-)

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I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but I don't. I am sorry you are going thru this. The puppy phase is very hard. Once Joey gets thru the puppy phase and matures some, my guess is he will grow on them a lot more.

I will add that I am married and my parents, who live a mile away from us, think DH and I are kind of nutty with Belle because she has a better life than some people.

This is exactly why you have the forum! I hope you feel better after your rant!

It's definitely frustrating having your own puppy and trying to get everyone around you to have as much patience with him as you do. Don't forget to thank your parents for everything that they do do for you and him, it might help them realize that you really are appreciative of it all!

As for the negative comments about food, training and showing, try to shrug it off. It's really great that you are so enthusiastic about everything to do with Joey! Just because it's not their passion doesn't mean that it can't be yours.

I've had my fair share of the same negative comments from friends, family and my other half too. Anything from "You know so much about dogs but you can't even feed him enough - he's way too skinny." "Do you ever train your dog?" "Why do you bother spending so much money on food? He's a dog." "Showing is just a pathetic beauty pageant for dogs." blah blah blah blah. Whatever. Leave me alone, I'm happy with my dog. I love him to death and I don't care what people say about my passion.

Keep your head up Jam, you're doing a great job with Joey!!!!

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Jamm, just try and rest up for a new day tomorrow. This day will be over in exactly one hour and 25 min Hug your boy and try to rest and unwind.
Your not alone with this bratty stage We will all get through this!!!! Just an off day.

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Hang in there and do remember to thank your parents for all the help they do give you with Joey. If they are not 'into' the dog thing it can be hard, but that is why you have the forum and hopefully other dog friends you can talk to about it.

Look at getting a head collar, no-pull harness, or prong for your parents to use to walk Joey so they do not have to worry about him pulling. You can work on the training part of it when you have time.

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It certainly is difficult to understand how your parents can't be in total love with Joey - and more understanding that he is a puppy with lots to learn. But you just keep doing what you're doing. I have read your posts over the past couple of months, and often marvelled at how mature you are and how dedicated you are to taking care of him. You are, ahem, quite a bit younger than me... probably on the very youngest extreme among most people around here... but so obviously responsible and looking out for his best interest.

Come here and rant anytime. And as Janine said... don;t forget Joey loves you!

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"Joy and loyalty wrapped in sunshine."
The Laughing Dog Press

Im sorry your going thru all that with your parents. It sucks when the other people/person you live with doesnt understand your feelings about a pet.

My boyfriend of 3 yrs knows how much I adore my pets. He thinks Im weird because I belong to a forum for Max and Franklin and another for our 3 cats. He doesnt understand why I spend so much time worrying about food or why I worry about their eating habits. Why I stalk them to make sure their poop is normal, or why I dont get mad at them when something bad happens. To him an animal is supposed to act a certain way and thats that. He doesnt get the whole 'I know it did something bad (like eating his favorite hat) but he is a dog'. Normally when he gets on a cranky 'why do we have pets' kick I just ignore him and tell him what he wants to hear and let it be. Sometimes just to prove him wrong when he gets snotty or cranky about the dogs or cats I tell him 'then fine Ill find a home for them' and he stops because it kicks him in the head that he loves our pets too maybe not as much as me but he still loves them and doesnt want anything to happen to them.

Living with your parents is a tough situation, till your on your own theres only so much 'ignoring' you can do. But dont let them bring you down in your excitement about showing or let them make you feel inadequate in a search for food. Just know that you are a good puppy parent and thats what counts you are doing right for him and he is YOUR dog. Just dont let your parents bring you down or make you feel like what your doing isnt right.



**You can always do what I do when BF starts on his cranky animal kick...I say over and over in my head "Im right and your wrong nener nener nener' LOL it makes me laugh when I think that so whatever he is saying just doesnt bother me anymore**

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Thank you guys for your kind words, after i posted i went to bed because i was just way to tired, and ofcourse on mine and Joeys walk this morning, he was a total doll! I love him and i know he loves me too<3 My moms been ignoring him today but its better then getting mad. Thank you guys so much.

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It really sucks since you still live at home and can't do what you want with your dog. I know what you mean about being an animal lover and your parents not. I don't know where my strong drive of love for animals came from. My mom never wanted dogs, we only had cats. I've been married and living out of my parents house for 5 years now and i STILL haven't told my mom we're getting a GR puppy soon. All she will do is bitch to me about it. We're even STATES away from each other!

I agree with the previous poster who said once he's out of the puppy stage, you're parents will like him a lot more. Just hang in there =\

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