Everybody loves puppies, whether you like a specific breed or not, they can bring joy into your life. Adopting and raising one sounds like a dream but the reality is a lot different. Yes, having a puppy can be extremely fun but there are also a lot of responsibilities and care that come with it. 

On the first day my family and I adopted our puppy, Bear, he was only three months old. When we brought him home he was already energetic and eager to play, and we instantly gave him the toys we bought for him. Everything was going well until night came, and that’s when the first problem occurred. When everyone was getting ready for bed, Bear refused to sleep. He would cry non-stop the entire night in his cage and only wanted to play. He would have to be constantly watched and comforted the entire time until finally, he would fall asleep. This would take up to hours and usually, he would wake up numerous times during the night. With his high-pitched crying, I could barely get any sleep. It would keep me up all night and I would wake up tired, which was not good for the school. 

Over time, Bear got used to his new lifestyle and stopped crying at night but for the first two months, it was difficult. Not only did he have trouble sleeping, but he had also gone through a bad teething phase where he would bite everything in order to know his surroundings. It was hard to break and even now at eight months he still is dealing with it. He may have been just a puppy but his teeth were still sharp. Bear is also a trouble maker and loves to eat anything in sight. We have to keep things high up and counters clean in order to not have Bear chew it to pieces. One time I accidentally left my book out and he ripped it to shreds. This is another example of how having a puppy can cause problems. 

Having a puppy comes with a lot of responsibilities, including taking him for walks, brushing, feeding, and playing with him. These tasks take up a lot of time, especially the walks because since he requires a lot of physical activity he has to be taken on long walks for up to a couple of hours. Also, since he sheds a lot, I have to brush him every day. Even though he comes with all of these needs, I am still happy to have him in my life. I have responsibilities but I also have a lovable playful puppy who is fun to be around.