A new study published in npj Mental Health Research has found that many dog owners experience feelings akin to the postnatal baby blues when caring for a new puppy. These “puppy blues” are characterized by feelings of anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion. The emotional strain can make it difficult for owners to bond with their puppies and leave them questioning their ability to care for their new pet. However, these negative feelings generally fade with time, with memories of puppyhood becoming more positive the longer it has been since the puppy phase.
The researchers set out to investigate a phenomenon that many dog owners report experiencing but that has received little attention in scientific research: the emotional strain that comes with caring for a new puppy. While owning a puppy is generally seen as a joyful time, it can also be stressful and emotionally taxing. Dog owners often face a range of challenges, such as sleep deprivation, fear for the puppy’s health, and frustration over the puppy’s behavior. Although the term “puppy blues” is familiar to many, no prior research had systematically studied this experience.
“A few years ago, I noticed on dog-related social media forums that new puppy owners often reported anxiety, frustration, and a loss of attachment to their puppies, often comparing it to the ‘baby blues’ some parents experience,” said study author Aada Ståhl, a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Research Center (Group Lohi).
“As a psychologist, I was intrigued but found no research on the topic at the time. Last year, two qualitative studies about this phenomenon were published: one analyzed online discussions, and the other interviewed 19 puppy owners. Seeing a gap in quantitative research, we decided to investigate the symptoms, prevalence, and duration of puppy blues.”
The researchers first gathered detailed qualitative data from over 100 dog owners who reported experiencing emotional difficulties during their puppy’s early life. These participants were recruited via social media and were asked open-ended questions about their feelings and experiences while caring for a new puppy. The responses were analyzed qualitatively to identify recurring themes of emotional strain, such as anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, and regret.
From these initial responses, the research team generated 15 specific items to be used in a new survey, designed to measure the puppy blues. The goal was to create questions that captured the full range of emotional challenges dog owners face during their puppy’s early stages. For example, questions were focused on owners’ worries about the puppy’s health, doubts about their own ability to care for the puppy, feelings of frustration, and physical and mental exhaustion.
Next, the researchers distributed the newly developed survey to over 2,000 dog owners. Participants were recruited from a larger pool of individuals who had previously taken part in studies related to dog behavior and owner well-being. The sample included a diverse range of dog breeds and ownership experiences, though most participants were from Finland.
The researchers found that nearly half of the dog owners surveyed reported experiencing significant negative emotions during their puppy’s early months, though only about 10 percent experienced these feelings to a severe degree. These emotions manifested primarily in three forms: anxiety, frustration, and weariness.
The anxiety reported by owners was often rooted in concerns about their ability to care for the puppy adequately and fears about the puppy’s well-being and development. Many owners expressed feelings of guilt when things did not go as planned, with some feeling inadequate as caregivers. They worried about whether they were doing enough for their puppy, leading to a constant state of nervousness about the puppy’s future and their own competence as dog owners. This anxiety sometimes overlapped with feelings of guilt, where owners blamed themselves for the puppy’s challenges or setbacks.
The second form of emotional strain was frustration, which stemmed from the unexpected difficulties of caring for a new puppy. Owners described feeling overwhelmed by the puppy’s needs and behaviors, such as housetraining accidents or excessive chewing, which were not always easy to manage. In some cases, this frustration made it difficult for owners to bond emotionally with their new pets.
A few owners even regretted getting the puppy, expressing doubts about their decision and, in some cases, considering giving up their dog entirely. The frustration wasn’t just about the challenges of caring for the puppy but also about the gap between expectations and reality. Many owners had anticipated a joyful experience but were confronted with more difficulties than they had expected.
The third key emotion identified in the study was weariness, reflecting the physical and mental exhaustion that often accompanies the early stages of dog ownership. Many participants reported feeling drained by the constant demands of caring for a puppy, especially when it came to sleep disruption and the need for round-the-clock attention. The strain of balancing puppy care with other responsibilities, such as work and family, left some owners feeling overwhelmed and physically exhausted. For many, the relentless nature of puppy care—feeding, training, supervising, and cleaning up after their new pet—proved to be a significant source of stress.
“The arrival of a puppy is generally seen as a positive life change, yet for some people, it triggers significant negative emotions,” Ståhl told PsyPost. “Similar to the ‘baby blues’ experienced by new parents, new dog owners might be struggling with puppy blues including feelings of anxiety, frustration, and weariness. These symptoms often occur together but may also manifest more prominently in one area.”
“It’s important to remember that these feelings are a normal response to a significant life change and typically pass relatively quickly. The development of these experiences is a combination of several factors, rather than, e.g., a lack of preparation for puppyhood. The emotional turmoil caused by this life change can catch even experienced and thoroughly prepared new puppy owners off guard.”
One interesting finding was the way in which these negative emotions faded over time. The researchers found that the further removed participants were from their puppy’s early stages, the more positively they remembered the experience. This suggests that while the “puppy blues” can be intense in the moment, these feelings generally do not last long. The memories of frustration and exhaustion often give way to more positive recollections of puppyhood as time passes, a phenomenon that echoes the way parents often remember the early months of caring for a newborn baby.
“One interesting finding was that the longer the time had passed since puppyhood, the more positively people remembered it,” Ståhl explained. “In psychology, the phenomenon is called ‘fading affect bias,’ according to which the negative emotional content of memories ‘fades’ over time, and memories do not produce a negative emotional state as strongly as time has passed.”
While the study offers valuable insights into the emotional strain of puppy care, it also has several limitations. One of the key limitations is that the data were collected through self-reported surveys, which may be subject to memory biases.
Another limitation is the homogeneity of the sample. Most of the participants were Finnish and female, so it’s unclear whether the findings apply equally to men or to people in different cultural contexts.
“The lack of diversity in our sample is a key limitation, as most participants were women, and research suggests gender differences in forming attachments to pets,” Ståhl noted. “Women are also at higher risk for affective disorders, and traditional measures may under-report men’s distress. Additionally, data was collected via self-reported online questionnaires, potentially introducing bias from more engaged pet owners. In future studies we aim to collect a more diverse sample to improve generalizability.”
The study is part of a broader research project focused on understanding the relationship between humans and their pets. By developing a tool to measure the puppy blues, the researchers hope to improve support for dog owners and help them navigate the challenges of puppy care. This, in turn, could strengthen the bond between owners and their dogs and promote the well-being of both.
“Our long-term goal is to promote a healthy human-dog relationship and the well-being of both parties,” Ståhl explained. “Supporting the mental well-being of new puppy owners is crucial, as it not only benefits the owners but also may play a key role in the development of the human-canine bond and the dog’s behavior.”
“The owner’s role is especially important during the puppy’s critical socialization period (3-16 weeks). In future studies, we aim to explore the predisposing factors that contribute to puppy blues, coping methods and the role of puppy blues in dog’s behavioral development, and assess the scale’s generalizability across different cultures and genders.”
“We are currently conducting a large-scale survey based study on dog behavior, as well as owner well-being and personality, which also includes an examination of puppy blues,” Ståhl added. “Readers who are dog owners can participate in the survey in English via this link: https://redcap.link/me_and_my_dog.”
The study, “Development and validation of the puppy blues scale measuring temporary affective disturbance resembling baby blues,” was authored by Aada Ståhl, Milla Salonen, Emma Hakanen, Salla Mikkola, Sini Sulkama, Jari Lahti, and Hannes Lohi.
