Dog owners have recently discovered that bringing a puppy into the home can bring a harsh reality dubbed the ‘ puppy blues .’ The term refers to feelings of anxiety, sadness, and regret when a new puppy is brought home.

A second puppy being brought into the home can also intensify this impact. Even more experienced dog owners, since they did this with a puppy already, find unexpected challenges in pet parenthood when bringing home another dog.

Here’s all the information on puppy blues with the second dog, the surprises, and how you can cope with your second pup.

Believe it or not, puppy blues are similar to what women experience after pregnancy (postpartum  depression ). Much like the first, a second puppy needs consistent watching and training, which can feel overwhelming and stressful. It’s easy enough for dog owners to forget all of the hardships from the first dog to bringing home the second.

The range of emotions when bringing another dog into the family. It can bring on a high level of emotional distress, and with the second dog, that distress can result from how the new puppy interacts with your first dog.

Common symptoms of the puppy blues include sadness, fear, anxiety, regret, frustration, guilt, and even sleeplessness. It’s so easy to think that things will be easier the second time around since you have more experience with having a dog, but no matter how many times you do it, every dog is different.

Sadness - you may cry from the overwhelming demands of a second puppy in the home. This second dog may need more time outside to get used to potty training or have issues chewing things that your first dog didn’t. These things can make it challenging to build a good routine, and you may need to do things differently than you did with your first pup.

Fear and anxiety - you may worry constantly about your second dog’s health and behavior, especially if it’s in contrast to your first dog.

Regret - was getting a second dog such a good idea? You may be questioning this feeling that you made a poor decision, especially if this pup is more demanding of your time.

Frustration - your fuse may be shorter, and you may feel you have less patience than you did with the first dog, hoping that it learns and accepts things more quickly. You may get easily upset with misbehavior regarding potty training or teaching tricks.

When dealing with all of these feelings, you may experience more depression-like tendencies, as mentioned with postpartum depression. You could be less social and lose interest in things you like doing due to the worry and emotions over your second dog. It could lead to physical health issues.

Vet visits are more frequent during the first year of your dog’s life, and while you may feel prepared for dealing with common medical issues such as UTI treatment for dogs , staying updated on vaccines, and flea/tick prevention, you may find that some surprises come when you bring home that second dog.

Many of the unexpected challenges of ownership came from our readers. Commissioned by The Honest Kitchen and conducted by Talker Research, the survey of 2,000 dog owners in serious relationships asked respondents if there was anything they wished they knew before adopting their dog.

While first-time pet parents had more unexpected challenges than experienced pet parents, 39% of experienced pet parents didn’t expect how challenging potty training would be when bringing home a new dog (compared to 32% of first-time pet parents), and 37% said they didn’t expect general training (compared to 33% of first-time pet parents).

Second-time dog owners' challenges included potty training, dog walking, food, socialization, and travel. Even second-time dog owners need to remember that these feelings are common, and it doesn’t mean you don’t care; you’re just not prepared for the change that having a second dog can create!

Potty Training - 40% of the survey takers said they were surprised at how difficult it was to train with a second dog. It’s easy to assume that a new puppy will follow your first dog around and mimic its actions, but that isn’t the case. Unlike humans, dogs need more training to understand where and when to go to the bathroom.

General Training - 35% of those in the survey said they weren’t ready for the challenge of training the second dog to obey commands like ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ or ‘lay down.’ It might be helpful for the second pup to see the first pup adhering to such commands, but it still takes a lot of time, patience, and repetition to teach the second dog.

Socialization - 31% of second-time dog owners weren’t prepared for the socialization challenge. While it can be easy for dogs to be together and enjoy each other’s company, being around humans is different for every dog. It can make it tough to acclimate a second dog with other humans and animals if they tend to be more timid in social situations.

Food - Deciding on things when it comes to the brand of dog food or quality dog food can be challenging with a second dog since whatever is working well for your first dog may not work as well for the second. 23% of our survey takers said deciding what to feed their second dog was an unexpected challenge, while 20% found they were concerned about food quality, and 12% found that they were worried about weight management.

Travel - It’s so easy to forget that when dogs are young or deal with separation anxiety, they need constant attention and supervision. Your first dog gets used to the routine of when you’re home and when you’re not, but bringing a second dog into that routine created a problem for 23% of those who took the survey, stating they didn’t know how to deal with their second dog while traveling or being away from home.

Dog Walking - Your second dog needs as much exercise and bathroom time as necessary (especially if it’s a puppy), which may mean more frequent dog walks than you do currently with your first. 23% of the second-time dog owners said they were surprised by how much they needed to walk their dogs.

Depending on how long it takes your dog to acclimate or how long it takes for you as a second-time dog owner to feel as though you’ve nailed a good routine, the duration of the puppy blues can vary. Most dog owners' symptoms of puppy blues reduce significantly within a year .

When you bring home a second dog, the best way to combat these feelings is to lean on those who will support you. Discuss concerns with your vet, talk to friends and family to share experiences and feelings, and take necessary breaks with help.

It can be challenging to deal with the arrival of a second dog within the home. The first step is knowing you’re not alone and that this is a common feeling that even experienced pet parents have. However, we encourage you to seek guidance from those around you or look to a professional for strategies and techniques for dealing with those second-time puppy blues. For more information on how to cope, read our other article about puppy blues t hat has information on what resources may be available to you.