New Study Finds One Way Raising A Puppy Is Actually Like Having A Baby

If you’re one of those people who refers to your dogs as your “babies,” a new study is going to make you feel pretty validated. According to researchers at the University of Helsinki, for some new dog owners, the experience of raising a puppy is comparable to the postpartum “baby blues” many human parents experience with their newborns.

The puppy stage gives rise to a variety of worries, mood swings, irritability, and sometimes, difficulty bonding with the dog that feels at odds with what you’re “supposed” to feel raising something so cute.

“Both ‘pet parents’ and human parents describe anxiety and depression-like symptoms triggered by the life change of a new family member, though it typically diminishes over time,” said Aada Ståhl, a psychologist and doctoral student at the University of Helsinki and one of the lead authors of the study.

Puppy blues symptoms play out in three distinct ways, Ståhl told HuffPost, though usually, people experience multiple symptoms at once:

Anxiety: The new puppy owner might seriously doubt their ability to raise the dog or worry about the puppy’s well-being and development. (For instance, maybe they fear creating a yappy, unhousebroken puppy).

Frustration: The challenges and unexpected difficulties of puppy care ― poor behavior, an inability to establish an emotional bond ― are common stressors, too. Some puppy owners may feel so overwhelmed by their new responsibilities, they may even regret their decision to get a dog or wonder if they should give the puppy up.

Weariness: Fatigue, difficulty sleeping (even if the puppy is sleeping fine), and anxiety about the time and attention the puppy needs are all common among new pet owners.

Ståhl’s interest in this subject began a few years