It gets so much easier. I was convinced I'd ruined both my life and Hugo's (also a tri, also my first dog) for the first two months. I also live alone and if not for the support of family and friends living nearby I doubt I'd have got through it.

But we've now been together a little over six months and while I still have little issues here and there he's fit into my lifestyle amazingly well. I'd suggest taking every opportunity you can to teach Zola. Enroll in every class you can, but also make every interaction a learning opportunity. Ask her to follow a few commands before feeding, teach her how to get on and off the furniture she's allowed on, get her into morning and bedtime routines.

I also found that Hugo became a lot easier to live with when I stopped letting puppy hell shape my routine and just got back to ordinary life. Once you start living the way you intend to for the next fifteen years, your routine will become her routine and a source of comfort to her.

Hugo will now come in from his morning walk, have breakfast and about ten minutes before I normally start work will go to his bed next to my desk and sleep until he gets his afternoon treat.

Hang in there. It's hard at first but I've laughed more in the last six months than I did in the six dog-free years before Hugo.

t89rex