11/18/2025
đŸ Every breeder knows this momentâthe little buzz on your phone a few days after a puppy goes to their new family.
The message always starts sweetly:
âWe absolutely adore him, butâŠâ
And right then, your heart gives that familiar little ache.
Because you already know whatâs coming.
He barks.
He nips.
He cries at night.
Heâs just âa lot.â
But what theyâre describing isnât a flaw.
Itâs just⊠a puppy.
A tiny soul who has left his mum, his littermates, and everything familiarâand is now trying to make sense of a whole new world. Of course heâs unsure. Of course heâs excitable. Of course he stumbles as he learns. Thatâs not misbehaviour. Thatâs babyhood.
As breeders, we try our very best to prepare new owners for this stage.
We explain the puppy phase, the developmental leaps, the normal hiccups.
We talk about patience, boundaries, structure, and love.
And we strongly encourage training with a licensed facilityâbecause guidance from professionals builds confidence in both the puppy and the family.
We know firsthand that a well-rounded dog doesnât simply âhappen.â
Theyâre shapedâwith time, consistency, teaching, and teamwork.
But some people still imagine the puppy they see online: calm at eight weeks, never chewing a shoe, somehow understanding every cue instantly.
They forget that behind every beautifully trained adult dog is someone who put in the effortâ
the late nights,
the repetition,
the gentle corrections,
the celebrating of tiny wins,
the commitment to keep showing up.
So when we hear, âHeâs lovely, but I donât think weâre the right fit,â
So often what they mean is: I wanted the love without the learning curve.
Even the most thoughtfully raised puppies arenât pre-programmed. They come with wide-open hearts and sponge-like minds, eager to learn your routines, your voice, your energy. They donât need perfectionâthey need calm guidance, structure, and time to grow.
Some people think an âeasyâ puppy is a âgoodâ puppy.
But the truth is: every puppy is good.
Theyâre just new.
And new things take effort to shape.
Before theyâre confident, theyâre clumsy.
Before theyâre calm, theyâre curious.
Before theyâre well-rounded, theyâre wonderfully messy.
As breeders, we witness it all.
And when puppies come back confused and afraid, wondering why their little world changed again, we hold them close and whisper, âYou did nothing wrong, sweetheart.â
Because itâs never their fault when someone wasnât ready for the work that turns a baby dog into a brilliant companion.
Raising a puppy isnât instant.
Itâs sleepless nights, a few puddles, zoomies during dinner, and tiny teeth trying to understand boundaries.
But itâs also the start of something extraordinaryâthe trust, the loyalty, and the deep bond that lasts a lifetime.
And that bond grows because someone puts in the time, the training, and the heart.
A puppy isnât a trial run or a temporary phase.
Itâs a commitment.
A promise.
A piece of your heart on four little paws.
If youâre not ready for the messy, magical work of puppyhood, thatâs okayâtruly. Just wait until you can give your whole heart and the consistent effort they deserve.
Because these little souls depend on us.
And they deserve nothing less. đđŸ
-Thunderstruck Collies-
