12/20/2025
đž Every breeder knows this moment, that little buzz on your phone a few days after a puppy goes home.
The message starts sweet, âwe love him, butâŚâ
And you already know whatâs coming next. But he barks. But he nips. But he cries at night. But heâs just âa lot.â
And it breaks your heart a little every time, because what theyâre describing isnât a âproblem.â
Itâs a puppy.
A baby learning the world outside of their mom and littermates. Theyâre confused, overstimulated, excited, and scaredâŚsometimes all at once. And thatâs normal.
But people today want easy.
People want the version they see onlineâŚthe one that sits calmly, never chews a shoe, and somehow knows âsitâ by eight weeks.
They forget that behind every well-mannered dog is someone who put in the work, the patience, the boundaries, the grace.
People want the love without the learning curve.
Even the most beautifully raised puppies donât come pre-programmed. They come ready to grow with you. To learn your rhythms, your tone, your energy. They donât need perfection, they need patience.
Some people confuse an easy puppy with a good one. But the truth is, every puppy is good theyâre just new. And new things are messy before theyâre magical.
As breeders, we see it all. We comfort the ones who come back scared, unsure, wondering what they did wrong. We remind them softly, âyou didnât do anything wrong, baby.â Because itâs never their fault that someone wasnât ready for the hard parts that make the best parts possible.
Raising a puppy isnât instant. Itâs sleepless nights, puddles on the floor, little teeth on fingers, and the sweetest bond youâll ever build.
A puppy isnât a project, or a phase, or something to âtry.â Itâs a commitment. A piece of your heart on four legs. If youâre not ready for the messy parts of puppyhood, thatâs okay. Just wait until you can give your whole heart.
Because these little souls deserve nothing less đ đž
Shared from another breeder.
ALL THE PUPS IN PHOTOS BELOW WERE FROM DEO OR FSRâs PROGRAM.
