11/08/2025
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 her, butâŚâ
You already know whatâs coming next. But she barks... he nips....She wines in the crate....He cries at night... Sheâs just âneedy.â
And it breaks your heart a little, because what theyâre describing isnât a âproblem.â
Itâs a puppy.
A baby learning the world outside their mom and littermates. Theyâre confused, overstimulated, excited, and scared sometimes all at once.
Thatâs normal.
People want easy. They want the version they see online. The one that sits calmly, never chews a shoe, and never makes a sound.
They forget that behind every well-mannered dog is someone who put in the work, the patience, the boundaries, the grace.
When someone says, âHeâs adorable, but I donât think weâre a good fit,â what they often mean is: I wanted 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.
Breeders work hard introducing their puppies to the crate, to house breaking, to commands, to the world. But that's just it, they are Introductions. It's your job to continue their learning.
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.