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Paws and Kisses, Athens, TN (2025)

11/16/2025

We have a litter of sweet baby dachshunds, photos posted soon!

We are also retiring the mother for her furever home if anyone would love to adopt an adult

10/29/2025

Every breeder knows this moment
that little buzz on your phone a few days after a puppy goes home.

The message starts sweet:
“We love him, but…”

And you already know what’s coming next. But he barks. But he nips. But he cries at night. But he’s just “a lot.”

And it breaks your heart a little, because what they’re describing isn’t a “problem.”

It’s a puppy.

A baby learning the world outside their mom and littermates. They’re confused, overstimulated, excited, and scared sometimes all at once. That’s normal.

But people today want easy. They want the version they see online the one that sits calmly, never chews a shoe, and somehow knows “sit” by eight weeks.

They forget that behind every well-mannered dog is someone who put in the work, the patience, the boundaries, the grace.

When someone says, “He’s adorable, but I don’t think we’re a good fit,”

what they often mean is: I wanted the love without the learning curve.

Even the most beautifully raised puppies don’t come pre-programmed. They come ready to grow with you. To learn your rhythms, your tone, your energy. They don’t need perfection they need patience.

Some people confuse an easy puppy with a good one. But the truth is, every puppy is good they’re just new.
And new things are messy before they’re 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: “You didn’t do anything wrong, baby.”

Because it’s never their fault that someone wasn’t ready for the hard parts that make the best parts possible.

Raising a puppy isn’t instant. It’s sleepless nights, puddles on the floor, little teeth on fingers and the sweetest bond you’ll ever build.

A puppy isn’t a project, or a phase, or something to “try.”

It’s a commitment. A piece of your heart on four legs.

If you’re not ready for the messy parts of puppyhood, that’s okay just wait until you can give your whole heart.

Because these little souls deserve nothing less.