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Good morning, everyone! After a lifetime with Golden Retrievers, I am venturing into the Standard Poodle world. I am a long admirer of them, and am so excited. We have a large family with children ranging from high school to preschool, an aging golden, and two cats.
I hope people will chime in on this, as the puppy we bring into our home is such a big decision, not only for us, but for the puppy, and the pup doesn't get a say! I think I did the right thing in reserving the puppy I did, but please tell me your thoughts:
Puppy A: A 6 week old heart melter with a really neat personality (I've met him three times), and brings out all the "Where the Red Fern Grows" feels. He's from a breeder who wants to do a good job, and treats the puppies like gold, but the parents don't have the greatest lives in my opinion. This person isn't a puppy mill, but she dances on the edge, some would think. She also has merles, which she does in a genetically responsible way so as to not put dogs in any peril, but even so, I know that makes her a renegade to some degree. The parent dogs are sweet, but not beautiful. Well, mom is sweet, dad is bonkers. Don't know how much is nature or nurture. The puppies are COMPLETELY desensitized to anything small kids can do to them. They are carried around like rag dolls all day long by little kids, which is good for me.
Puppy B: This one didn't pull my heartstrings so much as earn my respect. A magnificent 9 week old from an admired breeder of hunting poodles whose dogs all live glorious lives. This dog followed me around the yard and looked at me like "I promise I'll be worth the extra effort. I promise." He's highly trainable and eager to please, but no rag doll. He's a dire wolf (I don't watch GOT, but I know the concept well). Having this dog well trained will be like having a superpower.
I put a deposit down on puppy B. Why the nerves? Because I see Tom Hanks staring at me saying, "Earn this." Also, he's the one color I didn't want going in to the process, and I don't get that melty puppy feeling over him at all. Puppy A is so sweet and has a neat personality that I believe will win out over his humble origins. Ultimately I made my decision based on the kind of breeder I feel I should support, and knowing that I'm going to have a dog much longer than I'm going to have a puppy. Puppy B is going to be a much more demanding puppyhood, but the payoff will be a dog we will be honored to have in our lives.
Do you think I did the right thing?
I hope people will chime in on this, as the puppy we bring into our home is such a big decision, not only for us, but for the puppy, and the pup doesn't get a say! I think I did the right thing in reserving the puppy I did, but please tell me your thoughts:
Puppy A: A 6 week old heart melter with a really neat personality (I've met him three times), and brings out all the "Where the Red Fern Grows" feels. He's from a breeder who wants to do a good job, and treats the puppies like gold, but the parents don't have the greatest lives in my opinion. This person isn't a puppy mill, but she dances on the edge, some would think. She also has merles, which she does in a genetically responsible way so as to not put dogs in any peril, but even so, I know that makes her a renegade to some degree. The parent dogs are sweet, but not beautiful. Well, mom is sweet, dad is bonkers. Don't know how much is nature or nurture. The puppies are COMPLETELY desensitized to anything small kids can do to them. They are carried around like rag dolls all day long by little kids, which is good for me.
Puppy B: This one didn't pull my heartstrings so much as earn my respect. A magnificent 9 week old from an admired breeder of hunting poodles whose dogs all live glorious lives. This dog followed me around the yard and looked at me like "I promise I'll be worth the extra effort. I promise." He's highly trainable and eager to please, but no rag doll. He's a dire wolf (I don't watch GOT, but I know the concept well). Having this dog well trained will be like having a superpower.
I put a deposit down on puppy B. Why the nerves? Because I see Tom Hanks staring at me saying, "Earn this." Also, he's the one color I didn't want going in to the process, and I don't get that melty puppy feeling over him at all. Puppy A is so sweet and has a neat personality that I believe will win out over his humble origins. Ultimately I made my decision based on the kind of breeder I feel I should support, and knowing that I'm going to have a dog much longer than I'm going to have a puppy. Puppy B is going to be a much more demanding puppyhood, but the payoff will be a dog we will be honored to have in our lives.
Do you think I did the right thing?