Keep in mind she’s brand new to your world and probably very overwhelmed. Read up on “trigger stacking” if this isn’t something you’re familiar with.
Peggy went from a wiggly happy puppy when we picked her up to a very anxious girl her first few days with us. And yes, she growled. This triggered a whole domino effect of panic, as I compared her to my last puppies and (some) people told me how abnormal her behaviour was. It was actually a member here who pulled me up and out of that darkness. (Thank you forever,
@Poodlebeguiled.) She came to meet Peggy who, by that time, was on a better food, which she was digesting well. And she was quickly putting on puppy weight. This obviously was making her feel
much better.
PB saw a very normal puppy when she walked through our front door. And it was through her eyes that I, too, came to appreciate Peggy for who she was, realizing I should’ve given her a little more grace as she settled in.
Consulting with a certified trainer was my next step, and she, too, saw a puppy who was sensitive and intelligent, for sure, and who definitely needed to be handled carefully—nothing but positive reinforcement to start!—but who was not outside the realm of “normal.”
She then set up an introductory session with two well-matched puppies, so she could observe Peggy further before deeming her perfectly ready for puppy classes. And it was those puppy classes that really got us on track.
Of course, genetics are important, as are early experiences. I don’t know where your puppy is coming from in those regards. And maybe she wasn’t the perfect pick for your household. Had she even been exposed to children before yours? But puppies are resilient, and change is generally very much still possible during that early socialization window. Dr. Ian Dunbar discuses this in-depth in
Before and After Getting Your Puppy, which I highly recommend.
If you don’t feel up to this particular challenge, I suggest doing what I did, which is seriously considering bringing her back to the breeder. Then commit to working with a good breeder who will, yes, likely require a waitlist, but who will help choose the right poodle puppy or golden retriever puppy for your lifestyle, and who will ensure they’ve gotten the very best possible start to life.
I spent many agonizing nights working through that decision. Ugh. Hurts to even recall those days. We went as far as bundling Peggy up in the car to start the long drive back to her breeder’s home! We got about ten minutes into the drive before turning back. I should have known, as I typed up pages of notes on her progress for the breeder, that she was already my dog.
