There has been a bad development in puppies in recent years. A trend to look at with real concern:

 

Because proportionally to this development, the number of dogs rises, which are later shown to be real problem dogs and which can be described as seriously not socially acceptable.

 

I'm talking about an increasing number of puppies who cannot sit still for a second at 10 or 12 weeks.

Puppies who scream, screech and bite hard if they don't get what they want NOW, right away.

Puppies that are baring their teeth in front of their new owner at the age of 9 weeks - ready to defend their food bowl down to the blood.

 

Puppies who have anger tantrums if they have to be held for more than a second because they shouldn't grab anything off the street or shove a lost sock of their owner into their stomach.

Puppies to whom it is practically impossible to give ear or eye drops.

Puppies, who at the age of 8 weeks already bite seriously into their littermates or other dogs and shake them with absolute vehemence.

 

Sounds creepy?

It is. But where does that come from?

 

There are three reasons in particular:

 

1. The smallest number of puppies is still bought from a responsible breeder.

This is a breeder who socializes his puppies well from the start, even before they are leaving, in small doses, accustoming them to certain environmental stimuli and has already taught them a few rules in a puppy-friendly manner by the time they are handed over to their buyer.  Among other things, that there are, of course, certain manners between humans and dogs.

A breeder who can assess the development tendencies of his offspring very well and accordingly ensures that the buyer also suits the puppy.

A breeder who also recognizes when his bitch is, for example, unable to cope with her first litter and provides suitably qualified four-legged support from experienced "aunts" and "uncles".

This is not "breeder bashing". The right ones will understand it anyway, the others are welcome to feel addressed.

There are enough breeders who do it exactly the same way and who put a lot of work and heart and soul into each individual of their litters from birth. Unfortunately, there are at least as many others.

And - unfortunately you have to say it exactly like this:

The demand for puppies is much higher than the number of needed puppies that could be "produced" by appropriately good breeders ...

 

2. What can be mixed is being mixed:

The notorious online sales portals give people whatever they want. Or want to sell. The Husky is being crossed with the Spitz, the Malinois with the herd guard dog, the Australian Shepherd with the Weimaraner and the Weimaraner with the Labrador.

Often looks good, usually gets cool new "breed names". But genetically, what is mixed together is only semi-compatible at best. The more different working breeds it includes, the more difficult it will be to train them. And if it's the "best" of both ... then as a puppy owner you have to become a real expert in pedigree very, very quickly!

But only very few are.

I'm not even talking about good socialization by a "breeder" here, anymore. Someone who knows about genetics does NOT cross certain breeds with each other. Period.

 

3. Dog owners do not want to, or can’t, train anymore:

A trend that, unfortunately, is also increasing more and more.

They still want the puppy. But everything else will be difficult. Setting limits hurts one’s soul terribly!

Instead of setting a limits where limits need to be set, even adults now prefer to jump on the sofa crying while fleeing from the milk teeth of their puppies. Or answer every screech of their puppy with immediate attention and fulfill every request instantly and to service.

Accepting conflicts? Processing conflicts? Steering a puppy in the right direction? Understanding that a puppy doesn't always have to be happy, that a puppy SHOULD not be happy at all after it has been shown boundaries?

All of that ... is not happening.

There is no absolute right to everlasting happiness for anyone in this world.

Especially not when this "happiness" implies constant restriction of others. Incidentally, happiness like this is called selfishness. And this turns into anger and aggression very quickly, as soon as someone does not - or no longer - wants to be restricted.

 

One of the three components mentioned above is usually enough to make life with a puppy difficult enough. Unfortunately, two or even all three points now come together quite often:

People don't want to educate properly, they didn't buy the puppy from a good breeder, and they actually have no idea about the breed / mix of breeds.

 

The result is either dogs which, at some point, will be offered and passed on in the notorious portals they were once bought through, end up in an animal shelter, or are simply dangerous in and for their environment.

Because they bite, because they hunt uninhibitedly, because even their owners  can’t handle them on a leash or otherwise. Because - at best - they can do nothing other than hit their pals during "play" with force. In the worst case scenario, they just don't take prisoners anymore if the littlest thing doesn’t suit them.

 

Man-made egoists.

Not because they want to be like that. They became that way because their humans allowed it to happen.

 

Translated from an article found on the FB page of the SV OG Hamm Berge.