Dog People Need Dog People

Dog people need dog people.

That may sound pretty obvious.  I mean, of course dog people like to hang out with dog people, right?

But I’m not talking about the casual, lets meet for coffee and bring our pups, kind of people.  I’m talking about the people who will go down into the trenches with you.  Crazy dog people need crazy dog people.

Let me tell you about my favorite crazy dog people: Roy and Suzie.  They started as my mentors for a project in high school a decade ago and have been my doggie mentors ever since.  This past weekend, they very graciously went above and beyond the realm of normal dog friends.

They let me bring a brand new puppy into their house.  It just so happened that we had already planned a visit to see them on the same weekend our puppy was ready to leave her litter, and since they live on the way to the breeder, we decided to go ahead and do both.

Now, let me tell you about our newest little addition – Ellie.  She is the strongest willed, most confident puppy I have ever met – and she kept everyone in the house awake until just after 4am on her first night with us.  My friends work shepherds in Search and Rescue, so they know high drive dogs – and they say she’s the highest drive little shepherd they’ve ever seen.  We were all astounded that she had the energy and lung capacity to sing us the song of her people at the highest volume imaginable almost constantly from about 10pm to 4am – and that was with plenty of potty breaks, snuggles, and playtime mixed in to try to wear her out and calm her down.

And yet, they never complained and consistently offered help and advice on what we could try to help Ellie settle in with her new people.  They sent us home with toys and collars for when she grows, and an offer to help whenever needed.  Those are the kind of crazy dog people that every crazy dog person needs in their corner.

It doesn’t matter how much you know about dogs and puppies in general – each one you meet and raise will be different from the last, and it’s always good to have people around you to offer new tips and tricks.  🙂

Below:  Roy and Suzie with Tucker the day after I picked him up from Leader Dog six years ago (top) and with Ellie this past weekend (bottom).