First, there is our sweet, lovable cuddler. The guy whose whole butt wags when we let him out of the crate in the morning or when we return from around a corner where he can't see us. He's our favorite.
Then, we have lead puppy. Lead puppy refuses to move for reasons that are never entirely clear. He sits or lays down and shall not be moved. The above photo demonstrates his, "bitch, I ain't going nowhere" face. Lead puppy is a real problem when we know that Reese has to go out. According to all the training literature I have been reading, picking him up is problematic. Apparently, he needs to decide that he wants to go (eye roll). While I am not sure I totally buy the philosophy, I will say that finding an alternative to picking him up would be good - he's 30 pounds of puppy now, but will probably reach more than 60 pounds of dog in a few months.
Finally, and this guy is our least favorite, we have what we've termed "Demon Dog." Reese is a puppy, and he loves to play. And when he gets really amped up, it's hard to de-escalate. He starts getting more intense with the biting and snarling, and getting him to stop when he's at 11 feels impossible. I've watched a bunch of puppy training videos, read many posts from experts, and consulted the trainer we're working with. We've tried redirecting the energy to training, which works until I am tired of making him sit, come, lie down, go into his kennel, etc. We've tried physically removing ourselves from his reach until he calms down. We've tried giving him more appropriate things to chew (bully stick, kong, toys). We've even tried corrections with the leash - that just lead him to attacking the crap out of the leash and thinking we're playing a new game. Nothing has been a silver bullet, and it really seems like the key is to try to intervene when he starts to get excited and keep the intensity level lower. But, that can be easier said than done - especially if you're trying to get something done. So, I also try to get him out of the house frequently in an effort to burn the puppy energy off. But, while he seems subdued and tired out in the world, coming through the door to the apartment reinvigorates him, and he starts tearing around like a crazy pup.
We don't totally know Reese's story. Pets in Need picks up dogs from other kill shelters and will keep them until they find their forever home. Reese was brought into a shelter in the Central Valley. It seems that someone had loved and cared for him - his ears were clean; his nails were trimmed; he wasn't dirty or mange-y. But, he had been abandoned. Someone found him and turned him into the shelter in Madera. I am guessing someone fell in love with cuddle-y Reese and couldn't manage Demon Dog. We're not giving up on him - I could never unless he really became aggressive or dangerous. But, I suddenly understand why so many rescues are utterly insane about the adoption process. They don't want people bringing the dog back - or worse abandoning it to a kill shelter.
I am getting A LOT of unsolicited advice about how to "raise" my puppy. (Side note: I can only imagine how much more infuriating it would be to get that sort of advice about a child). I am clearly no expert, but I will say think long and hard if you're thinking about a puppy and never had one. It can be really frustrating and stressful to deal with the puppy energy - and frankly painful with those razor teeth. And from what I have been reading, this is a thing all puppies will go through to some degree. So, if you're going to commit to a pup, make sure you're ready to meet and love the Mr. Hyde to your sweet Dr. Jekyll.
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