By: Anne Garretson, BluePath Puppy Raiser
The most commonly asked question of a puppy raiser is, isn’t it hard to give them back? My mind always files through the possible responses. I could simply say yes and leave it at that. Or, I could be sarcastic and say, what do you think?
I usually land on my go-to response: Yes, this is the Xth puppy I’ve raised and every time I rip my own heart out, throw it on the ground, and stomp all over it. But, and this is a big but, the rewards are entirely worth it.
Wordle, my 6th BluePath pup, returns to begin his formal training shortly. He began his journey with another puppy raising family and his placement shifted to me when he was 10 months old. They did all the vital work of house training, establishing his great manners and obedience training. Between the previous raisers and me, we’ve helped Wordle be his best self. He started out as a sweet, squirmy, discombobulated baby. He’ll return to BluePath finely focused, eager, goofy and with his tail, almost always, wagging happily when he’s wearing his training vest. He is, without a doubt, ready for the next phase of his journey. He’s going to love it!
For me, this is when I get on the roller coaster. One moment I’m filled with dread, the next with excitement. I shift between looking at him through tears and beaming with pride. I think this phase of puppy raising is hardest for first time raisers. If that’s you, or you’re thinking about raising, know this: The sorrow is temporary. What remains is profound joy.
Every hole in a puppy raisers heart becomes a vessel for the love and magic these pups bring to the world. And that is why we also respond to the question of it hurting to give them back, that the remedy for the pain is the next puppy.
Interested in raising a BluePath puppy? Learn more.
