difficulty bonding with puppy

[tesslynn]

Annabelle was the WORST puppy. Especially at that age. She's never been aggressive, but honestly, stubborn isn't a strong enough word for what she was at that age. Complete and total wild child. She'd dash out any open door. She peed on everything. She wouldn't come when called- bad in a dog that runs out open doors. She didn't want to sit. She'd attack her crate's bars. She would chew up anything she could reach. She would go outside, pee a little. Then she would come inside, look right at you and pee a LOT. There were numerous times when one of us would be ready to give up on her, and the other one would talk us down from sending her to rescue. But we kept her. And at about 1 year, her personality flipped and she is the sweetest, most loving little creature now.

Moral of the story- don't give up. He's about to enter his teens and some teens act out more than others.

I took Savannah on my road trip to check out where I live now. I knew no one could cope with her most of my friends felt like me, she was a lil monster, and I wouldn't let her terrorize them while I was away. Everyone loves Kaleigh because she is compliant and easy. I thought it would be horrible. She traveled well, didn't give me grief like I thought she would, in fact she was a different dog after that road trip. If she had acted up on the road trip I was ready to give someone else a try, she just wasn't "living" up to the sheltie temperament. I think she knew I couldn't move with a dog that gave me grief. I loved her, I just couldn't get through or manage her much. Now we are a better team. My lil monsters are mellowing out, Kaleigh was two on Valentine's-where does the time go...Savannah will be two on Labor Day.

Suffice to say....Savannah is a heart dog now, still a lil monster, but both my girls are the dogs I wanted them to be. It takes time with some, but they get there.

Look at Claire bear on the posts, she has done Tim & Theresa proud, but there were hard times for them.

Dogs aren't robots, they have to accommodate to a human's personality, and who among us isn't a bit off??? I kept trying to remember that when I had hard days. They have to learn our language, our rules, our "culture" and they do it pretty well considering.