Most Well-Bred Puppies Become Family Dogs — And That’s the Point

Somewhere along the way, “pet home” started sounding like the consolation prize.

As if a dog that doesn't enter a show ring, earn a title, compete in a sport or become part of a breeding program somehow has a less important job.

I couldn't disagree more.

Most puppies — including puppies from exceptional breeding programs — will spend their lives doing something beautifully ordinary:

Being someone's dog.

And I think we need to stop saying “just a pet” as though that isn't one of the most important jobs a dog can have.

What Does a Family Dog Actually Do?

A family dog may never earn a ribbon.

But that dog might be waiting at the door when a child comes home from school.

She might become the reason someone gets outside and walks every morning.

He might ride shotgun on every family road trip for the next twelve years.

She may sleep beside someone going through a divorce, losing a parent or fighting through one of the hardest seasons of their life.

He may grow up alongside the kids.

She may become the dog those children talk about when they're adults.

That isn't “just a pet.”

That's family.

Purpose-Bred Doesn't Have to Mean Working Dog

Sometimes the phrase “purpose-bred” is treated as though a dog must perform a traditional job to justify being intentionally bred.

Hunting.

Herding.

Guarding livestock.

Showing.

Service work.

Dog sports.

Those are absolutely legitimate purposes.

But companionship is a purpose too.

Humans have intentionally bred dogs for companionship for generations.

And in today's world, one of the most important jobs many dogs will ever have is fitting successfully into a human household.

That requires its own set of traits.

A Great Companion Dog Isn't an Accident

When I think about the dogs I want to produce, I'm not simply thinking about what they'll look like in an eight-week puppy photo.

I'm thinking about Tuesday afternoon three years from now.

Can this dog settle in the house?

Can they recover after something surprises them?

Do they enjoy people?

Can they adapt to different environments?

Are they confident without being overwhelming?

Can they handle normal family life?

Can they travel?

Can they learn?

Can they relax?

Can they build a strong relationship with their humans?

Those traits matter enormously when you're breeding dogs whose primary job will be companionship.

Temperament isn't the cute little bonus prize that comes after color, size and coat.

For me, it's one of the most important pieces of the entire dog.

Health Matters Because Families Get Attached

Health testing isn't about collecting certificates so breeders can put logos on a website.

There are real people waiting at the other end of these decisions.

People who are going to fall completely in love with these dogs.

That's why responsible breeders study pedigrees, perform breed-appropriate health testing, use genetic testing appropriately and make difficult breeding decisions when something doesn't belong in a program.

No breeder can promise that a living animal will never experience a health problem.

That's impossible.

But we can stack the deck as responsibly as possible.

And we should.

Because the family who loves that puppy deserves our best effort long before their puppy is ever born.

Raising the Puppy Matters Too

Genetics give us the puppy we begin with.

What happens next matters too.

Those first weeks are incredibly important.

Our puppies are introduced to age-appropriate handling, different surfaces, sounds, people, environments and experiences as they develop.

We work on confidence.

Recovery.

Human connection.

Independence.

Problem solving.

Crate exposure.

Handling.

And learning that the world is a pretty safe place to explore.

We aren't trying to manufacture identical puppies.

They're individuals.

Our job is to help each one become the best version of the dog they were born to be.

Then Comes the Part I Care About Most

Matching.

The bold puppy isn't automatically the “best” puppy.

Neither is the quietest.

The smallest isn't automatically the right choice.

Neither is the puppy who happens to run to you first.

The question is:

Which puppy fits this human?

A busy family with four kids may need something very different from a retired couple.

A first-time dog owner may need something different from someone who has raised dogs their entire life.

A family looking for a hiking buddy may need something different from someone dreaming about a professional couch warmer.

Neither is better.

They're different homes.

And different puppies thrive in different homes.

This Is Why I Say People Before Puppies

People Before Puppies doesn't mean puppies aren't important.

Quite the opposite.

It means I care enough about the puppy to care deeply about the person taking them home.

I want to know my families.

I want to understand their lives.

I want them educated before they choose.

I want them prepared for the puppy stage.

And I want the relationship between the human and the dog to work.

Because successful breeding doesn't end when puppies are born.

It doesn't end at eight weeks.

And it certainly doesn't end when money changes hands.

The goal is a relationship that lasts for years.

“Family Dog” Is a Pretty Incredible Career

Maybe your dog will never win a ribbon.

Maybe nobody outside your family will ever know their name.

Maybe their greatest accomplishments will be learning where the treats are kept, stealing your side of the bed and somehow knowing you're sad before you've said a word.

Sounds like a pretty important life to me.

I don't breed dogs because I believe the world simply needs more puppies.

I breed because I believe thoughtfully bred, carefully raised and intentionally matched dogs can add something extraordinary to people's lives.

Most of them will become family dogs.

Exactly as intended.

— Boise Doodle Co.

People Before Puppies.

Because exceptional dogs begin with exceptional relationships.