Lazy Pup or Hyper Pup?

labgirl

labgirl

Forums Sage
A friend has just got a new puppy and it is such a laid back thing and sleeps all the time and she is getting impatient because she wants to play with her and do some fun training. I tell her don't knock it!

Cadbury NEVER slept, he regularly made me go "ARGH What did I bring home?!!!"

I now know he is slightly insecure and this could explain why he struggled to truly relax and sleep as a pup and only ever really slept if he was put into his crate (usually with some protest).

So a part of me thinks pick the laid back sheltie pup when the times comes, pick the sleepy, calm one (if there is one :wink2:). Make life easy for yourself, but then I think calm, laid back puppy might not want to do agility? Might not get all hyped up by a training session or flyball - and that is what I want to do.

A laid back, sleeps all the time dog sounds nice at first, but as someone once told me, hyping up a disinterested dog is harder than calming a hyper dog.

So which would you choose? Lazy pup or hyper pup?
 
It all comes down to what you want out of the dog. You've got to pick the pup who's personality fits you. I personally would not be happy with a calm, laid back puppy. I want a wild thing.
 
I've got both! And if I really wanted an agility pup, then go with hyper!

Before I brought Indy home, I thought Bacca was a good prospect for agility. Not that Bacca is a lazy pup, but compared to Indy, he certainly seems that way! Indy has no fear. The first day at the cottage he had no hesitation jumping up and down from the dock onto the boat...despite having to clear 1.5 feet of water as well.

No pup can hop and leap like Indy can! (And yes, he can be REALLY annoying too!) :rolleyes2::biggrin2:

Good luck with your search!
 
When I think "Sheltie", I think "moderately active". I'm enjoying the active, playful, inquisitive Duncan so far. If I want lazy, I'll go back to the basset... they have lazy down to an art form :wink2:
 
Tully was the quiet, slept all the time pup - Deska used to go up and push her and growl at her to wake her up to play. Deska on the other hand never slept and always wanted to play.

Now Tully is the pocket rocket and people always think Deska is an old man.
 
Thanks guys!

And if I really wanted an agility pup, then go with hyper!
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. Cadbury is definitely hyper and some days he drives me crazy, but at agility he just flies. He gave our very first instructor quite a start when he whizzed through the channel weaves, he couldn't believe the speed he went, he was faster than some of the collies and he sails the jumps. But he does drive me crazy some days!

So the thought of a lazy pup appealed for a short time. But thinking about it again that would probably drive me more demented, because I would always be trying to hype them up and get them going!

I guess I just love the mad ones.

If I want lazy, I'll go back to the basset... they have lazy down to an art form
Click to expand...
That made me :lol: a family friend has a basset, admittedly she is quite old now, but there is nothing she likes better than being tucked into her bed and having a nice long doze!

Good luck with your search!
Click to expand...
Thanks Barb, I've been researching breeders and luckily enough two really good ones are not far from me. I've noticed their kennel names cropping up in a lot of other dogs' pedigrees. But they don't breed often - so it could be a very long wait, especially as I am looking for a blue merle pup. But I don't mind being patient. :smile2:
 
I've got a laid back pup! He can sleep all day then spend the rest of the time lying around and staring out into the porch or daydreaming. I kid you not. I wonder what he thinks about really, just lying there and zoning out. But I can get him hyped up quite easily for agility and other activities. You just need to know what motivates them. There's always something that makes them tick! Mine moves for food. :lol:
 
I've had both types of shelties. Gizmo, my first sheltie, was very laid back. The first week we had him he would hide under chairs and refused to come out. Gizmo was also very afraid of people and didn't like to play much. He was probably the best dog I've ever had. Once the ultra scary mean dog across the street got into our yard and scared, laid back Gizmo saved the day by chasing him off. :biggrin2:

Smudge is not laid back at all. He wants to meet everybody and refuses to go to sleep unless I carry him to my bed. I have to force him to eat because all he wants to do is play.

I think maybe it depends on what you plan to do with your dog. Some people just want them as pets, and so a lazy dog would be better. I plan to take Smudge to all kinds of classes once he gets a week or so older, and I don't think I could have done that with Gizmo.


I like lazy better. As long as it's a sheltie though I don't care. :winkgrin: I've never met a sheltie I didn't like.
 
My Duncan is pretty apathetic about everything that is not food. At the dog park, people reach out to pet him, and he just walks away. He's not shy, but he doesn't engage.

Tennis balls and other toys hold no interest for him. I might take him to a park with some agility equipment because he *is* smart so maybe he will learn to enjoy that.

Mostly, he sleeps on the floor near me and follows me around the house.

The only exception: We do have a game called "run around the kitchen" in which he chases me and I hide. He goes crazy for that. He won't chase balls, but he will chase me.



To answer your question: I'd prefer a calmer dog to something wild and potentially aggressive. I can leave Duncan at home for a few hours knowing that he won't go on a tear while I'm gone.

You may want to consider your work/social calendar and make a decision based on that. The more hyper the dog, the more attention it will require.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top