client compassion

For as many times as I've heard this "he's just not like my last dog" and for as many times as I've thought "well, he's not your other dog". Holy Moley, let me just tell ya folks, my new pup is NOTHING like my 3 year old gal. And I've found myself going there, thinking, "he's so needy" or "I wish he'd just learn to chill out like Sweets". Oy! I can totally get how disempowering it is to have an experience of your first dog or your last dog and simply expect the next pup to be the same. It really does not make sense, but when you get used to that relationship, you can find yourself frustrated, up the river and the puppy ate your paddle.
Sweets, in essence was "easy", she peed in the house once, munched merrily in her crate after a whine or two, rarely picked things up with her mouth (well, there was that dead mouse, but she did "off". And there was that poo eating phase that threw me for a loop), okay, okay. She was easy to crate, oh yeah, and was a fear barker for a while (we worked through that). She is sensitive, owner focused and is a great girl.
On the other hand- Tater is confident, climbs flights of stairs at 10 weeks, slams the teeter, tap dances on the wobble board while Sweets watches, eats dirt and twig appetizers on a daily basis and is having some trouble "chilling out" when crated or left alone. He is a total sweetie, social with people and IS a different dog.
My friend, Dacia (mom of 3 God love her) and I were talking about it. She found the same thing with her kids. Auggie, the first boy was responsive, just "gets it" and was a sensitive guy that would take direction and cause little trouble. Lucie, her second girl is a firey girl after my own heart, eats bowls of "no" for breakfast and guess what? Didn't respond as well or respond at all to Dacia's training. Go figure.
Don't get me and Sweets wrong folks, we love the little guy for sure. And Sweets wouldn't be caught dead tap dancing on a wobble board EVER, so it's give and take. One thing is for sure, Sweets was awful happy that we snuck out the last two days for a run and Mom was hardly upset when she swam into the lake today and relocated about 40 geese, she came back to shore, waited when I said "Wait" and I leashed her back up. Of course I was a little embarrased, but hey, not too bad for the "perfect girl".