The Right Family for the Right Puppy

It is also important for the right family to match with the right breeder.

This is because within the Dire Wolf Project a person doesn’t just purchase a dog.

Some may think that is so because that is the overwhelming norm in the dog breeding world. You find a breeder near you who has the dog breed you like best. You might make sure the person is a responsible breeder, but who the breeder is beyond that is never considered. You pay for your cute puppy and never speak to the breeder again.

Those people are not our people.

In our case, a person who purchases an American Dirus also takes along a friendship, a community, and a lifetime genetic health guarantee. These aspects require that the new owner build a lasting relationship with each Dire Wolf Project breeder. And we all know that not all relationships are meant to be together.

Finding the right people to create a loyal family of loving American Dirus owners is the goal.

Here is an example of why having a permanent relationship with your Dire Wolf Project breeder is essential.

On New Year’s Eve, I received a phone call.

I instantly knew there was something wrong because the caller’s voice cracked in a soft caress of fear mixed with sadness.

As I listened, I understood why.

Only a few weeks prior, this young man had finally been able to hold his new furry companion in his arms.

For years, he planned and saved. He researched and questioned.

After settling on getting a puppy from the Dire Wolf Project, he placed his deposit and waited.

He waited for the right moment in his life.

He waited for the right litter.

He waited for the perfect puppy.

And when he found that puppy, his heart leapt inside his chest.

This puppy has it all!

Those bright yellow eyes.

The giant dire wolf size.

The ears that are already half erect.

The silver wolf coloring.

The short, straight tail.

The personality of a champ, so loving and gentle, but confident and willing.

The exceptional genetic background of the two unrelated parents promising a long and healthy life.

The entire package stood there in front of him on the screen from the Sea Monsters Litter.

But, not only that. It was the right moment in his life to be able to do all of the training his new puppy would require. He had a good job with time to be able to return home during the day. This would allow him to give the puppy amble time to sleep, eat, potty, and play. The daily puppy routine flourished in his mind.

Jay delivered Jormu right to his doorstep.

Like Santa on Christmas, Jay chuckled as Jormu wiggled his tail in a happy greeting.

Jay stayed with the new owner for half an hour to help his new puppy settle into the safety of the ex-pen space.

They briefly shared their love of Taylor guitars.

Then, in a gesture of good will, they toasted their glasses to express a mutual desire for many happy, loving memories of tail-wagging bliss.

After that, Jay went on his way.

Now, these few weeks later, the young new owner’s voice quivered. There was something terribly wrong.

My thoughts shifted to the worst-case scenario.

Was the puppy sick?

Did the puppy die?

Was he at the vet’s office in a frantic life-or-death situation?

As I quickly found out, it was even more heartbreaking.

To my immediate relief, his amazing fluffy American Dirus puppy was perfectly healthy and extremely loved, but the young man’s father had been diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. He would have to be there for his father in his worst moments, but he lived on the other side of the country. This would require several monthly visits by plane so that he could nurse his father back to health or take care of the affairs surrounding any devastating conclusion.

The grim reality of the situation hit me like a piano falling from the third floor of a New York City apartment building.

There was no way his precious silver, golden-eyed furry baby dog could thrive under those new conditions.

My heart sank.

All the preparation in the world cannot prepare a person for such a situation.

Jormu had to return to his puppy pack.

Jay drove halfway to meet up with the young man and exchange Jormu for a few hugs and a sincere hope for the best.

Jormu recognized Jay and gave him an enthusiastic kiss with a hearty tail wag to share his joy.

Like the great companion dog Jormu is, he slept on Jay’s lap all the way home.

I can only imagine the heartache the young man felt when he picked up that phone on Saturday to let me know such intimate, sorrow-filled family news.

And that is why it is essential that you trust your Dire Wolf Project breeder to have your back when times get tough. American Dirus dogs, no matter how young or old, have a family, a community, a tribe of loving humans behind them.

The Dire Wolf Project is on a mission to fundamentally shift the outdated, archaic notion of dog breeding as a callous, unfeeling monetary exchange. All of life is precious; your life and your furry companion’s life. We want to be a part of the ups and downs. In fact, the Dire Wolf Project wants to fill the emptiness in your life by providing everything you need to support a happy life with your American Dirus dog.

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We would like to send you a free gift for spending some time with us at the Dire Wolf Project.

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Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.