As you may know I have recently been travelling in the United States and UK. One guy I met had been pointed out as having an interest in human pup play. As an introduction I asked, “are you a pup?”. His reply was that he actually identified more as a dog rather than a pup.
This had me thinking, am I a human pup or more of a human dog? What does that actually mean?
Having been a proud owner of 3 lively German Shepherds I have a bit of an idea of the difference between a pup and a dog.
All three of my bio pups were curious, fun loving and seemingly never out of trouble. They had an enthusiasm for exploration and were keen learners. Always ready for a game they had never ending energy that seemed to go for ever.
Probably around 18 months I noticed a change. While still playful and ready for a game they were suddenly more grounded.
They were protective, and it appeared they offered a more “faithful companion” feel. Close by my side when needed yet they had a type of autonomy often doing quick patrols of the house and even putting themselves to sleep when they felt like their duties of the day had been done.
I feel this was probably a transition from the hedonism of playful puppy life across to more of the role of a working dog. Great fun to be around but now the games were tempered with a sense of stability and reliability.
These observations have made me question if this was the same for human pups and dogs.
Having been a pup now for coming up to 3 years I have seen a change in the way I approach my puppy play.
I’ve had awesome training under my master Pup Boss who has helped me develop my pup persona, communication and interactions. ( if you are interested in learning what these are please be sure to check the Sirius Pup website).
I still enjoy a romp but I now feel that yes I do have a job. My role as an Alpha is looking out for my pack members as well as offering support to the extended family I have developed across the world.
I have now been able to explore and even learn some skills as a Master as well as offering a little supervised training to our younger pups. I feel I have transitioned from the feel of a ever playful pup to that of a dog. Perhaps a little older and maybe a little wiser.
So my question would be is what happens to pups as they grow and develop?
Do you feel that you have grown closer to a human dog rather than a pup or have you found that the joyful life of an ever exploring puppy has been more your thing?
I’d love to hear your opinion. Are you more of a human pup or dog?
Hugs and tugs,
Gpup Alpha