We call it love—but sometimes it’s just avoidance.

Avoiding discomfort at the cost of our dog’s stability.

What feels kind in the moment isn’t always what’s right.

Sometimes leadership looks uncomfortable before it looks like love.

How do you introduce a new dog to his new home, dog-brothers and sisters, and home dynamic? Very delicately.

For any dog that has successfully avoided pushing through a stressful situation, and reacts with aggression, barking, growling, or flight, the reward is to either scare the threat away by growling, or to run from it.

One of the best ways to prevent an ugly situation from ever occurring with your dog is by addressing any shift in behavior at its lowest level of interest, (ears perked forward, closed mouth, crinkled forehead, a glance away from you), before it has chance to escalate into something that cannot be reversed.

If there isn’t a “NO” in your conversation with your badly misbehaved dog, then you are reinforcing whatever behavior she is currently exhibiting.

Human negligence is causing the euthanasia epidemic we are seeing in our country. Dogs fall victim to human ignorance, thoughtlessness, and poor management on a daily basis. A lack of realizing the importance of discipline, order, and obedience training can turn a remarkable dog with an immense capacity for companionship into a destructive, aggressive, or hyper annoyance the next.

Dog training tools, such as the Prong Collar or E-Collar, are not evil or inhumane. Only the energy and intent behind the tool can be labeled as such.

Feeling sorry for your dog should not be the reason to withhold structure because “he’s been through so much already.” Your dog needs a healthy future filled with accountability, rules, and boundaries that convince him that he no longer needs to make all of the decisions on his own.