Will Power

Sometimes it all comes down to one simple but monumentally challenging thing... will power. When dogs need rules, boundaries and accountability it can be super hard for folks to muster the will power to say no to couch time, no to sleeping in the bed, no to unearned treats, hugs, and kisses... so do you allow or encourage this stuff because it fills your emotional needs? It's not necessary for your dog's happiness ... your dog is happy just being with you!

Take an honest and realistic look at your relationship with your dog and truly evaluate whether that relationship is fulfilling your dog's needs for leadership, health and exercise or fulfilling your own emotional needs. Like kids, dogs need rules and structure and education the most. Kids need parents who will make the hard calls (like bedtimes, no candy, do homework, etc.) that are in the best interest of that child, even if it upsets the child, because kids can't see the big picture. Kids need you to be a parent just as dogs need you to be a leader. The leader who makes and enforces the rules and sets boundaries and expectations for their behaviour and holds them accountable for their choices. Just as all children must go to school to get an education, dogs must also go to school and get training. They all need it and are all so much happier, well adjusted, and calmer for it. Dogs do need us so much, but not for the easy soft permissive stuff... they need us for the educational, structured leadership stuff because that is true love.