10/15/2026
Something I think we could all use a little more of in the dog industry is the willingness to support one another without feeling the need to fit into a particular box.
It's interesting how often peer support can become influenced by unspoken social expectations. Who we're 'allowed' to support, whose success we're 'allowed' to celebrate, and whether showing appreciation for someone with similar services, different methods, or even opposing perspectives MAY change how others view us.
Somewhere along the way, supporting one another can start to feel like choosing sides. And honestly, I think that's such a shame...
We can respect someone without agreeing with everything they do. We can appreciate a different perspective without abandoning our own values. We can celebrate someone's growth, recommend their services, or acknowledge their knowledge without feeling like we're somehow taking away from our own success.. Someone else's success is not your failure! Their growth does not limit yours; and genuine, professional confidence shouldn't require the approval of a particular circle.
At the end of the day, we're all trying to build something meaningful; a career we're proud of, a life that fulfills us, and a way to make a difference for the dogs and people we work with... We won't all approach that goal the same way. We won't always agree on methods, philosophies, or the best way forward AND THAT'S OKAY!! Healthy discussion, respectful disagreement, and a willingness to learn from perspectives outside our own are all part of growing!
But putting others down, withholding support out of fear of judgment, or measuring our success against someone else's will never foster a more supportive industry. It only keeps us stuck in a cycle of comparison, guilt, and unnecessary division.
There is room for different approaches, different businesses, different philosophies, and different people to succeed. We don't have to be best friends. We don't have to agree on everything. We don't even have to work the same way.
But we CAN choose to be respectful, we can choose to be kind; we can choose to celebrate good things happening for others without making it about ourselves 🤍
