03/06/2026
People will spend thousands on getting a dog, but when it comes to behaviour support, suddenly it feels “too expensive”. This is something I think about a lot.
Because gone are the days where getting a dog was a cheap thing.
For many people now, the purchase price alone can be anywhere from £2,000–£4,000 before the dog has even stepped foot in the house.
Then comes everything else.
Beds, crates, harnesses, leads, collars, bow ties, coats, grooming, supplements, daycare, puzzle toys, lick mats, snuffle mats, natural chews, the fifth bed because apparently, the first four weren’t quite right 🤣
I honestly get it, I understand. I know that most people absolutely adore their dogs and want to give them the best life possible, and rightly so.
But I do find it strange that behaviour support is often the thing people hesitate over most.
People will spend hundreds trying to manage life around the behaviour while hoping the behaviour itself might somehow improve with time.
Maybe this toy will finally tire him out.
Maybe this chew will help her settle.
Maybe this harness will stop the pulling.
Maybe he’ll grow out of it.
Maybe it’s “just adolescence”.
Meanwhile the dog is:
struggling to switch off
reactive on walks
overwhelmed by everyday life
unable to settle properly
constantly over-aroused
barking at everything
finding the world genuinely hard to cope with
The sad thing is that a lot of emotional stress gets brushed off as personality, especially in breeds like Cockapoos where there seems to be an unwritten acceptance that they are naturally wired to be crazy.
I also think behaviour support feels harder because it often requires owners to change things too.
A new harness is easy.
A new enrichment toy is easy.
Clicking “add to basket” is easy.
Looking honestly at routines, stress levels, expectations, overstimulation and daily habits is much more uncomfortable, it requires work and that's harder.
Then add in the endless free advice online and people end up stuck in this cycle of:
trying random tips
second guessing themselves
hoping things improve
feeling embarrassed
waiting too long to ask for help
So people end up overwhelmed, trying bits of everything while both they and the dog quietly carry on struggling underneath it all.
The irony is that most people get a dog to make life better, and it absolutely should, but sometimes the best investment you can make isn’t another product.
It’s getting proper support before life with your dog starts feeling harder than it should.
Not feeling embarrassed every time somebody comes to the house.
Not dreading walks.
Not apologising constantly.
Not feeling stressed before even clipping the lead on.
This isn’t me judging owners at all.
In fact, I think many people wait too long to ask for help because they feel guilty, ashamed or worried they’ve somehow failed.
But behaviour support isn’t some luxury extra for many dogs, it’s the thing that finally helps life start feeling easier and this isn't just for the dog but for the humans too.
If this post hit a nerve a little, maybe it’s time to stop buying more “stuff” and start getting the right support instead. Life with your dog should feel easier than this. You are just a message away from getting the help you need 🥰
