26/09/2026
Most people donāt fail their dog.
They fail the idea they had of them.
A dog isnāt just a pet. Itās a 10 to 15 year commitment to a living, thinking animal with its own thoughts, instincts and biological needs.
It doesnāt come with a guarantee of being easy.
Nobody gets a dog imagining that their dog will have behaviour problems.
But for thousands of ownersā¦thatās their real life.
Early morning or late night walks, planning when they can take their dog outside to avoid triggers.
Nobody imagines theyāll have to do that with their dog. I didnāt!
And when it gets hard, too many give up too easily.
When owners asked a UK rescue to take their dog for behaviour problems, only 1 in 4 accepted free help offered to them.
Commitment means showing up on the bad days too. The owners who stay, learn and fight for their dog are my favourite people to work with.
And I understand that there are other factors at play when it comes to people surrendering their dogs to rescue, but from my experience, a lot of people take the easy way out because itās more convenient for them.
For the people that do stick by their dogs, youāre not alone, and it can get better.
š Struggling with your dogās behaviour? Discovery call is available, the link in my bio.
š Source: āReducing Dog Relinquishment to Rescue Centres Due to Behaviour Problemsā, Animals journal, 2021 (Woodgreen & Hartpury University)
