09/28/2026
This is so accurate!
Leadership, in our current culture, often gets a bad rap. Many view it as oppressive, selfish, harmful.
Personally, I’ve always thought of leadership as a gift we give, or service we engage in that serves others and helps them find their best.
Countless dogs with all manner of behavior issues, which get in the way of them living their best lives, are the simple and obvious results of a leadership vacuum.
These dogs simply don’t know how to behave properly in our world, and because of this they often live extremely small, stressed, micromanaged lives.
And this doesn’t just go for the obvious aggression cases—it goes for all behavior issues and challenges dogs face.
When we stop thinking of leadership as taking from our dogs and instead think of it as the ultimate gift—regardless of the issues—we create the first real opportunity for our dogs, and our lives with them, to transform.
PS, yes, most dogs don’t fit neatly into just one of these categories. They almost always have a combination of behavioral bits and pieces which are in flux, and which surface and recede moment to moment. Which is even more reason your guidance is necessary—because all of these bits and pieces need to be channeled, directed, and guided moment to moment by a wise outside source that has the best vantage point and the best insight. And that would be you… or it should be.
