Imagine being on house arrest for the rest of your life!  You are confined to your home, your backyard, and have to rely on others for every meal and possible dose of entertainment.  How well would you cope?  Could you go for long without becoming frustrated, depressed, anxious, and maybe even a little agitated or destructive?Although we certainly don’t intend to, that’s exactly what we often do to our dogs. We all want the ideal pet.  We want our dogs to get along with children, family members, and even cats.  We expect them to like strangers and strange dogs, not to bark excessively, and by all means never show signs of aggression.

Well…that’s what we expect, but what are we as humans, doing to ensure that our canine companions are fulfilled physically and mentally so that we can expect the best behavior from them?The truth is, we don’t do much at all.   Dogs don’t need a big house or a spacious yard either.  They need consistent leadership, period.  What does that mean?  In some ways, dogs are like children forever stuck in their adolescent years.  Dogs push their limits too, but always, without a doubt, need our guidance and clear boundaries.  They need to be constantly reminded of what we expect from them, and we need to be consistent in our expectations.