Have you ever wondered why so many dogs seem to struggle more than they used to?

Today, we’re starting with one piece of the puzzle:

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​Where our dogs are coming from.

In the past, dogs often came from right down the street.
A neighbour’s good dog met another neighbour’s good dog, puppies happened, and those puppies were usually well suited — both genetically and behaviorally — to the environment they were born into.

The parent dogs fit into that neighbourhood, that lifestyle, and those expectations… so that’s what was passed along.

Fast forward to today.

Thanks to spay and neuter education (which is incredibly important for reducing overpopulation and shelter euthanasia), most stable family dogs aren’t producing puppies anymore.

So where do dogs come from now?

Many are transported from very different environments — sometimes from other provinces, other countries, remote northern communities, or places where dogs live free-roaming lives. One of my own dogs came all the way from Illinois — quite a distance from the west coast of Canada.

These dogs can be absolutely wonderful.

And… they may not be genetically or behaviorally prepared for modern city life or life wherever they end up:
• living on leash
• navigating busy sidewalks
• dog parks and day cares
• sharing space with roommates or other pets
• adapting to lots of rules and very little freedom

That doesn’t mean they’re “bad dogs.”

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It means they’re dogs doing their best in environments they weren’t designed for. It means we owe it to them to meet them in the middle to provide training, enrichment, and activities that help them not only survive, but thrive.

In the next emails, we’ll talk about:
​• How our tolerance for behavior has shifted (in both directions)
• Expectations, anthropomorphizing, and what I call the “Disney Effect”

Understanding where our dogs come from helps us meet them with more compassion — and train them more effectively.

More soon 💛

If you're curious and have questions, book a free call so we can chat.​

Cheers,

~ Christina

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Did you miss the webinar? Want to watch again? The main presentation is first with all of the Q&As at the end! There were some great questions!

YouTube Link (Video Replay)

Would you rather listen while you walk your dog? I uploaded the audio only to my podcast 😁

Podcast Link (Audio Only)

Dream Dog is designed to teach you how to train your dog in a way that makes sense for YOUR dog and for YOUR goals. It's individualized training in a small group format.

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