In President John F. Kennedy’s famous 1961 inaugural address, he urged Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” Though he spoke of civic duty, the sentiment carries power far beyond politics. It’s a call to shift our focus from taking to giving, from expectation to responsibility.

In the dog world, that same shift can be transformative. Rather than asking what dogs can do for us, perhaps we should ask what we can do for them.

Most of the time, people teach one side of the coin. They teach “come here,” but not “go away.” They teach “get on the bed,” but not “get off the bed.” The problem is, dogs don’t automatically understand the opposite of a cue — they only know the behavior you’ve reinforced.

At Peak Condition Dog Training, I don’t shame owners for the tools they use. Instead, I focus on helping clients understand how each tool impacts their dog — physically, mentally, and behaviorally — so we can make informed, science-based choices together

I had an extremely enlightening conversation with a dog guardian regarding their dog’s weight this week.