We often think training a dog is just a matter of method: a solid routine, a few well-timed treats, a firm but kind tone, and boom, problem solved. In reality, things are a little more subtle than that. Before you even get to ask “come back here!,” “heel,” “leave it”, or “stay,” and to hope it works, there’s something deeper at play. Something essential, almost invisible, that no amount of positive reinforcement can create in three sessions. That something is the bond.
Some beings have a way of turning our lives upside down. Dogs are among them. They arrive, sometimes without warning—at a time of doubt, of routine, or of quiet uncertainty. They step into our world, disrupt our certainties, upend our habits, and eventually leave behind a void as deep as the imprint they made. We like to think we chose them. But what if it was the other way around? What if there’s no such thing as coincidence?
Losing a dog leaves an emptiness that can’t be filled, a sadness unlike any other. We sometimes find ourselves saying, “Never again,” “It’s too hard,” or “It hurts too much,” and all of that is true. As I always say, a dog never comes into our life by chance. Often, we learn far more from them than they ever learn from us. What if learning to open our hearts and daring to love again was their final lesson, their last message—the very same one they once taught us when they first opened the door to our hearts?
When Just Being a Dog No Longer Cuts It Our expectations of dogs have become enormous. More and more, they’re modeled after how we humans function: logical, structured, goal-oriented, fast,...
He stops to sniff, veers off to follow a scent, pauses for no reason. What if, just once, you followed his lead instead of redirecting him? This article invites you to discover a new way of walking together — one that builds trust, deepens connection, and changes the way you see your dog.
