The world’s simply not set up for this.

Another day, another plea for help.

I've tried to do the best I could here, but we're not equipped or set up to have 4 puppies and 5 dogs. Especially since we're currently in a rental and at risk.

The betterment of the day was spent in tears yesterday.

The feeling of complete and utter defeat, failure, and hopelessness is heavy.

The pressure is suffocating.

And the reality is this.

This world isn't interested or set up to do right by dogs health-wise.

It's not interested or set up to want to do right by the dog behaviorally.

It has zero tolerance or understanding for proper (especially thorough) screening or anything that takes time.

It wants fast, easy, cheap, effortless, and convenient.

And as soon as the dog (or adoption process) doesn't meet these requirements (fast, easy, effortless, or convenient), the world is out.

Why? Because "getting a dog" is more about the human than it is the actual dog.

And this is a huge part of the problem we're all fighting against...and one we'll likely never win.

This "dog problem" we have is just the byproduct and symptom of the bigger problem we have. The human problem.

What I've been seeing here since being in CA over the last year is nothing short of absolutely soul-crushing. It's been very, VERY hard living here and seeing all I see on the daily. It's tough to stomach and too awful to accept as reality-- though I know it is.

The amount of human irresponsibility, carelessness, neglect, and lack of investment and commitment is astounding. And dogs everywhere are suffering and paying the ultimate price because of this.

Dogs are re-homed on the daily.

They're abandoned on random streets and in random neighborhoods on the daily.

They're bred for money and people are duped on the daily.

They're flipped for money on the daily.

Stolen out of yards on the daily.

They "get loose", "get lost", and "go missing" on the daily (100% preventable, btw, if folks would just pay attention and practice their due diligence; mistakes happen, but 99.9% can be avoided).

What I've been working so hard to prevent this family from being subjected to is, ironically, preventing us all from moving forward.

"Finding great homes" just doesn't seem like it's possible anymore.

If the pups get rescue help, then all our protocols and everything we've invested so heavily in - the thousands of dollars, the love, the care, the time, the energy, and the effort.... all goes out the window.

- puppies get neutered or spayed way too early and their growing | developed bodies don't get the hormones they absolutely need.

- they get loaded up with vaccinations (in excessive amounts, as well as with unnecessaries).

- they're fed cheap, highly processed, health deteriorating, food-like product (impacting everything- especially gut and immune health).

- they're doused with unnecessary chemicals in the name of parasite prevention (when it doesn't have to be that way; sadly, I had to learn the hard way through the loss of one of my own dogs many years ago... never again).

- and they may or may not end up in a great home.

Apparently, because I actually care about these things.... it means my standards are too high.

What really sucks is.... why this level of care, commitment, and responsibility isn't the norm.

This effort started out with a great deal of joy and excitement.

We provided safety, security, and comfort for Ava so she could raise her babies stress-free and with a cool, calm nervous system (this absolutely matters). She didn't have to worry about where she was going to find her next meal or the safety and security of where they were. The only thing she had to do was care for her puppies... and we would care for her.

We provided the best quality of food so Ava was super healthy, strong, and could provide excellent nourishment through her milk.

When the puppies were weaned, we also gave this food to them to build exceptional gut and immune health (which also acts as a natural parasite preventative).

We built an early socialization obstacle course in the back yard and worked to give them a great behavioral foundation (something many puppies and dogs miss out on- especially very early in life).

And spent time creating an application and contract to ensure they end up with people who care and would continue doing right by them.

All this.... and everyone would live happily ever after.

But this isn't happening. And, now, we're all struggling and suffering for it.

Joy, hope, and excitement has given way to stress, hopelessness, and anxiety.

I'm tending to all the puppies and dogs from 5 a.m. until I crash (hard) at night.

Creating a video, writing a post, making a plea for help - because this is way too much to support on our own and is far above anything we can financially handle- all takes several hours- maybe even days- since it has to be broken up and saved since caring for all these dogs takes up all my time.

I haven't been able to work on anything- the new podcast, new training material, or the book I've been working on for the last few years - "The Human End of the Leash: Dog Training's Missing Link". This effort has 100% taken over our lives.

Donations have slowed to a trickle again. I've used up all of my personal funds (and then some) to support this effort. Ava still needs her spay. The pups still need their 2nd and 3rd round of vax. Our utility bills have more than doubled each month without the income to support them. They all still need food. They all still need homes.

I started out fully believing I could make a difference, teach through example and show what's possible.... especially with "rescue done different."

There was a lot of doubt, but I marched forward in faith.

And I was wrong.

The world simply isn't open to or set up for this.

I'd originally wanted to start a rescue and rehab given all I was seeing. A different kind of operation focusing on health, behavior, education, and proper placement. Offering training and education for all involved to ensure : fosters, adopters, and - of course- the dogs. This would prevent unnecessary stress, prevent risky situations, dogs (and situations) get *accurately* assessed (many personalities, behaviors, etc. are significantly misread, misinterpreted, and misunderstood... which the dog ends up paying for), and great matches are made.

Not after this.

The world simply isn't set up for it.... and it seems like it doesn't even want it.

This isn't the kind of world I want to be in.

It's a driving force behind everything I create and all that I do.... but it also weighs heavily on my heart each and every day.

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