We have this cultural problem, and dogs are bearing the brunt of it.

As I ran across the umpteenth dog (... with "rehoming fee") in need of a home or else they "get euthanized" on social media, my blood started to boil. Beautiful, healthy dogs.

While there are some circumstances where it's in the dog's best interest, this is not the case with the great majority.

Puppies who were... just being puppies.

Puppies who... got older.

Dogs who... turned into seniors with additional needs.

Puppies and dogs who... were simply not set up or equipped for "real life." Untrained and undeveloped... then judged, blamed, and labeled for their behavior.

We have a cultural problem of wiping our hands clean when an inconvenience or challenge comes our way; and dogs everywhere are bearing the brunt of this. Without going down the rabbit hole as to why this is (hint: it's related to trauma).....

Shelters everywhere are at max capacity and overwhelmed with our "discards."

Rescues are tapped.

Dogs are being abandoned at alarming rates.

Healthy, wonderful dogs.... dogs that have been traumatized.... fearful dogs.... special needs dogs.... mislabeled and misjudged dogs.... dogs who've lost their humans to illness or death.... dogs whose humans had a baby.... are being euthanized on the daily.

If we really want to "save the dogs", we have to start with our end of the leash.

This involves...

- taking responsibility,

- doing our own healing work so dogs stop carrying the weight of what we refuse to address (which also contributes to canine behavior),

- when the going gets tough, we get going,

- fully committing to our commitments,

- equipping fosters, rescues, and those working so hard to "save dogs", so they can better equip those adopting,

- incorporating better informed practices within the process of dogs going into homes,

- seeking help in the very beginning - whether bringing a puppy home, a new rescue, etc, and

- equipping and training ourselves! Teaching and training a dog goes way above and beyond "obedience" training (which only speaks to one aspect of the dog and is a small part of overall dog raising and development).

There are more ways, of course, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind.

My heart breaks for dogs everywhere.

If we want to "save" dogs, we've got to start with ourselves. Their lives are 100% dependent upon if and how we're showing up.

THIS is why PackFit exists. Why we do what we do. Why both "My Dog, My Buddha" books were written, and why the "The Human End of the Leash" is being written.