10/21/2026
Before You Return That Dog to the Shelter, Ask Yourself One Question: Has Anyone Actually Taken the Time to Teach It?
Far too many dogs are returned to shelters for behavioral problems that could have been prevented or corrected with proper training, structure, and guidance.
Barking, chewing, jumping, pulling on the leash, housebreaking issues, excessive energy, and reactivity are some of the common reasons dogs are surrendered or returned.
Here's what people need to understand: Most of these dogs aren't bad dogs. They're dogs that haven't been taught how to behave.
You can't expect a dog to understand the rules of living in a human world if nobody has ever taken the time to teach them.
Too often, someone adopts a dog, brings it home, gives it complete freedom, showers it with affection, and expects everything to work itself out. Then, when the dog starts making bad decisions, suddenly the dog is the problem.
You cannot hold a dog accountable for expectations you've never taught it to meet.
Many of these behaviors can be dramatically improved and/or stopped with consistent training, clear boundaries, structure, and an owner willing to put in the effort.
Before deciding a dog isn't working out, consider getting professional help. The time and money invested in training can make the difference between a dog being returned to a shelter and that same dog becoming an incredible companion.
However, there's another side to this conversation that I think needs to be addressed.
Not every dog is the right dog for every person, and returning a dog isn't always the wrong decision.
Sometimes people see a heartbreaking shelter photo, read an emotional story, and adopt a dog based entirely on emotion without considering whether they're actually capable of meeting that dog's needs.
A large, powerful working breed with tremendous energy and drive might be an amazing dog, but that doesn't mean it's the right dog for someone who physically cannot manage it or provide the exercise, structure, and lifestyle it requires.
And no amount of training is going to magically change someone's physical limitations or make every breed compatible with every lifestyle.
This is where I disagree with some of the shaming I see from rescues, shelters, and people on social media.
Someone recognizing that they cannot provide a dog with the life it needs doesn't automatically make them a bad person.
Sometimes acknowledging that a dog would be better suited in another home is the most responsible decision someone can make.
What matters is being honest about WHY the adoption didn't work.
Don't exaggerate the dog's behavior to justify your decision, and don't hide legitimate behavioral problems because you're afraid of being judged.
Shelters and rescues need accurate information to make better placement decisions and give the next adopter a realistic understanding of the dog.
My point is simple:
If the problem is a lack of training, TRAIN THE DOG.
If the problem is a lack of structure, PROVIDE STRUCTURE.
If the problem is unrealistic expectations, CHANGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
But if the problem is that you genuinely cannot meet that particular dog's needs, recognize it and make a responsible decision.
Dogs deserve more than sympathy and good intentions. They deserve leadership, guidance, stability, and owners who understand what they're committing to.
And sometimes doing what's best for the dog means admitting you're not the right person for that dog.
Enlightened K9 Perspective
Changing the way people think about dogs, one perspective at a time.
