11/03/2026
YOUR HIGH-ENERGY DOG DOESN’T NEED CONSTANT ENTERTAINMENT. SOMETIMES THEY JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DO NOTHING! 🐾
Meet Dottie! ❤️
Dottie was recently adopted, and like so many dogs who appear to have endless energy, her owners assumed the solution was to keep her busy, busy, busy!
They were doing everything they thought they were supposed to do.
🐾 Playing tug every day
🐾 Throwing the ball multiple times a day
🐾 Taking frequent walks
🐾 Constantly finding ways to entertain her and burn off that energy
But here’s the problem…
They were creating a dog who was constantly looking for her next activity instead of a dog who knew how to relax.
When they came for training yesterday, they told me something I hear ALL the time.
“We just wish she would lie down and relax with us while we watch TV. We want her to be able to just hang out!”
And there’s the disconnect!
They wanted a calm dog, but everything they were doing was teaching her to constantly be on the move.
You cannot expect a dog to automatically understand how to relax if all you’ve ever taught them is how to GO, GO, GO!
Now, don’t misunderstand me. Exercise is incredibly important! Dogs need physical activity, mental stimulation, playtime, and opportunities to explore.
But they ALSO need to learn how to be still.
And for some dogs, that doesn’t come naturally.
Yesterday, we worked with Dottie on some unwanted behaviors, introduced structure, established boundaries, and most importantly, taught her that she doesn’t have to be doing something every second of the day.
We taught her how to lie down, stay there, and simply exist without constantly searching for her next source of entertainment.
And guess what?
She showed drastic improvements in just one session!
Not because we exhausted her.
Not because we threw a ball 100 times.
Not because we entertained her until she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
But because we gave her something she was missing.
CLARITY. STRUCTURE. AND THE EXPECTATION OF CALMNESS.
Now her owners have the tools to continue practicing this every single day.
The goal isn’t to eliminate her energy or her playful personality. It’s to teach her that there’s a time to play, a time to exercise, and a time to simply relax.
A dog who can run, play, explore, AND settle down when it’s time is a dog who has learned valuable self-control.
Sometimes the best thing you can teach your dog isn’t how to DO something. It’s how to do NOTHING.
❤️ AND HERE’S THE PART OF DOTTIE’S STORY THAT I LOVE THE MOST…
Rescuing a dog doesn’t just mean bringing that dog home, giving it a warm bed, good food, and lots of love.
Rescuing a dog also means giving that dog the tools it needs to be successful in its new life.
It means providing training, structure, boundaries, guidance, and understanding. It means recognizing when something isn’t working and being willing to make changes.
Unfortunately, so many dogs are returned to shelters and rescues because their new families become overwhelmed by behaviors they don’t understand or don’t know how to fix.
But not Dottie’s family.
They didn’t give up on her.
They didn’t decide she was too much dog for them.
They didn’t assume this was just how she was going to be forever.
They recognized there was a problem, reached out for help, and were willing to learn how to give Dottie what she actually needed.
And now they get to start over, with a better understanding of their dog and the tools to help her succeed.
THAT is what rescuing a dog is all about.
Because saving a dog isn’t just about getting it out of a shelter.
It’s about making sure that dog never has to go back.
Dottie’s family didn’t just give her a home. They made a commitment to help her become the happiest, most balanced version of herself.
And THAT is when you can truly say you’ve rescued a dog. ❤️🐾
In the video, you will see Dottie laying on her cot in place with another dog in the room! That’s pretty amazing after one session :)
