Bringing a new pet into your home can be exciting. We imagine our current dog welcoming their new companion, the two of them playing together, sleeping beside each other, and eventually becoming best friends. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes it doesn’t. If you are considering adding another pet to your family, are you choosing only the animal you want—or are you also considering the animal your current pets are most likely to live peacefully with?

One thing I have learned is that every dog has something inside of them that makes them come alive. For one dog, it may be using their nose. Another may love retrieving. Some dogs want to run, jump, chase, herd, swim, or solve problems. Others simply enjoy learning something new alongside their owner. Sometimes we spend so much time trying to stop behaviors we don’t like that we forget to ask an important question: What does my dog actually enjoy doing?

Love alone is not enough. Rules alone are not enough. A balanced approach builds trust, confidence, and freedom. When dogs know the rules, they relax.