tl;dr: No

A few years ago while traveling with Heather, I got heat exhaustion. I lay on the trail feeling hot and scared. Heather said compassionate things to me and helped me cool off.

The next day, did I:

A. Drink no water so I’d get hot and scared again and Heather would say nice things? OR

B. Hydrate and otherwise take more care of my body?

If you picked B, you’re right! Do I need to be sick or scared for Heather to say kind things? Of course not. I know Heather loves me no matter what.

Your dog can know that too.

Trixie used to bark A LOT at dogs and people outside our home.

She’d hear someone and bark. Run to the window. See the trigger, then bark more. 

Sounds scare Trixie. I relate. Sounds can make me anxious too.

Training, enrichment, meds, and management help Trixie bark much less.

Let’s start with managementaka arranging the environment. 

Wanting our kid and dog to feel safe together inspired me to become a dog trainer. It ain’t always easy! Two scenes of me helping our toddler feel safe:

What happens if my dog gets it right?

What happens if my dog gets it wrong?