Some dogs have issues that their owners have learned to live with. I know people (trainers) who have dogs with such severe separation anxiety that the owner hasn’t taken a vacation in years because the dog would fall apart if they left. I know a family who didn’t go to dinner for two years for fear of leaving their tiny dog home alone.

There are others who have dogs who require lots of management. Some dogs have a complicated ritual that must be performed every time they meet a new person. There are dogs who can only meet other dogs under strict circumstances that must be set up by the owner in advance.

All of this is fine and dandy, especially if the dog is lucky enough to have an owner who is willing to make these efforts.

But what happens if something happens to one of these special owners? Where do these dogs go? How do they begin to adjust if no one around them knows about all the special protocol they require in order to function?

Most of us readily accept that our human loved ones and acquaintances have both good traits and not so good traits. We understand that good people with good intentions can get into serious conflicts. We recognize that children must be taught how to behave with others and will occasionally make mistakes along the way. We even know – and in most cases can forgive – that even the best people occasionally act very poorly. That kind of nuance often goes out the window, however, when we judge dogs and even dog owners. The specifics of how we judge dogs differ, but I’ve been noticing that the judgments tend towards the black and white. Some people seem to think that dogs are born either good or bad, with little room for anything in between. Others come right out and state that all dogs are born sweet and loving. If a dog behaves otherwise, they tell you, then blame the owner.

Meet Oliver, a 6 month old yellow Labrador Retriever who just graduated from our 12 week Ultimate Puppy Program. His family planned a long time for his arrival, even before he was born. In fact, his mom tells me that she waited years for him. Like most of us, they are a busy family and waited until just the right time in their lives to add a dog to the family. And even when they decided on a Labrador Retriever, they researched breeders, found one, and then waited again until that breeder had a litter with an appropriate puppy for them.

As the co-creator of Through a Dog's Ear, I receive emails from all over the world hearing how much it is helping dogs with behavior issues and how comforting the music is to them. There is no place I'd rather help dogs than in shelters. When I didn't even have a dog, I started volunteering at my local shelter and then when I got one, I got trained in their education department and took my dog to schools and spoke on the importance of neutering and spaying, positive training, etc. When we signed with our wonderful publisher, Sounds True, they agreed to donate 2,500 copies of Calm your Canine Companion to shelters and rescue groups. Sounds True, by the way, is a dog friendly company outside of Boulder, CO where employees bring their dogs to work. I've never experienced a more productive, calm, friendly office atmosphere.