I didn’t start out as a dog trainer—I started as a dog owner who was overwhelmed and using all the wrong methods. When I brought home my dog, Bear, everyone told me I needed to “be the boss” and use dominance to make him listen.
The dominance approach didn’t just fail; it damaged our bond. I realized Bear wasn’t giving me a hard time—he was having a hard time. That realization was the seed that grew into my R.O.O.T.S.™ philosophy. I moved away from the conflict and toward the heart, spending the next 15 years studying the science of connection. I developed the framework I wish I’d had when I first brought Bear home.