Q: How do I know if my dog is a bad fit for my household?

A: Unfortunately, not every dog is a fabulous fit for every household and many times we are for whatever reason, unable to work through those difficulties.

I would say that there are three ways to tell that your dog is simply a bad fit for you:

1) if after working with a professional trainer, you're more frustrated in trying to get your dog to listen to you than you were before working with that professional trainer.

2) if your dog is causing major destruction in it's environment and you're unable to get the necessary help to stop that, or

3) if your family is on different pages about having the dog to begin with, and having the dog is causing tension in the family.

Sometimes people own dogs who aren't the most ideal fit for their household, but they make it work despite the frustration. If you're concerned that you own a dog that may not be a good fit for your household but you want a second opinion, I would highly recommend hiring a professional for a consultation and they can give you perspective on your particular case.