Emotional Support Disaster
In this episode, Kati Peppe, owner of Diamond K9 Dog Training in Biddeford, Maine, discusses the responsibilities and challenges of owning an emotional support dog. She highlights the importance of proper training, setting boundaries, and maintaining accountability to prevent behavioral issues such as reactivity and aggression. Kati shares a case where an emotional support dog became aggressive, emphasizing the risks of overburdening dogs with human emotions.
She advises selecting breeds known for stability and lower aggression levels for emotional support roles and stresses that all dogs, regardless of their purpose, require consistent training and clear rules. Kati also explains how training benefits both the dog and the owner by strengthening their bond and providing a sense of accomplishment.
She underscores the necessity of balancing emotional support with disciplined training to ensure a healthy and functional human-dog relationship.
