Dear Humans: Please, please, pleeeeease - Choose your next dog wisely! Love, the Dogs of the World.

WARNING: This may be a controversial or provocative post. As always, it is meant to get you thinking - about dogs, about yourself, and how to improve your life with your current and future canine companions.

I realize some folks will be triggered by it.

But, it still needs to be said.

The trainers at Front Range K9 Academy and I (and the many other trainers nationwide that we talk to regularly) are noticing a new - and worrisome - trend lately.

We’re seeing a lot of ‘overmatches’ with dogs and their new homes.

Now, ‘overmatches’ aren’t a new thing in the dog world, but the sheer number of overmatches we’re seeing IS new, and disturbing.

What is an ‘Overmatch’?

An overmatch is when a dog’s size, age, breed, energy level, or other factors are not an ideal match to the home the dog finds itself in.

Sometimes these are rescue dogs from shelters or rescue organizations.

Other times, it’s a new puppy from a breeder.

Sometimes, an owner’s situation changes (like a move from a house to an apartment, an accident that leaves lasting physical challenges, or even the arrival of a new baby), and they find themselves with an overmatch in a dog that previously fit well into their life .

A good example of an overmatch would be a young, energetic, smart-but-slightly-reactive herding breed dog matched with first-time dog owners living in an apartment building - with no fenced yard, and the need to take the dog past many dogs and people to even go to the bathroom.

For this dog, the constant sounds, smells, and sights of cramped living with other dogs and people can add up to a lot of extra stress. Which then leads to behavior problems.

Each trip past other dogs and people amplifies the dog’s tendency to bark and lunge, until pretty soon, the owners are at their wit’s end of how to even take the dog out to relieve itself, let alone exercise it properly.

The lack of exercise then compounds the entire issue, and pretty soon, the dog is on its way back to the shelter.

Another example we’re seeing often are young, strong, athletic, large-breed puppies with senior owners.

These pups often find themselves in homes that haven’t had a puppy for many years, and the humans have forgotten just how much energy a young pup has, as well as how much training and guidance is needed to raise the pup to be a polite canine citizen in our bustling world. (I call this “Puppy Amnesia” and it’s not just senior dog owners who are at risk - anyone can fall into it’s trap!)

Worse yet, the owners in these cases are often in danger of injury from their own dog - being overpowered and knocked over by exuberant, jumping pups, or pulled down on walks.

So, what’s going on? Why are we seeing so many overmatches lately? I suspect it has something to do with the instant-gratification world & society we live in.

Hungry? Great, pop through your favorite drive-thru restaurant and you’ve got food in less than 5 minutes!

Need to get some information about something quickly? Google it for lighting-fast results!

We are all used to getting our way - and quickly! - a lot of the time.

In our fast-paced reality - full of conveniences and comforts that we couldn’t have dreamed of even 20 or 30 years ago - it’s easy to fall into believing that we should ALWAYS have things just as we want them.

We’re so used to getting our own way - So why can’t we have the dog or dog breed we want?

Unfortunately, reality is reality - and to keep the herding breed in the apartment stable and happy is going to take substantial effort from its owners - maybe more than they realize, or were told before they got the dog.

Reality and the Nature of the Dog don’t care that you work 40 to 50 hours a week and don’t have a yard; the dog still needs intense amounts of exercise and mental stimulation and enrichment to be balanced and mentally sound.

Likewise, the young, strong, high-energy Labrador pup with senior owners doesn’t know that her owner’s skin is thin, and bruises and tears easily. She just puts her mouth and those sharp needle-teeth on everything and everyone.

She doesn’t mean to knock over her new mom, get loose, or pull her down on walks. She just happens to be built like a brick outhouse, and is physically stronger than her owner - without the sensitivities and observational skills that an older dog might have.

Are the dog owners the only ones to blame for overmatches? Unfortunately, no.

Shelters and rescues are sometimes so focused on placing a dog anywhere, they don’t always exercise the best judgement on the actual placement itself.

And though there are many incredibly scrupulous, caring breeders out there (sometimes getting a pup from a breeder is as challenging a process as adopting a human child, it seems!), the world is also littered with breeders just looking to turn a buck, and willing to place their pups in any home that will hand them a check or cash.

Does this mean that no one in an apartment should have a herding breed?

Or am I saying seniors should not get puppies or dogs?

No! Or course I’m not saying that. But, I am asking you to Choose Wisely - for the dog’s sake, if not your own.

Just because you’ve always had big dogs doesn’t mean you always will (or should) have them. I used to have Great Danes, German shepherds, and Collies…and then my health, stamina, and strength changed - by that time, I had discovered Whippets, and the rest is history. As I grew older, the Whippet personality actually fit my lifestyle & personality much better than the breeds I previously had owned and loved.

Picking your next dog based on what you’ve always owned, or on looks alone, or what is popular with your friends and family …especially if that dog doesn’t actually fit into your lifestyle… is unfair to you, and the dog.

Instead, I beg you - do your research, and consider picking your next dog based on what fits your lifestyle, energy level & strength, and living environment.

Be brutally honest with yourself. Are you REALLY up for walking the dog 2 to 4 miles a day rain or shine, doing tons of training, and providing mental enrichment?

Do you REALLY have the strength, energy, and desire to potty train, crate train, leash train, play with, and provide adequate exercise and mental enrichment for that new, high-energy puppy?

If you already find yourself with an ‘overmatch’ - then you have some tough decisions to make.

Very often, proper training, mental stimulation, and physical exercise can help tremendously.

Puppies get past their chewing, nipping, and jumping stages (with training!), and can be taught to walk nicely on the leash and can turn into amazing companions.

In the end, it’s a free country - you CAN have the dog you want.

And in the case of overmatches, they CAN work out. With the right amount of time and effort, the herding breed in the apartment can be safely off-leashed trained and get the exercise and mental stimulation he craves.

Likewise, the older, and wiser owners of the boisterous lab pup can utilize some of the amazing new equipment, methods, and technologies in the dog training world to help them get their pup to a safe and enjoyable adulthood.

Making an overmatch fit into your world will take adjustments - you just have to be willing and able to put in the work.

Jennifer Hime is the Owner & Dog Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.  She and her training staff have been training dogs professionally since 1990. She can be reached at:  k9counselor.com