• SHELTER SHOCK IS A REAL THING: “The dog you see inside the cage is not the dog you see outside the cage.” Always keep in mind, the shelter is a very stressful place for a dog. So quite often the behavior you see when the dog is behind those bars are just a side effect of being locked up all day. Effectively they’re institutionalized. This is why I always recommend for people to take the dog into the meet & greet area which all shelters have. Once you remove the dog from the cage for 20 minutes, you’ll most likely see a whole different animal. Don’t take the dog you see behind bars as their rock bottom personality. An environmental change is often the game changer.

• MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: It’s always a good idea to match your lifestyle with the dog’s personality. In other words, if you are a homebody, couch potato, it might not be the best idea to get a high energy herding breed. The amount of exercise they’ll need on a daily basis will probably be too much for you. Probably best to go for a more balanced energy lapdog. But if you’re an avid hiker, runner, etc., then a high energy breed would be perfect for you.

• AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: One of the sad realities in a shelter are the senior dogs that get surrendered. Always keep in mind, senior dogs are typically the first to get euthanized in shelters because of their low adoption rate. I’ve adopted several seniors in my life and they were the best dogs ever. The best part about seniors is they don’t come with all of the behavioral issues puppies typically have. And best of all… you’re giving an abandoned senior dog a second chance at life. Win for everyone.

Read more about Brandon McMillan’s, training methods and insight into a dog’s mind in his best-selling books