BEFORE YOU SAY YES TO THE DOG
Most dog books sell the dream.
This one prepares the family for reality.
For families deciding about a dog — and for the first weeks after you say yes.
Or get the free guide →
It fell apart in a few months. Then I did it twice more. It was never the dog.
The whole story →Still deciding
Before You Say Yes to the Dog
The decision guide, and the Family Readiness Test that tells a family yes, maybe later, or not for us.
Puppy already home
After You Say Yes to the Dog
Twenty-one manuals for the first weeks, and the Reset for the week it all falls apart.
In a 2025 survey of 500 dog owners, one in four new owners had considered rehoming by the end of week two. Dogs given up to shelters had been owned a median of 18 months.
Sources: Zigzag survey, 2025 · Powell et al., Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2021
A puppy does not enter your dream. He enters your house.
IF ANY OF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOUR HOUSE
We’ve had the same week.
Nobody actually owns the dog
One adult is busy. One is unsure. The dog belongs to everyone, which means no one.
Someone in the house is afraid
For the person who wants the dog — and the person who has to live with it.
Fifty commands at once
Everyone gives orders. The dog hears noise. Nobody learns anything — including the dog.
The kids are fighting over the dog
Kids are operators, not managers.
Chasing games never stop
The house has no zones, so the whole house is a racetrack.
Within a few months, everyone is tired
Including the puppy. This is where most families quietly give up.
That list is not a guess. It’s my house, three times over. Each one has a chapter.
This started as a system for one family.
When the books were finished I began showing them to people who work with dogs professionally. The same thing kept happening — they recognised a problem they see every week, in a completely different setting from mine.
So the practical parts are free, for all of them.
See what’s free →THE SYSTEM COMES IN TWO BOOKS
Read the first book to know. Use the companion book to do.
Before You Say Yes to the Dog
The decision framework — the real workload, the family roles, and the Family Readiness Test, so the puppy arrives into a house that’s ready for him.
Free to read with Kindle Unlimited until 8 December.
Get the first book
After You Say Yes to the Dog
The operating manual — 21 manuals, one per situation, for the family who already said yes.
Pre-order the companion bookNOT READY TO BUY YET?
Start with the free guide.
The Puppy Starter Pack — who owns each job, choosing the right puppy, the house before he arrives, the first 48 hours, and what to do when something goes wrong. Free, from the two books.
Already home and it’s going badly? Read the Reset chapter — free, no email required.
LATEST ARTICLES
Read more before you decide.
Puppy Care Routines: Outside Is Controlled Freedom — Structuring Safe Outdoor Time
The outdoors offers freedom for your puppy, but that freedom must be carefully structured. Learn how to manage outdoor time as controlled freedom in your puppy care routines.
Puppy Behaviour Routines: No "He Has to Get Used to It" — Why Flooding Your Puppy Backfires
The idea that puppies must be exposed to everything to get used to it is dangerous. Learn why controlled, gradual exposure beats flooding in puppy behaviour routines.
Puppy Behaviour Routines: Why No Dog Parks for Young Puppies — The Hidden Risks
Dog parks seem like the perfect place for puppy socialisation, but they carry significant health and behavioural risks. Learn why the book advises against dog parks for puppies.
Puppy Behaviour Routines: No Random Dogs — Why Controlled Socialisation Matters More Than Quantity
Allowing your puppy to interact with random, unknown dogs is risky for health and behaviour. Learn why the book advises against random dog interactions in puppy behaviour routines.
Puppy Behaviour Routines: No Forced Greetings — Respecting Your Puppy's Social Boundaries
Forcing your puppy to greet strangers or other dogs can damage confidence and create reactivity. Learn why no forced greetings is a cornerstone of healthy puppy behaviour routines.
The goal is not just to bring the puppy home. The goal is to keep him.