Once upon a time, I thought there was such a thing as the perfect dog. The one who walked calmly on the lead, ignored every distraction, greeted other dogs politely, never barked, never chewed, and somehow understood every word I said. I thought if I just worked hard enough — read enough, learned enough, and did everything “right” — we’d get there. That mythical point where everything fell neatly into place, where my dog would finally behave the way all those glossy photos and polished videos promised me he could. But what I didn’t realise back then was that the “perfect dog” doesn’t exist. Because perfection isn’t real. It’s a performance. What does exist is the dog in front of you — the living, breathing, emotional being who’s doing their absolute best to make sense of a human world. And when you stop chasing perfection, you start seeing them. Their individuality. Their sensitivity. Their courage. Their quirks that make them who they are. In this episode, I talk about how my perspective completely changed — from striving for control and compliance, to building connection and understanding. We’ll explore where the idea of the “perfect dog” even came from, why it’s so damaging, and what happens when we replace perfectionism with compassion. You’ll hear about the quiet power of letting go, of recognising that progress looks different for every dog, and that your dog doesn’t need to be perfect to be incredible. Because when we stop trying to fix our dogs, and start learning from them, we find something far more meaningful than perfection — we find relationship. Further resources  Free Learning:  What is the CDD method? Our Free Facebook Group Our YouTube Channel Facebook Page Bethany’s Facebook Page  Our Blog Website Free Rescue Course Take The Next Step Our Programmes  –  Work With Bethany One To One  Our Online Courses Bethany’s Books  Rewriting the Rules: The CDD Mentorship Online Programmes Surrey & Surrounding Areas- Programmes Student Group If you’re ready to step into something different - something kinder, wiser, and more meaningful - you’re in the right place. Let’s raise dogs with dignity. Let’s teach through connection. Let’s begin the conversation.