It’s common for people to get a dog during a difficult chapter in life—after the loss of a loved one, a divorce, or when dealing with anxiety or depression. Emotional support animals offer unconditional comfort and companionship. For many, having an emotional support dog is life-changing.

But here’s the part most people never hear: while an emotional support animal can help you feel better emotionally, it can also unintentionally create major obedience and behavioral problems.

Many emotional support dog owners unknowingly project vulnerability instead of leadership. Dogs are incredibly perceptive, and in the absence of strong, clear leadership, they often assume that role themselves. This often leads to disobedience, anxiety, and protective behaviors that spiral out of control.

It’s not the dog’s fault—it’s just a misinterpretation of the relationship.

When a dog takes on the role of decision-maker, obedience becomes optional. Rules get blurry. And frustration builds. What began as a loving, supportive bond can quickly turn into a chaotic one. The loss of “control” over your dog is what inevitably gives them the ability to do as they please. And if you let dogs do as they please, you may not like what pleases them. That could create a problem – and if theres a problem – that’s a problem.

This is something I see frequently—not just with grieving dog owners, but with people who suffer from social anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges. Emotional support dogs are meant to help bring balance to your life, but they still need structure and clarity in return.

That’s where my dog training program comes in.

I’ve developed a 5-stage process that helps emotional support animal owners rebuild a proper relationship with their dog—one that balances comfort with control. This isn’t a quick fix, a gimmick, or a treat-based system. It’s a proven method that gives you long-term results and restores the natural order your dog craves.

Once your dog sees you as the leader, everything changes—behavior improves, anxiety decreases, and your bond becomes stronger than ever. You can absolutely still lean on your dog for comfort. But when your dog knows who’s in charge, they can relax and be the emotional support animal they were meant to be.

This system works on every dog, regardless of background, breed, or behavior history. And by the time you finish my program, you’ll likely be more skilled than the average trainer.

If your emotional support dog is struggling with obedience, anxiety, or behavioral issues, the solution isn’t to “love them more”. You’ve already done that. The solution is to strengthen your leadership. Many people assume that means you can no longer use your dog as emotional support – but that’s not true either. You absolutely can use your dog for emotional support – but you can’t let it impact your control.

As a professional Indiana dog trainer working with clients from Fort Wayne to Carmel, I often see the same pattern. When a dog is brought into an emotionally intense situation, the relationship can become unbalanced. The owner—without realizing it—may project vulnerability rather than leadership. And dogs pick up on that instantly.

When leadership is missing, dogs often take over the role themselves. This creates a ripple effect of behavioral issues—ignoring commands, leash pulling, barking, anxiety, or even aggression. What started as emotional support slowly becomes emotional stress.

Whether you’re in Fort Wayne, Noblesville, Fishers, or anywhere in Indiana, this program gives you the leadership tools to transform your dog’s behavior permanently. It works especially well for emotional support animal owners who need more than just comfort—they need control.

You can still love your dog. You can still rely on them emotionally. But when your dog sees you as the leader, everything changes. Obedience becomes automatic. Anxiety fades. And your emotional support animal finally becomes the steady companion you hoped for—without the chaos.

Clients from all over Indiana drive to my program because it works. Most only need two trips to complete the training, and I offer unlimited follow-up support to ensure long-term success. By the time you finish, you’ll likely be more skilled than the average trainer—and your dog will be better behaved than most people’s.

If you’re in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, or anywhere in Indiana and your emotional support dog is causing stress instead of solving it, I can help.