Humans Tell the Story. Dogs Tell the Truth.

Four years.

Four years of writing.

Rewriting.

And rewriting again.

People have laughed.

They’ve cried.

They’ve had “oh sht”* moments.*

I’ve been deeply humbled by how much this work has resonated — and how many people are now quoting passages from the book. That tells me something important:

The messages are landing, and they’re needed.

Above all else, though… if there’s one lesson I hope continues to ripple out from these pages — one that’s shaped everything I do and everything I teach — it’s this:

Humans tell the story.
Dogs tell the truth.

Story with dogs often happens through misunderstanding — through lack of awareness, lack of understanding, or the stories we tell ourselves about what’s really happening.

Sometimes it’s shaped by agenda — to hide mistakes, save face, impress, avoid backlash, protect, or even dramatize.

But the dog?

The dog simply tells the Truth.

Always.

And they do this through behavior — telling us what’s in excess, what’s lacking (or what’s completely missing), and also what’s in balance.

They don’t lie.
They don’t scheme.
They simply mirror.
They offer feedback.
They communicate.
They express.

If we’re willing to listen — really listen — they’ll show us everything we need to see.

The problem with humans is that most would rather accept a story than the truth.

And that becomes deeply problematic for dogs — often costing them their homes, their safety, and sometimes even their lives.

This is also the hardest part of dog training and behavioral work — something I’ve learned from years of doing this work.

The resistance. The blocks. The denial. The fear. The stories we tell ourselves to stay safe — or save face.

The pride. The ego. The defenses that protect what’s familiar, even if we’re being called to release and grow beyond.

I 100% believe dogs help us do exactly this — to release the old and build the new.

But they’re often met with our resistance, projection, and blame along the way.

These are the barriers that keep us from true connection.

We can’t successfully reach the dog if we can’t reach the human responsible for raising the dog.

This work isn’t about “fixing dogs.”

**It’s about transforming the human condition that shapes them.**

The debate between Nature vs. Nurture has always showed up in this work.

While Nature gives us the blueprint, Nurture determines what comes alive.

Environment.
Energy.
Relationship.

They sculpt behavior far more powerfully than we realize.

Human relevance. Canine perception.
Two different nervous systems on both ends of the leash, influencing one another — in real time.

Responses.
Reactions.

How we conduct and handle ourselves — and them — determines their level of perceived safety, security, and comfort.

This is the pulse that runs through every chapter — it’s never just about training the dog.

It’s about transforming the human.

When we take responsibility for our side of the leash — for what we project, protect, or avoid — we stop asking dogs to carry what was never theirs to hold.

And that’s when everything changes.

-------

"The Human End of the Leash: Dog Training’s Missing Link"

A human self-help book… for dogs.

Available on Amazon → https://a.co/d/12uImLS

Signed & Personalized Copies (with custom bookmark & highlighter) → https://kimberlyartley.com/books-and-ebooks

*100% of all proceeds go directly toward Ava, Cowboy, and next steps.*