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Amanda Cruz

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Growing up, in rural Tracy, CA, I had just about every domesticated (and some not) animal that you can image, with the lone exception of a cow.  (It's on my bucket list to have a cow and name them Macushla).  We always had at least a few dogs and my favorite shows on TV featured dogs.  When I saw that Joel Silverman came out with a VHS series for how to train dogs I begged my parents for it so I could start training our German Shepherd, Cheyenne.  Fast forward to meeting Mike at 17 and the journey we began together through the ups and downs of 25 years and the health challenges he has faced.  Our life has become about helping dogs and helping learn to live together in the best way possible.

Although my full-time focus is not dog training, I attend the workshops and seminars, read the books, listen to the podcasts and assist Mike in training the dogs.  It's a shared passion to help people with not only dog obedience, but really educating them on the behavior of their dog and how to live in harmony with their dog.  

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The Hidden Struggle of Working Breeds in Pet Homes

  • engageddogtrainer
  • Oct 18
  • 1 min read

Part 1 - The Hidden Struggle of Working Breeds

three dogs eating in a row
three dogs eating in a row

They’re beautiful, intelligent, loyal — and sometimes overwhelming. Breeds like the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, and Border Collie capture hearts with their intensity and focus. But here’s the truth most owners don’t realize until they’re in over their heads: these dogs weren’t bred to be pets. They were bred to work.


That drive to herd, guard, or protect doesn’t disappear in a suburban backyard. When it has no outlet, it often turns inward — showing up as frustration, anxiety, or destructive behavior. None of this means a working dog is “bad.” It simply means the instincts that once kept flocks safe or protected property now have nowhere to go.


The key to a peaceful home isn’t suppressing those instincts — it’s channeling them. At EDT, we teach owners how to give those powerful drives purpose, so their dog can finally rest easy.

 
 
 

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