You didn't choose this dog. Maybe you inherited one after a death, a divorce, or a relative's move. Now you're awake at 2 a.m. while the dog paces and whines, wondering if you're a bad person for wishing it had gone to someone else. This book doesn't tell you to love the dog instantly. It doesn't pretend that obligation feels like affection. Instead, Helena Vosskamp offers a calm, practical path: assess what the dog actually needs, build a care plan that fits your real life, and decide what kind of relationship is possible—even if it's not love at first sight. With clear safety boundaries, guidance on when to involve a veterinarian or a force-free behaviorist, and no shame about money, housing, rehoming, or euthanasia decisions made on veterinary advice, this is a companion for the unchosen responsibility you never expected to carry.
