Was There A Right Choice?

Click here to read the complete article
306 – February, 2026

By Matthew G. Stroud

Long after the emergency has passed, many owners are left with the same question.

Was there a right choice?

It does not depend on the outcome. No matter how things turn out, owners may still have questions. If the dog recovers, doubt can follow. Will this happen again? Did I solve the problem or only delay it? What did I give up, financially or otherwise, to make this choice, and would I make it again?

If the dog does not survive, those questions can sharpen rather than disappear. In either case, they often arrive later, after the crisis has passed and there is nothing left to decide, only the weight of having decided.

In the dog show world, we pride ourselves on preparation. Conditioning. Pedigrees. Health testing. Mentorship. Long-term planning. These are markers of responsibility, and we talk about them constantly, often with good reason.

What we talk about far less is what happens when preparation no longer provides clarity, and a decision has to be made without knowing whether the outcome will ever fully justify it.

A late-night drive to an emergency clinic. A phone call that begins with, “Your dog has taken a turn.” A room where information is incomplete, emotions are high, and choices feel both urgent and lasting.

Not a missed win.

Not a disappointing weekend.

A real emergency.

Click here to read the complete article
306 – February, 2026

Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=348854

Posted by AnthonyA on Feb 14 2026. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.