Bred over millennia, but a relationship preordained by the creator, man provides dog’s basic needs and dog becomes a gateway to satisfaction of man’s higher needs.  Tending such a noble creature makes a man virtuous and enriches his life immeasurably.

No matter how well situated you are with money, time, land or any other resources that improve one’s ability to care for a dog, masterful dog ownership requires personal involvement and, quite often, sacrifice.  High energy dogs require time around their master other than just exercise to feel content and comfortable with their pack situation.  Measure your situation and inclinations extremely carefully and do your research before taking the plunge.  Don’t get a high energy dog if you are not capable of being assertive and dominant, yet not cruel or harsh.  Don’t get a high energy dog on a whim or as an emotional decision. We must be good stewards of the canines and honor their nature by giving them good lives, without negligence, cruelty, or undue boredom.

That said, let’s assume you have decided to jump in.  What might you find- from the perspective of cultivating the life of a winner?

High energy dogs help keep your drive and testosterone high, which keeps a man mentally and physically healthy.  Having such a rugged presence around on a regular basis is good for one’s vigor.  This occurs through various mechanisms, the most obvious of which is the additional exercise that is requisite to responsible dog ownership.  You can’t sit slouched over on your ass watching television getting stupefied when your dog is telling you it’s time to go outside and be active.  The more subtle mechanism is along the lines of an adaptation of proverbs:

“As iron sharpens iron, so does a rugged dog sharpen the countenance of his owner.”

When training and handling a high energy dog, you must be highly conscious of your own behavior- exacting with the timing of cues, commands and rewards in order to elicit the desired response from the dog.  The self-control cultivated as a result has a transference to other endeavors, which helps produce massive wins.  The loyalty, fearlessness, tenacity, intelligence, and awesome physicality of these dogs will inspire you and help you cultivate the same virtues within yourself.