A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won't be too bad.
Though each trainer believes his or her method is best, I don't think it matters which method the pet owner adopts so long as that owner finds a capable mentor and sticks with the training. Eventually you will learn to see your dog, and when that happens, the richness of your and your dog's lives will tell you what to do next.
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From @altafnoor