--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the need arises - and it does - you…" description: "\"When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your own dog. Don't farm it out — that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it worse.\" — Robe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/robert-a-heinlein-209_able_when-the-need-arises-and-it-does-you-mus_2654635.jpg" --- # When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to… ![“When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your own dog. Don't farm it out — that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it worse.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/robert-a-heinlein-209_able_when-the-need-arises-and-it-does-you-mus_2654635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/robert-a-heinlein-209_able_when-the-need-arises-and-it-does-you-mus_2654635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d4/robert-a-heinlein-209_able_when-the-need-arises-and-it-does-you-mus_2654635.jpg) > “When the need arises - and it does - you must be able to shoot your own dog. Don't farm it out — that doesn't make it nicer, it makes it worse.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When necessary, one must take responsibility for difficult tasks themselves rather than delegating, as outsourcing can worsen the situation. **In simple terms:** Do it yourself when needed; delegating may worsen it. Key Takeaway Accept personal responsibility for tough duties. Themes responsibility self-reliance leadership accountability Mood pragmatic direct Type leadership ethical When to use this quote - military command - project management - emergency response - personal crises Key Concepts personal agency ethical decision-making practical problem solving Questions to Reflect On - When is delegation appropriate? - How do you balance responsibility and burnout? A Different Perspective Delegation can lead to loss of control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Able Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-shoot-421688/) [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Arises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-arises-1098397/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot/) [Shoot Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot-dog-2148298/) ## Related quotes > [If I don’t start having service I’m going to swap you all for a dog and shoot the dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-i-don-t-start-having-service-i-m-going-to-swap-you-all-for-a-dog/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [What you have been obliged to discover by yourself leaves a path in your mind which you can use again when the need arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/what-you-have-been-obliged-to-discover-by-yourself-leaves-a-path-in/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [“A Christian ought to feel that when a need arises, it is his duty to fill that need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hyles/a-christian-ought-to-feel-that-when-a-need-arises-it-is-his-duty-to/) [Jack Hyles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hyles/) > [“I reckon you could go ahead and shoot that dog and git you another one with regular anal sacs and wouldn’t nobody be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-reckon-you-could-go-ahead-and-shoot-that-dog-and-git-you-another/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You can put a dog in a scene and everyone's going to be better, I guarantee it. And if they're not better, just shoot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/you-can-put-a-dog-in-a-scene-and-everyone-s-going-to-be-better-i/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Whether you actually can or can't fight city hall is of little relevance. Either way, when the need arises, you must!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/whether-you-actually-can-or-can-t-fight-city-hall-is-of-little/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) > [I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-ought-to-of-shot-that-dog-myself-george-i-shouldn-t-ought-to-of-let/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Even before a need arises, an answer has already been provided”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elsa-mendoza/even-before-a-need-arises-an-answer-has-already-been-provided/) [Elsa Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elsa-mendoza/) > [We as a nation have no choice but to conserve fuel to the best of our abilities or be prepared for harsh measures like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veerappa-moily/we-as-a-nation-have-no-choice-but-to-conserve-fuel-to-the-best-of-our/) [Veerappa Moily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veerappa-moily/) > [You don't shoot a dog when it is already dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-don-t-shoot-a-dog-when-it-is-already-dead/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [To be a winner, your point guard has to be able to shoot the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/to-be-a-winner-your-point-guard-has-to-be-able-to-shoot-the-ball/) [De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/) > [You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/you-don-t-have-to-be-straight-to-be-in-the-military-you-just-have-to/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [I think the first thing I learned was, I gotta be able to shoot if I'm going to stay on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/i-think-the-first-thing-i-learned-was-i-gotta-be-able-to-shoot-if-i-m/) [Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/) > [I have to be able to shoot the ball, I have to be able to dangerous not only going to the basket but on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/i-have-to-be-able-to-shoot-the-ball-i-have-to-be-able-to-dangerous/) [Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/) > [I became hooked on the idea of being able to shoot an image and process it myself, and end up with a product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/i-became-hooked-on-the-idea-of-being-able-to-shoot-an-image-and/) [Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/) ## More by Robert A. 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