Unwanted behaviours reveal your dog's needs

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Like us, our dogs have genetic and individual needs that must be met for them to be physically and emotionally well.

In a lot of situations, when unwanted behaviours occur, those negative-seeming behaviours can be hints about needs that might be going unmet, or a need that is important to the dog’s wellbeing.

Examples:
*A dog who picks up items and refuses to drop them likely has a drive for possession that isn’t being satisfied.
*A dog who constantly pulls and is all over the place on leash may have a need to move more freely than their leash allows.
*A dog who fence fights has a drive for conflict.
*A dog who goes crazy over fast moving objects likely has a need to chase, herd, or subdue a target.

These types of drives or needs can be generally related to dogs being predators (hunting instincts), or they can be specific to a breed-related instinct (breeds trying to do the “job” humans bred them for).

Does this mean we should allow unwanted behaviours to happen? That depends - are they harmless, or are they disruptive or dangerous? If so, then no, we shouldn’t allow them. But in many cases, unless we make an effort to fulfill the underlying need, suppressing the unwanted behaviours may be difficult or even impossible, as well as unfair or detrimental to the dog.

When a dog’s needs are met and given a proper outlet, if the unwanted behaviours continue to occur, those undesirable behaviours can then be modified with training, management, punishment and/or reinforcement.