Problem Behaviours? From Whose Perspective?

Most behaviours that humans find problematic in dogs are actually completely natural from a canine perspective.

• Scavenging for food

• Going deaf over a scent

• Chasing anything that moves

• Stealing shoes and socks

• Chewing furniture

• Shredding the mail

• Digging up the garden

I understand the frustration these behaviours can cause—I see them in my own dogs, too. But if you asked your dog, they'd tell you these are natural instincts. And they’d be right.

Our domesticated dogs have evolved from an ancestor of the modern day wolf. While dogs today are definitely not wolves, they still retain parts of the original hunting pattern:

1. Orient

2. Eye

3. Stalk

4. Chase

5. Grab Bite

6. Kill Bite

7. Dissect

8. Consume

Over hundreds of years, humans have selectively bred dogs to emphasise, reduce or delete parts of this sequence. For example:

• Border Collies emphasise the eye-stalk-chase behaviours (or stopping movement rather than chase).

• Spaniels bred to locate and retrieve game (orient, grab-bite).

• Terriers bred to quickly dispatch rodents (kill-bite).

The hunting pattern behaviours are intrinsic needs, our dogs need to perform these behaviours they've been bred for, and they feel GREAT doing it. If we don't provide appropriate outlets for these instincts, they'll find their own ways to satisfy them.

"But won't allowing my dog to engage in these behaviours make the problem worse?"

By meeting their needs, we help mitigate the problem. However, your dog will still have a reinforcement history with those inappropriate outlets, so these behaviours won't disappear overnight. With the right management, training, and appropriate outlets, we can actually start to enjoy these natural behaviours together.

There is an abundance of information available now on canine enrichment and breed specific activities. Think about what your dog was originally bred to do. This will give you an idea what they might find enriching. What about mixed breeds? Or non-breeds? Take a look at the hunting pattern and try to identify which parts they enjoy from their current behaviour; for example do they like to play tug (grab bite) or do they like to shake and shred the toy (kill bit and dissect). Do they like to follow a scent or are they motivated by movement?

Once you have figured out your dogs preference you can provide appropriate activities for them including:

• urban herding

• flirt poles

• tug play

• nose work games

• paper shredding

• digging boxes

• retrieve games

• interactive toys

• squeaky toys

• tracking/mantrailing

• carrying items

• chew toys

• snuffle mats
  

Providing these types of activities can help satisfy your dog's breed-specific needs, reduce boredom, and minimise unwanted behaviours.

The next time a problematic behaviour occurs, think whether this is actually a natural behaviour for your canine companion and how you might help turn it from problematic to enriching instead. Your dog will thank you for it.