26/08/2026
The dangers of supressing behaviour
At its core, behaviour is communication. It is how dogs express internal states, process stress, and release built-up energy - especially frustration.
When a dog barks, digs, or paces, they are actively discharging energy so they return to a calm state. If we suppress that outward expression without addressing why it's happening, the underlying energy doesn't just vanish. It gets bottled up.
When a dog is forced to keep their frustration inside, especially through the use of tools like crates, no-pull leads/harnesses, or by micromanaging their behaviour, it almost always finds another exit. It might look like:
👉Lead pulling
👉Mouthiness and nipping
👉Destructive chewing
👉Failure to recall
Letting your dog bark, shred their toy, have zoomies in the garden, or sniff that “thing” in the park, could be precisely the release they need.
Allowing a constant release of frustration prevents it from building into something more problematic.
When I see this kind of behaviour, I ask myself: What pressure release do they need right now? How can I redirect that energy into a shredding game, a sniffari, or something else instead?
What is your dog's favourite "pressure release behaviour" when they're feeling frustrated?
