04/12/2025
Fantastic Visual!
Dogs behave the way they do for many reasons. They donât act out of stubbornness or a desire to be ânaughty,â nor do they try to take control to be the 'pack leader.' Old myths and outdated training approaches harm their well-being and strain the bond between dogs and their caregivers.
𧏠A dogâs breed and genetics shape certain behavioural traits. Genetic predispositions and breed-specific tendencies play a role. Some breeds lean toward behaviours like herding, hunting, or guarding.
The neonatal period and the environment a dog grows up in can impact and influence their emotional responses. Early socialisation periodâappropriately exposing puppies using reward-based methods to diverse people, animals, and settings during their key developmental windowâbuilds confidence and shapes emotional regulation, adaptive behaviours, social skills, and reduces fear or aggression later on.
Overstimulation triggers unwanted behaviours by overwhelming a dogs senses. Not enough sleep, loud noises, crowds, or constant busy activity can lead to hyperactivity or erratic/impulsive responses. For example, a dog might jump, bark, or pull on the leash when flooded with too much daily input.
Past experiences and learned consequences shape behaviour. Trauma, especially, can spark fear, anxiety, or aggression.
How caregivers interact and guide their dogs shape their emotional responses and behaviours. Empathy, prevention (environmental management), consistency, and positive reinforcement methods build a more stable and confident dog. Punitive correction-based and intimidation methods can create unpredictability, confusion, and fear, which may lead to aggressive defensive responses.
A dogs healthâphysical and mentalâaffects their behaviour. Pain, illness, or discomfort can shift how they act.
Emotions that cause distress, like fear, anxiety, or excessive excitement, drive behaviour or a âlack thereof.â Responses are instinctive and depend on how the dog perceives a threat. They might react defensively (fight), flee to hide (flight), freeze in place, or fawn by showing submissive, appeasing behaviours to de-escalate conflictâlike excessive licking or cowering. Some may shut down entirely into learned helplessness after prolonged stress, while others display excessive, out-of-context behaviours (fidgeting), like random ge***al checks, eating grass, scratching, or âshaking off.
Unmet mental or physical needs lead to frustration and destruction. A dog with pent-up energy or boredom might chew furniture, dig up the yard, or bark nonstop to release stress.
Diet influences behaviour, too. High-quality nutrition supports steady energy, good mood, and well-being. Poor food choices can cause irritability, hyperactivity, or gut issues.
As dogs age, canine cognitive decline can set in as well as the loss of hearing or eyesight. These changes can lead to increased confusion, disorientation, and altered social interactions in older dogs.
Every dog is unique, and behaviour varies within context, experiences, breeds, and life stages. Dogs express needs, emotions, and intentions through body language, vocalizations, and other signals. Reading these cues gives you insight into their behaviour and how they are feeling, which can help you prevent unwanted situations from happening or help you adjust your approach to challenges.
Iâm not humanising dogsâthey are sentient beings with emotions (Cambridge Declaration, 2012). Their feelings and needs may not be as layered as ours, but theyâre real!
Thanks for reading and learning more about themđžđ
