08/05/2025
Train the WHOLE DOG
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Biological Fulfilment in Dogs: More Than Just Walkies and a Bowl of Kibble
It’s easy to forget, in our modern world of comfortable sofas, retractable leads, and pampered pups, that dogs were never bred just to keep us company. A hundred years ago, and not even that long ago, in truth, the overwhelming majority of dogs were working animals. Whether they were herding sheep, guarding livestock, pulling carts, flushing birds, or killing rats, they had a purpose.
Even today, beneath the glossy coats of show dogs and beneath the cuddly appeal of designer crossbreeds (yes, mutts with marketing), there lies a dog bred for function. And if we, as owners, handlers, or trainers, fail to honour that legacy, we do so at the dog’s expense.
Because here’s the truth: a dog that isn’t biologically fulfilled will find its own outlet. And more often than not, that outlet is inconvenient at best, destructive at worst. Barking, digging, chasing shadows, hu***ng your favourite cushion, all signs of a dog trying to satisfy needs that aren’t being met.
So, how do we fix it? We stop training behaviours in a vacuum and start meeting biological needs. Below is a breakdown of the major breed groups and how we can tailor our enrichment to suit their natural instincts.
1. Herding Dogs (Collies, Shepherds, Cattle Dogs, etc.)
Biological drive: Movement control. These dogs were bred to manage the movement of livestock, often independently, across fields and long distances.
Signs of unmet needs: Shadow chasing, heel nipping, obsessive ball chasing, car lunging, controlling children or other pets.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Directional games (cones, left/right, send-aways).
• Treibball (urban herding using large balls).
• Structured obedience with movement and stillness (engage-disengage exercises).
• Scent-based searches in combination with movement-based puzzles.
• Work-to-eat activities that require problem-solving.
2. Gundogs (Retrievers, Spaniels, Setters, Pointers)
Biological drive: Hunting, flushing, marking, retrieving, often over water and rough terrain.
Signs of unmet needs: Scavenging, excessive mouthing, barking at movement, lack of impulse control, zoomies.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Scent games (find the treat, find the article, scent pairing).
• Retrieving tasks using dummies or toys, incorporating steadiness.
• Water play with purpose—structured retrieves into lakes or ponds.
• Memory marks (mark, leave, retrieve later).
• Sniffy walks—lead walks focused on olfactory stimulation, not distance.
3. Terriers
Biological drive: Earthwork, dispatching vermin, digging, tenacity and problem-solving under pressure.
Signs of unmet needs: Barking, digging, grabbing clothes, attacking toys or garden hoses, intense focus on small animals.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Dig pits, designated areas where digging is encouraged.
• Puzzle feeders with resistance (tug-style).
• Scent detection with alert indication.
• Burrow games, treats hidden in sand or soil.
• High-energy tug and release games with control elements.
4. Scent Hounds (Beagles, Bassets, Foxhounds)
Biological drive: Tracking, trailing, following a scent to its source, often for hours without handler input.
Signs of unmet needs: Pulling on lead, absconding, ignoring recalls, nose constantly down.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Trailing exercises using human scent or food trails.
• Scent discrimination games using multiple odours.
• Long lead sniffaris, structured, slow walks with lead slack to allow free sniffing.
• Tracking lines in rural areas using flags or markers.
• Scattered food searches in long grass or woodland.
5. Sighthounds (Greyhounds, Whippets, Lurchers)
Biological drive: Chase, speed, and prey drive visual triggers.
Signs of unmet needs: Chasing cyclists or joggers, lunging at fast-moving dogs, explosive energy followed by long lethargy.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Flirt pole sessions—short bursts with impulse control.
• Recall games involving sight-based targets.
• Chase games with toy release upon success.
• Freedom fields, safe, enclosed running spaces.
• Visual marker games (sit at a distance marker, then release to run).
6. Working & Utility Breeds (Rottweilers, Dobermanns, Boxers, Schnauzers, etc.)
Biological drive: Guarding, drafting, thinking under pressure, general purpose work.
Signs of unmet needs: Guarding spaces or objects, excessive barking, hypervigilance, pulling on the lead, separation issues.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Structured obedience with high expectations.
• Scent work to reduce hypervigilance.
• Confidence-building through agility-style obstacles.
• Cart pulling or resistance-based exercises (with proper equipment).
• ‘On duty’ jobs such as carrying a backpack or patrolling a set route.
7. Toy & Companion Breeds (Pugs, Cavaliers, Bichons, etc.)
Biological drive: Despite their size, many retain traits from working ancestors, ratting, alert barking, or even herding!
Signs of unmet needs: Clinginess, separation anxiety, demand barking, frantic energy in short bursts.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Short problem-solving tasks (cups and treat games).
• ‘Find it’ games indoors or in small gardens.
• Scent work adapted to scale.
• Training routines with trick components.
• Carrying light items or learning “jobs” indoors.
8. Nordic & Primitive Breeds (Huskies, Malamutes, Basenjis, etc.)
Biological drive: Endurance, independence, hunting, and working in harsh conditions with minimal guidance.
Signs of unmet needs: Escaping, aloofness, lack of recall, vocalisation, destructive chewing.
Ideas for fulfilment:
• Canicross or bikejoring (fitness with purpose).
• Scent work with minimal handler input.
• Cold-weather enrichment (ice cubes, snow play).
• Long-distance walks with pack gear.
• Natural scavenging-style feeding routines.
So, What Does Biological Fulfilment Really Mean?
It means looking beyond the “walk twice a day and chuck a ball” routine and asking yourself: What was this dog bred to do? And then giving them a version of that they can do today, within the safety and structure of a modern environment.
It’s not about exhausting them, it’s about enriching them. The right biological outlet calms the nervous system, builds confidence, and strengthens the dog-handler relationship.
Yes, even your “just a pet” Cockapoo or your retired showline Golden Retriever has the genetic blueprint of a worker inside them. And if we ignore it, we risk having dogs that are frustrated, confused, and at odds with the lives we expect them to lead.
Final Thought
As trainers and handlers, our job isn’t just to stop behaviours, it’s to understand why they exist and channel them into something productive. Satisfying a dog’s biological needs isn’t a luxury, it’s the foundation for emotional balance, obedience, and wellbeing.
Train the dog in front of you, yes. But fulfil the dog inside them, too.
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