canine needs.

Canine Needs 

Dogs are: animals first, species second, breed third, and individual last, and they have needs. Different types of needs. We've broken these needs down into 3 categories: basic, instinctual, and breed-specific.

Basic Needs

"Basic" needs are just that. Basic needs, which relate to a dog's biology, survival, and level of comfort. Needs such as: biologically appropriate food, clean water, sleep, reproduction, clean air, and shelter from the elements.

Instinctual Needs

 “Instinctual Needs” are natural and unlearned by context, but these are essentials a being must have met to create and foster calm, security, balance, and fulfillment.

Like with us humans, dogs have instinctual needs that need to be provided for in order for them to feel safe, secure, and comfortable in their own skin, in their homes, under our care, and in the world around them. 

A dog’s instinctual needs are: 

1. Leadership. Providing and becoming the source of calm, patient, grounded, and confident guidance and information our dogs need. Practicing the "I-got-this" and the “I-got-your-back” mentality in any given scenario. Being proactive and not reactive in response, crystal clear with expectations, and immediately following through to reinforce. 

Dogs, on a very primal level, do not and will not trust, respect, or follow unstable, unbalanced, emotional, stressed out, anxious, impatient, fearful, angry sources of energy. When we are calm, patient, grounded and confident in our approach, we tap into the energy source our dogs automatically jive with. It's not personal, it's primal. 

2. Structure. Creating and providing structure in all things. Feeding, exercise, bedtime, “the walk”, the introduction of a new pack member, etc. These are rituals that should be conducted in an organized, orderly manner. Dogs are living in and trying to make sense of a world created and managed by a totally different species. Us. Structure and order simplifies, and promotes the feeling of comfort, security, and safety. Something to expect, understand, and rely on in our ever-changing, far-from-instinctual, chaotic world.

3. Trust and Respect. This is the foundation from which every beautiful relationship blossoms and thrives. We build this through meeting our dog’s instinctual needs, following through, being clear and fair in our expectations, including them in our day-to-day, and by offering them our undivided attention. Presence over presents.

4. Physical Exercise. Daily exercise that meets and depletes our dogs' individual energy level is a non-negotiable need all dogs have. The intensity and duration of a dog's form of activity should always meet and slightly exceed the energy level of the individual dog. Some dogs do very well with a daily leash walk, but most need more. While leash walks take the edge off, many need the ability to stretch their legs and run with reckless abandon. Every dog has a natural gait, which is usually a bit quicker than ours. Providing an outlet for dogs to let loose and release this energy that gets regenerated on a daily basis, results in a calmer, more level, and balanced state of mind. A dog that's more compliant, receptive, and able to make good, sound choices all on his or her own (provided we’ve effectively taught the difference between a good, sound choice… and a not-so-good one).

5. Social Skills. Despite what most people think, "being social" doesn't necessarily center around play. Social behavior is simply the ability to share space with others without being a jerk. That's it. Sharing space with others respectfully. Not only do they learn this valuable skill set through their mother and siblings as young pups, but they rely on us to provide opportunities to continue learning, practicing, and testing these skills. Developing an understanding of what's socially acceptable vs. not. 

Manners. Politeness. Social etiquette. This, indeed, is a skill. And like any other skill, if not consistently put to use and practiced, can deteriorate and atrophy over time. We must keep in mind, however, that dogs are just as individual as we are. Like some people are more introverted, some more extroverted. We must honor our dogs, respect their comfort levels, and advocate for them in times of discomfort and need; while also making the effort to help them develop healthier coping mechanisms when in uncomfortable situations and scenarios.

6. Rules, Boundaries and Parameters. Just like children and teenagers who test waters and continue to push the envelope, dogs are trying to understand their place in the order of things. It’s up to us to clarify this for them; letting them know what’s permitted and acceptable, and what’s not. What we allow and do not address will always continue. What we ignore automatically gains our consent. Setting and consistently reinforcing rules, boundaries and parameters isn't "mean" or "evil", it's necessary.

7. Discipline. There’s a yin and yang to discipline. Punishment is not abuse, and discipline is not a dirty word. Despite the feeling it may evoke, “discipline” is a valuable part of creating relationship, mutual understanding, and communicating with our dogs. Like every "up" has a "down", every "front" has a "back", and every "left" has a "right", reward and consequence are 2 sides of the same coin. Two parts working in concert and harmony together to produce an intended result. We reinforce acceptable, mannerly, respectful behavior, and discourage and immediately address what's not. We wouldn’t let our child bully other children, steal their lunch money, or climb on visitors, would we? 

8. Nutrition. It’s up to us to provide the type of nourishment our dogs’ bodies were physiologically designed to take in, utilize, and absorb. An animal’s physiology will always tell us what that animal should be taking in for health and a strong, robust immune system. Real, enzyme-rich, unaltered, untainted, un-effed-with foods. Not highly processed, additive and preservative-pumped “food-like products” containing various questionable, artificially made ingredients. Dogs are no different from any other living, eating organism in this regard. There’s a reason why their ailments are paralleling ours these days.

9. Companionship. Like humans, dogs are social and pack animals. They crave companionship and don’t fair well when isolated. They want to be included in our moments and days. Alongside and near us. When we domesticated them thousands of years ago, we became their pack; and they became our family.

10. Mental Stimulation. Although the canine brain takes in and processes information far differently than ours, a brain that goes unexercised and unchallenged is just as frustrating to them as it would be to us. When we tax our dogs in this manner (as one of my clients brilliantly said, "burning cognitive calories”), we’re helping them drain energy as well as training the brain and improving mental sharpness and acuity. Know how drained you feel after a day, or even an hour or two, of classes or work? This is how dogs feel when provided with opportunities to use and exercise their heads.

"Instinctual Needs" speak to the varying dimensions of needs dogs have as animals, species of animal, and as individuals; touching upon their emotional, physical, and cognitive needs. And also speaking to their needs in sharing our home and public spaces with us.

Breed-Specific Needs

Whether our dog is 100% this, or a mixture of this-and-that, learning about their heritage can be of benefit in our attempt to understand certain behaviors. 

Some dogs were bred for very specific reasons (e.g. sporting, herding, protection, scent work), and will need to have this part of them~ this natural, instinctual craving~ fulfilled in some fashion. 

For example, field trial Labradors are bred to pick up and retrieve game. Pointers sniff out and point in the direction of game out in the hunting field. German Shepherds are a herding breed of dog, but are also a dog of choice for police, military, and other challenging types of work. Foxhounds sniff out and flush foxes, Border Collies steer, direct, and keep herds together, while terriers chase and kill varmin and rodents. There are a number of different breeds of dog bred for very specific purposes. So, when we welcome a certain breed of dog into our homes, it's of *paramount* importance we learn about the breed, get to know the dog as an individual, and -if the dog carries those traits of the breed- work to meet the breed-specific needs of that dog. We see Shepherds of all kinds (German, Belgian, etc) turned into shelters at alarming rates due to behavioral issues, and people's general misunderstanding and lack of knowledge of this one principle. They are not meant to be "pet" dogs and do not fair well in the unemployment line. If they're not given a sense of purpose and a job to fulfill, they'll adopt one on their own (which usually doesn't work out well for anyone); and we'll also see a number of unstellar behaviors stemming from the frustration and anxiety of not having this provided. 

All of this being said, we have also known dogs who've defied their breed and wanted nothing to do with what they "should" naturally gravitate towards. And that's okay! Take the "try and see" approach. Sample and try breed-specific activities (e.g. herding sheep, search and rescue, hunting, etc.) or spin-off's to help "edge off" such as: agility classes, swimming, carrying a backpack on walks or hikes, retrieving balls, searching for pieces of Kong or food in hiding places, pulling - a sled, wagon or cart, etc). All are ways we can creatively help our dogs satisfy this part of their genetic being.

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