An anxious dog is often a dog who isn’t getting what they need.
Dogs were bred to do jobs. Those jobs left them with deep, genetic needs. When those needs have no outlet, dogs don’t just switch them off. They find their own way to meet them, and it’s usually not a way we like.
- 1Every dog has needs linked to the hunt: hunt, stalk, chase, bite, possess
- 2Most dogs lean towards one or two of these
- 3No outlet? They’ll outsource it: chasing, stalking, shredding, pulling
- 4Breed gives you clues, but your dog gives you the answer
- 5Find their favourite part and make it easy to get, through play with you
If you don’t give them an outlet, they’ll find one
These needs come from the hunting sequence. For many dogs, they’re not a nice extra. They’re part of how they feel safe, settled and fulfilled.
When a dog isn’t getting what they need, you often see them outsourcing it:
Nose glued to the floor
Pulling from smell to smell, impossible to get their attention on walks.
Fixating and staring
Freezing and locking on to other dogs, cats or the window.
Chasing anything that moves
Joggers, bikes, cars, squirrels, shadows.
Grabbing and shredding
Lead biting, sleeve grabbing, the sofa cushions, the post.
A retriever doesn’t have to love all of retrieving
Breed gives you clues, but every dog is an individual. Just because you have a retriever doesn’t mean they love every part of retrieving.
Play the whole game
Practise a simple retrieve: the throw, the chase out, the pick-up, the carry back and the tug or trade at the end.
Watch for the reveal
Somewhere in there, your dog will show you which part they actually love. Is it the chase? The catch? Carrying it proudly? The tug at the end?
Make that part the reason to play
Once you know, make that part easy to get. That becomes the reward, and the reason they want to play with you.
Same ball. Completely different fun.
My dog
He loves catching with minimum movement. Throwing the ball straight to his mouth gives him way more fun than making him chase it.
A GSD I train
Throw it straight to his mouth and it would probably bounce off his head! He craves the chase: the bounce, the run, the ball thrown much further.
How to find their part this week
Start at home
Pick a calm time and a quiet space. Five minutes is plenty.
Try a few games
A sniffy find-it, a flirt pole, a tug, a short retrieve. One per day is fine.
Notice the peak
Where do they light up? Where do they switch off? Jot it down.
Feed that need, often
Little and often beats one big session. A fulfilled dog has less reason to look for it elsewhere.
What is your dog trying to tell you?
1. Your dog lunges at every jogger and bike that goes past. Which need might they be outsourcing?
2. The post arrives and your dog shreds it. Every. Single. Time.
3. On walks your dog pulls from smell to smell and can’t focus on you.
4. Your dog freezes and stares at other dogs across the field.
Not sure what your dog needs?
In one focused 1-to-1 hour, we’ll work out which part of the hunt your dog needs most and build simple games to fulfil it.
Book a One Skill Workshop, £40 →
