Most dogs today live very different lives from the ones they were bred for.
They’ve gone from working partners to family members, which is lovely, but those instincts that once helped them do a job haven’t gone anywhere.
Herding, hunting, retrieving, guarding, sniffing, pulling. Every breed was developed with a purpose in mind. When those needs aren’t met, dogs often find their own ways to fill the gap.
Why It Matters
When we forget what our dogs were bred for, we can unintentionally create frustration.
A collie who chases bikes, a terrier who tears up the garden, a husky who howls at 3 a.m. They’re not being difficult, they’re doing what they were designed to do.
Those behaviours aren’t “bad.” They’re instinctive. Trying to suppress them usually backfires. It’s like asking a spaniel not to get excited about a tennis ball: unrealistic at best.
Fulfilling Genetic Drives
Honouring your dog’s instincts doesn’t mean moving to a farm or starting a sled team. It’s about providing healthy outlets for what they’re naturally wired to do.
A few examples:
Collies – Direction games, herding balls, agility. They need movement and purpose.
Retrievers – Fetch, carrying, swimming, dock diving. They’re happiest when they have something to do with their mouths.
Beagles and Scent Hounds – Scatter feeds, “find it” games, scent work. Their nose is their world.
Terriers – Dig boxes, flirt poles, hunting-style play, GRC. Determined problem solvers with teeth.
Huskies – Canicross, long walks, structured enrichment. Built to move and never shy about saying so.
Guardian Breeds – Obedience, boundary games, clear structure, bite work. They thrive when they have a role to play.
It’s not about making your dog a full-time worker, it’s about giving them a satisfying way to express who they are.
The Payoff
When a dog’s instincts are met, everything else gets easier.
They’re calmer, more confident, and more content. Most of the “problem behaviours” I see as a trainer come from boredom or unfulfilled drives, not defiance.
Meeting those needs doesn’t just change your dog’s behaviour, it changes your relationship.
Remember, They’re Individuals
Not every dog follows the breed manual. You might have a greyhound who loves swimming or a spaniel who hates the rain, and that’s fine.
Breed traits give you clues, not rules.
If your terrier prefers sunbathing to digging or your collie loves scentwork more than herding, go with it.
The best job for your dog is the one that makes them happy.
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