Why Dogs Do What They Do: Understanding Behavior Through Learning and Genetics
Dogs Do What Works — For Them
Dogs, like all animals, repeat behaviors that work — behaviors that earn them something they want (like food, play, or attention), relieve stress or tension (shake-offs, zoomies, barking, digging, mouthy behavior, or chewing) or help them avoid something unpleasant. This idea is central to understanding why your dog does what they do.
Every time a dog performs a behavior and it “pays off,” it becomes more likely they’ll try that behavior again in the future. This is known as reinforcement, and it can come from you, the environment, or their own internal satisfaction (who hasn’t felt the relief of using the bathroom).
Two key things influence what behaviors a dog is likely to try or repeat:
- Learning History (Past & Present): Dogs learn from every interaction. If jumping on people has ever gotten them pets or attention, even once, that history matters. Similarly, if sitting calmly has been rewarded, that matters too.
- Genetics: Some behaviors are more pre-wired than others. Herding breeds may naturally chase or stalk, pointer may point, hounds may follow their nose, and guardian breeds may be more suspicious of strangers. Genetics don’t dictate behavior entirely, but they influence what a dog finds reinforcing or motivating.
Management Matters: Preventing the Rehearsal of Unwanted Behavior
Dogs are always learning. If we don’t prevent them from practicing unwanted behaviors, they get better at them — even if we don’t like the result.
This is where proactive management comes in. Management is anything we do to prevent the dog from rehearsing undesired behaviors:
- Using baby gates or crates to block access
- Leashing your dog during exciting moments
- Keeping tempting items out of reach
- Supervising play or social interactions
Why is this so important?
Because Practice Makes Perfect — Even When It’s a Problem Behavior
Just like humans, dogs get better with practice. If a dog practices barking at the mail carrier every day, they’re training themselves to bark more. If they repeatedly dig in the garden or chase the cat, those behaviors become smoother, faster, and more automatic.
The more often a dog does a behavior, the stronger and more reliable it becomes. So, our job is to interrupt or prevent unwanted practice and instead create lots of opportunities for the dog to practice the behaviors we do want.
Creating Success: The Role of Management, Training, and Enrichment
To raise a well-behaved, adaptable dog who can live peacefully in our human world, we combine three key strategies:
✅ Management
Prevents problems before they start and protects training. Examples:
- Baby gates to prevent door-dashing
- Tethers or crates to prevent jumping on guests
✅ Training
Teaches the dog what to do instead. We build a strong reinforcement history for desirable behaviors. Examples:
- Teaching “settle” on a mat instead of begging at the table
- Rewarding calm greetings instead of jumping
✅ Equivalent Value Alternatives (Enrichment & Redirection)
We can’t just say “don’t do that”—we need to offer something equally satisfying to meet the dog’s needs. Examples:
- Offer a food-stuffed toy or specific chew toy instead of chewing shoes
- Set up a digging box instead of punishing garden digging
- Provide sniffy walks or puzzle games to satisfy mental needs
Bottom Line
Dogs don’t misbehave out of spite or stubbornness. They behave in ways that have worked for them in the past — guided by both their learning history and their instincts.
Our job is to:
- Prevent the behaviors we don’t want from being rehearsed,
- Reinforce the behaviors we do want,
- And make sure the dog’s natural needs are being met in appropriate ways.
When we do that consistently, we help dogs become not just well-behaved, but happy and confident companions in our homes.