Your Dogs Problems were their Ancestors Strengths
I spent the first 25 years of my life working and training working farm dogs on our family bull farm, with a dozen or so at any one time. We worked together pretty much every day, averaging 25km of hard work a day during the lease season, with our top dogs doing 50Km+ on our busiest days. That’s what they were brought into this world to do, that’s what their parents did, that’s what every generation for a hundred years have probably done. Work was the highlight of their life.
When I left the farm to go into the dog industry full time, my dogs had to adapt to the pet life. To say it was an adjustment would be an understatement. All the things that we love in a good working dog - unrelenting enthusiasm for doing the herdy things, fast reactions to changes in the environment, tenacity, noise - doesn’t just go away when the work dries up or they’re adopted into a town home. There’s not really a thing called retirement in their world. It all has to be directed somewhere for them to be happy and functional members of the family.
It’s no different for your dogs, whether it’s pointing at birds in the garden, stalking the cat or nipping at the kids clothes. They might not have had the focused upbringing of working all the time to hone those neural pathways quite so strongly, but they likely still have the innate desires that have been bred into them over centuries to get very specific jobs done. That doesn’t just go away when taken out of the pen on the farm and popped in the backyard in the suburbs. Their ancestors breeders put a lot of thought into selecting for these traits, and would probably be grinning ear to ear if they saw the your pup showing those working traits even if you’re not so thrilled seeing the cat being herded across the lounge again.
This isn’t really something we can just stop. Sure we can suppress it to an extent, but without meeting those needs to do the things their brains are hardwired to do it’s always going to come out somewhere - and probably in a way that you don’t appreciate so much. The good news is that you don’t need to go get a flock of sheep and turn into a dog trialist tomorrow to keep your dog happy (though that’s always a good option to explore if you’re up for it!). We can use proxies to hit those same buttons in a way that fits into our lifestyles.
Some options to consider:
1. Structured tug games. Teaching your dog to work on a tug, and more importantly how to listen while in the presence of the tug! Great to build your relationship, work their brains and bodies and give them a goal to reach.
2. Flirt pole. As above, with added excitement of more chasey/stalky options. You can mimic a bird or sheep (depending on your dog), teach directional cues like you would on stock, and give them the satisfaction of the win when they finally catch it.
3. Obedience and agility training. Even if you don’t intend to compete, giving them a structured way to work with you, use their brain to solve problems and physically work their bodies is always a win.
4. Enrichment toys. Stuffables such as Kong toys or toppls, tossing some food in a snuffle mat or even just scattering their dinner in the grass gets them using their nose, working to solve problems and earning their dinner. That bit of brain work and effort is an easy way to use their dinner for good when you’re short on time.
5. Getting out in nature. There’s something about working dogs heading out on adventures that grounds them and gives them a chance to breathe and fully relax. They can sniff, they can explore and move their bodies while listening to their handler. Bonus points for new locations with new sights and smells.
Of course it’s not all about doing things all the time. Even working type dogs - especially working type dogs - need to learn to chill out and do nothing too. But through creating windows of opportunity to express their genetics in a controlled manner we can ensure they are truly able to thrive, and be capable of being those well balanced dogs that we can enjoy life with. We made the choices to bring these dogs into our world, and with that comes the responsibility of recognising and fulfilling who they really are. Not just who we wish they were some days.
If you are struggling with keeping up with your dogs needs, get in touch and see how I can help. I offer adventures throughout the Te Awamutu area specifically aimed at fulfilling these working dogs and helping them be their best selves - one less thing to fit into your busy schedule that day.
