Part Two: Dogs and their Original Behaviour

Dogs can be divided into various categories, such as hunting, guarding, herding and others. All of them have their special needs, based on their natural behaviour. If an owner does not consider those needs it can lead to problems. For example, if the dog does not get the challenge to fulfil his needs, he will start searching for other ways to fulfil them. This can lead to very unpleasant situations. As a way to express their natural behaviour, a hunting dog can start prowling on his own, and may end up killing sheep or chickens; a guard dog will bark at the slightest sound and become aggressive. And, this does not only apply to pure bread dogs since cross breeds may have a wolf in the family closet.

To prevent the dog from having problems, there are special training methods for each breed. This does not mean that each dog must be trained by a professional trainer. As owners, we can become creative and find search-and-thinking games to stimulate our dogs. That, together with nice long walks, will provide a good deal of satisfaction for most canines. So, it may be work for both dog and owner, but it will be worth it!

The amount of exercise needed for the dog depends on its size and breed. For example, huskies, bred to pull the sled for hours at a time, need more than the average dog (average is a one to one and a half hour walk for a mid-sized dog). And then, not only walking but also running and active playing is needed. Although they may disagree, the fact is that almost every dog owner does not provide their dog with adequate exercise. And, from the moment a dog does not get proper exercise, we can not blame him for destroying, barking, running away etc.

The conclusion from all this is that most dogs need to be doing something at all times. But, wait, it's not that simple. While we argued that the dog needs challenges and exercise, they also have a natural need for the proper rest, which, again, varies from breed to breed. Stress is not only a human affliction. Lots of dogs get stressed out by other dogs, from traffic passing by, etc. and, if they don't have time to unstress, there will again be problems, including medical ones which will show in the skin and loss of hair, or by losing weight.

The art is to balance on the line between too much and too little challenge. Keep the dog in an in between zone: one day at home in quiet surroundings, or by taking him for a longer-than-usual walk in a familiar area where he is not challenged all the time. This will provide your dog with a good balance.

Remember, knowledge about the natural needs of your dog is very important for his well being.