If you work with Magnus K9, we will spend time talking about biological fulfillment, one of our key pillars in unleashing a dog’s full potential so they can live their best life.
The best place to start in biological fulfillment is knowing what type of breed(s) make up your dog’s DNA. There are many companies that do genetic testing for animals and I recommend that if you haven’t done one before, go ahead and get a test. It might just be that the types of play or mental stimulation you are doing with your dog are landing flat because it’s not something they were biologically programmed to do.
I remember a client that came in with a dog who had serious reactivity and fear issues and they had him genetically tested, which determined he was part German Shepherd. We asked “do you play tug with your dog” and they had been told by a previous trainer that tug is an action that brings out aggression and should be squashed. Playing tug for German Shepherds is one of the most rewarding activities they can do because it is literally what they were created and hard-wired for.
Having lived in Colorado, the joke is that Australian Shepherds and Cattle Dogs are the state dog. So many awesome versions of these breeds. If your dog has any mix of these two and you are not doing some sort of agility practice or working your dog around fun objects, that dog is not living its best life!
There are some really great hobbies that you may want to get into with your dog to tap into their biological makeup. Have you ever heard of scent tracking, detection, protection sports, joring, dock diving, obedience sports? There are many more activities you can introduce to your dog, even on a small scale if you don’t want to compete or show. Doing a hobby like these with your dog not only fulfills them but strengthens the relationship you have with your dog exponentially. Now your dog realizes that one of his favorite things is also your favorite thing too!