Your Dog Isn’t Being Naughty: The Science Behind Instinct and Learning

Have you ever wondered why some dogs seem naturally driven to chase squirrels, herd children, dig holes, or carry toys around the house without ever being taught? At the same time, dogs can also learn incredibly complex behaviours—from waiting politely for food to walking calmly through busy environments.

This is because canine behaviour is shaped by two major influences: instinctive behaviour and learned behaviour. Understanding the difference between the two is one of the most important parts of successful dog training, because many behaviours owners struggle with are not simply “bad habits”—they are often deeply rooted in biology, experience, or both.

At Poochwise, understanding why dogs behave the way they do is central to how we approach training and behaviour support.

What Are Instinctive Behaviours?

Instinctive behaviours are behaviours dogs are born with. They are not taught; instead, they are inherited through genetics and are part of a dog’s natural behavioural makeup (Visha and Sejian, 2023; Willis, 1995).

These behaviours developed over generations because they helped dogs survive, work, or perform specific tasks alongside humans.

Examples of instinctive canine behaviours include:

• Chasing moving objects

• Prey drive

• Stalking and circling

• Scent tracking

• Retrieving

• Nesting before giving birth

• Digging and sourcing food

• Jumping or climbing behaviours

  
  

This is one reason why certain breeds often display predictable behavioural tendencies. For example:

• Herding breeds may naturally stalk, chase, or circle movement

• Gundogs often enjoy carrying and retrieving items

• Hounds are highly motivated by scent and may follow trails instinctively

  

Research has shown that these breed tendencies are linked to selective breeding over many generations (Marschark and Baenninger, 2002).

This doesn’t mean every dog will behave identically, but it does mean genetics can strongly influence behaviour.

Can Instinctive Behaviours Be Changed?

Instinctive behaviours can often be managed and redirected, but they are usually much harder to completely remove because they are biologically rewarding for the dog (Scott and Fuller, 2012).

For example, teaching a Border Collie not to stalk movement entirely may be unrealistic. However, we can teach alternative behaviours, impulse control, and appropriate outlets for those instincts.

A good example is prey drive. Many dogs instinctively want to chase wildlife, bikes, or fast movement. Punishing the behaviour alone often fails because the motivation behind it is still present. Instead, effective training focuses on:

• Teaching self-control

• Reinforcing calm choices

• Providing appropriate enrichment

• Managing the environment safely

Training works best when we work with natural instincts rather than constantly fighting against them.

The Role of Environment: Nature vs Nurture

Interestingly, scientists have increasingly questioned just how “fixed” instinctive behaviour really is.

Blumberg (2017) suggested that instinctive behaviours may actually develop through interaction with the environment. In simple terms, dogs may be biologically prepared for certain behaviours, but the environment influences whether those behaviours fully emerge.

This links closely to the long-standing “nature versus nurture” debate (Jensen, 2007).

For example:

• Is a dog naturally reactive?

• Or did life experiences shape that behaviour over time?

In reality, behaviour is usually influenced by both genetics and experience.

A dog may inherit a strong tendency toward nervousness, confidence, sociability, or prey drive—but how those traits develop is heavily influenced by:

• Early socialisation

• Environment

• Learning history

• Stress levels

• Human interaction

• Exposure to experiences during development

This is why two dogs of the same breed can behave very differently depending on their upbringing.

What Are Learned Behaviours?

Learned behaviours are behaviours dogs acquire through life experience, observation, repetition, and interaction with humans or other dogs.

Dogs are highly adaptive learners. They learn through:

• Trial and error

• Observation (social learning)

• Consequences of behaviour

• Repetition and reinforcement (Reisner and Serpell, 2016)

  

This learning begins early in puppyhood through play and interaction with littermates, and it continues throughout life.

Examples of learned behaviours include:

• Sitting when asked

• Loose lead walking

• Recall

• Waiting politely for food

• Fear responses after a bad experience

• Jumping up for attention

• Barking at the doorbell

Some learned behaviours develop intentionally through training, while others happen accidentally through everyday life.

For example, if a dog jumps up and receives attention every time, they may quickly learn that jumping works.

One-Time Learning: Why Some Experiences Have Lasting Effects

Dogs can sometimes learn very quickly from emotionally significant experiences.

This is known as one-time learning.

For example, if a dog experiences pain, fear, or a traumatic event in a certain environment, they may develop a strong emotional association after only one incident.

A dog frightened by another dog while on lead may suddenly begin reacting aggressively or fearfully on walks afterward. Similarly, a painful veterinary experience may cause future anxiety at clinics.

These emotional associations are powerful because they are connected to survival and safety.

Can Learned Behaviours Override Instinct?

In many cases, yes—at least temporarily.

One of the clearest examples is impulse control around food.

Instinctively, dogs are motivated to find and eat food. However, through consistent training, dogs can learn to wait calmly for permission before eating.

The instinct to eat still exists, but learning creates self-control.

This is an important concept in dog training:

Training does not erase instinct. It teaches dogs how to manage it.

However, if training is inconsistent or stops altogether, instinctive behaviour may reappear because the underlying biological motivation never fully disappears.

This is why ongoing reinforcement matters.

Trauma, Learning, and Behavioural Change

Life experiences can also reshape instinctive behaviour patterns.

For example, instinctively dogs prefer to toilet away from their sleeping area. However, dogs raised in confined or neglectful environments may learn to urinate where they sleep because they had no alternative.

Even after rescue, this learned behaviour may continue.

This highlights how powerful learning and environment can be in shaping behaviour over time.

Why This Matters for Dog Owners

Understanding the difference between instinctive and learned behaviour changes how we approach training.

Instead of assuming a dog is being:

• “stubborn”

• “dominant”

• or “naughty”

…we begin asking:

• Is this behaviour instinctive?

• Has this behaviour been learned or reinforced?

• What emotional or environmental factors are involved?

This perspective creates more realistic expectations and more compassionate training strategies.

A Labrador carrying objects around the house is not “misbehaving”—they are often expressing natural retrieving instincts. A scent hound ignoring recall outdoors may not be disobedient; they may simply be highly biologically motivated by scent.

Good training recognises these instincts and channels them productively.

Final Thoughts

Instinctive behaviours form the foundation of who dogs are. Learned behaviours develop through experience, training, and environment. Together, they shape the individual dog in front of us.

While instinctive behaviours can influence behaviour strongly, learning has the power to guide, redirect, and reshape responses over time. The most effective dog training works by understanding both.

At Poochwise, we believe successful training isn’t about suppressing natural behaviour—it’s about understanding your dog, working with their instincts, and teaching them how to succeed in the human world in a safe, ethical, and rewarding way.

references

Blumberg, M.S., 2017. Development evolving: the origins and meanings of instinct. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 8(1-2), p.e1371.

Jensen, P., 2007. Mechanisms and function in dog behaviour. The behavioural biology of dogs, pp.61-75.

Marschark, E.D. and Baenninger, R., 2002. Modification of instinctive herding dog behavior using reinforcement and punishment. Anthrozoös, 15(1), pp.51-68.

Scott, J.P. and Fuller, J.L., 2012. Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog (Vol. 570). University of Chicago Press. 

Visha, P. and Sejian, V., 2023. Physiology of Animal Behavior. In Textbook of Veterinary Physiology (pp. 695-720). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

Willis, M.B., 1995. Genetic aspects of dog behaviour with particular reference to working. James Serpell. The.