A Dog's Instincts and Drives

k9 Behaviour + Training. INSTINCT + DRIVE
Whatever breed of dog you own, it will have come to you with specific hard wired genetics, instincts and drives. How he develops, will depend on how much we understand the breed, and natural instincts. For instance, Dobermans, Rotties and GSDs have guarding instincts, Collies have herding instincts, Labs, Spaniels, Pointers and Hounds are hunters and retrievers, Terriers are hunters and diggers. We cannot teach these instincts, but we can either strengthen, channel, redirect or slightly reduce them, they will never go away.
If the instinct is is suppressed or even encouraged, the dog may become frustrated, leading to reactivity, and difficult behaviours, even OCD. It is much better to allow the dog SOME expression of the drive + instinct in a controlled way. Using enrichment, searching, scent work, running, hunting, racing, and sports.
Instinct also covers self-preservation.
Most difficult behaviours are fear based, if a dog has not had good experiences with people, other dogs, traffic, noises etc, in the first few weeks and months, as he grows up he feels he has to take control of a situation himself, hence the barky, lungy dog. This is not aggression, it is fear and anxiety, wanting the thing to go away. (Until he learns there is nothing to fear, with good experiences).
I have 2 Collies, one with a high prey drive, the other not, but they both have the 'Collie Eye'.. which funnily, is called 'Clapping', hence the expression to 'clap eyes on', to stare at the sheep or ball...daring it to move! It comes naturally.
So, know and understand your dog's natural instincts.