Principle 1: Dog First (Why Some Dogs Love the Fight)

Principle 1: Dog First (Why Some Dogs Love the Fight)

Most people train like every dog is a dopamine machine.

Food. Toys. Hype. Praise. More reps. More excitement.

And for a lot of dogs, that works great. They’re little gamblers. They live for the “maybe.” The chase. The anticipation. The pop of reward.

That’s dopamine.

But some dogs are built different.

They don’t just like the win. They like the work. They like the push. They like the struggle. They like the feeling of earning it through friction.

That’s endorphins.

Think about how good a hard workout feels when it’s over. Not because it was easy. Because it sucked and you did it anyway. That’s endorphin satisfaction. It’s learned enjoyment from effort, strain, and challenge.

Every dog is a blend of both. But the mix matters.

Because if you’ve got an endorphin-heavy dog and you don’t give that “work through it” itch a job, they’ll scratch it themselves. Usually on your leash, your rules, or your living room.

And if struggle is part of their reward system, guess what they’re going to do?

They’re going to manufacture it.

With you.

With the leash.

With the rules.

With the other dog.

With the kid running through the living room.

Here’s the part people miss: a fair struggle doesn’t kill hope. It teaches hope. It teaches the dog that effort matters, that persistence works, and that the win is earned. That’s a different kind of satisfaction than pure excitement, and some dogs are wired to crave it.

My heeler is a perfect example.

He likes dopamine. He likes rewards. He likes fun. He’ll work for food and he’ll light up for a toy.

But he’s also an endorphin junkie.

He likes fighting cattle. And if I’m being honest, he likes fighting me. He likes fighting people. He likes pushing. He likes pressure. He likes conflict, in that weird, grin-on-his-face way that makes you go, “Oh cool, you’re enjoying this.”

If I don’t channel that toughness into the training system, he will absolutely go find it somewhere else.

And he will pick options I don’t like.

That’s Principle One: Dog First.

Not “dog first” like feelings-first.

Dog first like biology-first.

Factory settings first.

What does this animal actually get paid by? What lights them up? What scratches the itch?

Some dogs want the hunt.

Some dogs want the grind.

Most want a mix.

Your job is to stop training the dog you wish you had and start building a system for the dog standing in front of you.

Because if you don’t give an endorphin dog a healthy place to struggle, they’ll turn everyday life into a contact sport.

And you’ll be the opponent.

ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAY
Don’t start this experiment with obedience. Start it with something your dog already loves.

Pick one “hell yes” reward:

• going outside
• going to the food bowl
• going to grab a toy
• hopping into the truck
• running to a place they love

Now add a tiny, fair speed bump.

1. Set it up on purpose.
   Put your dog on a collar or harness that’s designed for pulling, or at least something safe and comfortable where a little pressure isn’t a big deal.

2. Create light opposition, then release.
   As your dog drives toward the reward, add a small amount of leash pressure for a second or two. Not a correction. Not a pop. Just a little “work through this.”
   Then the moment they lean in and commit, release and let them go get the reward.

3. Repeat 3 to 5 times and watch the dog.
   After 3 to 5 reps, don’t grade it. Don’t label your dog. Just observe.

You’re running Principle Two in real time: Observe and Assess.

Watch what changes when you add a little opposition and then release to the reward:

• Do they lean in harder?
• Do they hesitate, then get braver on rep two and three?
• Do they get more animated, more committed, more “let’s go”?
• Do they melt, avoid, or check out?

And if they melt, avoid, or check out, don’t make it a character flaw. You probably just added too much struggle too fast. This should be light and measured for the dog: a tiny bit of resistance they can work through and then win.

Some dogs will show you immediately that they love earning it.

Some dogs need to learn that pressure doesn’t mean punishment, it just means “work through it and succeed.”

Either way, you’re building a baseline. You’re learning your dog’s mix. And you’re doing it through rewards, not commands, which is the cleanest way to tinker with this stuff.

If you are interested in a deeper dive into pressure as en elevator of training checkout IGNITE YOUR TRAINING SYSTEM. Joe and I act out all these concepts (for beer and skittles) before you see dogs in action. 

Chris

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