Endorphins, Grit, and the Joy of Struggle: Rethinking Toughness in Dog Training

Instead, he didn’t. And I’m sure every reporter who talked to him after the win—swollen, bloody face and all—got the same response: a grin and the truth that it was one of the best moments of his life.

Now, I don’t necessarily expect broken, bloody mouths to be the sign you’ve “made it” in dog training (though some Malinois may argue otherwise—ha). But that kind of toughness, that willingness to lean into struggle, is just as important for our dogs and for us as handlers. Because in both sports and dog training, toughness isn’t about ignoring pain or pushing through recklessly. It’s about embracing struggle as a pathway to growth, resilience, and real world confidence.

That word itself 'Toughness' gets laundered and thrown around a lot in dog training, but let’s be real—it’s not just a buzzword. Toughness is actually a great thing. The problem is, people often misunderstand what it means in a training context. It’s not about causing random pain or stress as the dog's ALPHA (insert other antiquated horseshit) for the sake of it and hoping they piece it together. What we’re after is the strategic addition of struggle measured against a clear pathway to success and reward.

Here’s the science: endorphins—a chemical released through struggle—basically creates a learned enjoyment of overcoming challenges. Think of it like runner’s high or that feeling after a tough gym session. That’s your body (and your dog’s body) rewarding effort and grit. 

If you don’t give your dog the opportunity for that endorphin release, for that productive struggle, they’ll go find it on their own—and usually in ways you’d rather they didn’t.

Every dog, even the ones with handlers who proudly claim to be “force free” and avoid all 'pressure', will still find ways to experience struggle. And when it’s not built into the training system on purpose, it often shows up as the dog fighting against the system or the trainer. It’s just nature. Struggle is a natural part of life, and denying how awesome and strong your dog’s potential for toughness and growth is does them a disservice.

Some dogs, like my Blue Heeler, Boston, are practically built for this. Boston’s a cattle dog—he lives for the fight, the challenge, the push and pull. Give him a little resistance, a playful challenge, and that’s the highlight of his day. He doesn’t just tolerate struggle; he thrives on it. Honestly, if Boston could talk, he’d probably ask for a little more adversity with his breakfast. (and yes i literally 'fight' him for his meals - part of our reward culture. Pairs well with coffee)

So, don’t be afraid to let your dog experience struggle. Embrace it, plan for it, and use it to build their confidence and resilience. When you add it in on purpose, you teach your dog to love the process of overcoming obstacles, to get excited by challenge, and to develop real-world skills and critical thinking.

Which brings me back to that hockey game. That player’s learning culture in hockey has been about toughness—not 'toxic masculinity' (a term loosely thrown around to vilify all forms of toughness it seems), but the type of toughness that comes from overcoming struggle and learning from it. When it mattered most, he didn’t sit on the sidelines and ice his face—he jumped back in and made the difference. Extreme? Sure. But it’s a perfect example of how struggle and toughness can create positives. (And hey, he'sth got a great thtory for the grandkith.) *puts false teeth back in

You don’t have to get your dog to the point where they enjoy pain, but you should absolutely recognize that the opportunity to struggle, to overcome, is a huge part of life—and many dogs thrive on it. Don’t deny them the chance to experience it, because the world will throw challenges their way whether you want it to or not. The key is to make sure that struggle is part of your plan, part of your training system, and always balanced with hope, support and the rewards to pay out the the effort! 

If you want a deep dive on how to actually structure this into your training, check out Ignite Your Training System. That course is all about building productive, endorphin-rich struggle into games/work your dog should LOVE doing, giving your dog the chance to develop real toughness into your training system—not with an iron fist, but with a good attitude and a progressive plan. That’s how you build a dog (and handler) who thrives on challenge, loves the process, and comes out stronger as a team.