Is your dog overly excited, barking, destructive, or a bit clumsy? What if the solution lies in a fundamental need often overlooked: the need for purpose?
At 1 Vie 2 Chiens, this need is at the heart of my approach. This is what I have observed for years: 80% of behavioral problems stem from a lack of appropriate activity, stimulation, or simply the fact that the dog has no role to play in its daily life.
What is the "need for utility" in dogs?
Dogs have always been bred to cooperate with humans: herding livestock, hunting, alerting, searching, carrying… Even though most are now companion dogs, their genetics, instincts, and intelligence remain intact.
The need for utility is the dog's need to feel active, engaged, and useful in its life, even if it’s no longer about herding sheep or retrieving game.
How does a lack of utility manifest?
When this need is not met, the dog will seek to occupy itself… and sometimes, that doesn’t quite fit into our daily lives:
-
Hyperactivity
-
Destruction
-
Escaping
-
Excessive barking
-
Reactivity or anxiety
-
Apathy or lack of enthusiasm
This is neither a stubborn dog nor a dog that needs to be "corrected", but a dog that needs to be offered another path: that of utility, meaning, and connection.
Meeting this need: the key to a balanced dog
When the dog has a regular and suitable activity that matches its physical and mental capabilities, the changes are often spectacular:
-
It naturally channels itself
-
It becomes calmer, more attentive, more confident
-
It finds joy in cooperating
-
It strengthens its bond with you
And above all… it becomes happy. A dog with a mission, even a small one, is a dog comfortable in its own paws.
What activities can meet this need for utility?
At 1 Vie 2 Chiens, this is the entire goal of my canine leisure activities. Here are some examples that combine play, utility, stimulation, and pleasure:
-
Truffle hunting: searching for black gold with its exceptional scent
-
Mantrailing: searching for a missing person, in teamwork with you
-
Hunting games: playfully exploiting its search instincts
-
Floating courses & cani-paddle: pushing limits, coordinating, cooperating
-
Scent trail walks: following trails, solving small challenges
Each activity is designed to meet physical, mental, emotional needs… and the need for utility.
Give your dog a real place by your side
A useful dog is a dog that has confidence, that expresses itself, and that thrives. It’s not about making it "work," but allowing it to reveal its potential in a joyful, respectful, and caring environment.
Want to offer that to your dog? I welcome you in the magical setting of the Verdon Gorges, for sessions where everything is designed for its well-being… and yours.
📞 07 61 44 57 51
📍 Gorges du Verdon – Lake Sainte-Croix
