This page is part of the Auxiliary section of the Beginners Course of the
D.S. Dog Training Workshop - an element of the Dog Science Network
What Makes an Unhappy Dog an Unhappy Dog
Fulfillment of the basic needs is the foundation upon which happiness is built. Therefore, it is not surprising that dogs who lack the basics tend to be a miserable lot. Thus, at the very least, to lead a joyous existence, your dog is going to need steady companionship, comfortable bedding, adequate exercise, and access to high quality food and water.
In addition to the basics, to be happy, a dog either needs to have frequent opportunities to engage in activities that are in and of themselves intrinsically rewarding, or he needs to have frequent opportunities to engage in activities that produce a rewarding consequence.
Any dog who lives over time in a situation in which he is powerless to initiate activities that produce a rewarding consequence is going to be frustrated. And any dog who must contend with a home life that is altogether devoid of rewarding opportunities is going to be one sad sack of suffering, because a life that is in no way rewarding is a life that is hardly worth living.