How Dogs Learn (Lesson 2): Environment — How Your Dog’s World Shapes Their Behaviour
The world is their classroom. What is it teaching them?...
Dogs don’t grow in a vacuum. They are constantly shaped by the world around them, their people, their routines, their surroundings, the energy we bring into the room, and even the things we don’t realize they’re noticing.
If genetics is the blueprint, environment is the construction site. It can either support the design or create chaos. And sometimes, it does both.
From Chaos to Clarity: A Tale of Two Pipers
When I first brought Piper home, I remember standing in my living room, watching her spin in circles, nose to the floor, tail high, ears twitching at every sound. She couldn’t settle. She couldn’t focus. And I couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
But the answer wasn’t in her, it was in everything around her.
She came from an environment where her world was simple and limited in stimulation, which would support her learning and growth. Suddenly, she was in my home, a quiet but unpredictable environment, with slippery floors, new smells, teenagers, different rules, and a person asking her to relax before she knew what "relax" meant.
Her behaviour wasn’t misbehaviour. It was an adaptation. Her world had changed, and she was doing her best to figure out the rules.
The moment I started adjusting her environment to set her up for success with structured rest, designated training windows, biological fulfillment, calming routines, and management tools, her behaviour began to change.
Why Environment Matters More Than We Think
Your dog is always learning, and the environment is always teaching.
Is the house chaotic? If it is, your dog will likely struggle with calmness or focus.
Are there no boundaries? Your dog will learn to self-entertain in destructive ways.
Is the leash always tight on walks? Your dog may think pulling is expected.
Is your energy anxious, angry, or inconsistent? Your dog is likely feeling it, and reflecting it back to you.
The environment includes everything: people, routines, smells, textures, sounds, and even your body language. For our dogs, the world is a symphony of sensory data, and their brains are constantly sorting through the noise to find meaning.
We can't control everything, but we can control what we expose our dogs to, when, how, and why.
Sacred Ground: Creating a Space for Growth
After hard days at the hospital, I may come home carrying more than I should. Piper knows before I say a word. Some days, I’m calm. Other days, I’m not. And every time, she meets me with curiosity and intensity.
Our home became a place for both of us to decompress and re-center. We created routines, simple things like calm crate time, structured decompression walks, and play sessions in the yard. These weren’t just training exercises. They were our rituals. A way to reset the tone of the environment and make space for healing, for both of us.
There’s something deeply spiritual about that. Choosing to make the space peaceful. Choosing to offer our dogs (and ourselves) a new story each day. That’s not just good training. That’s good living.
Key Takeaways
Your dog’s behaviour is directly influenced by their environment.
Adjust the environment before you label a behaviour as “problematic.”
Environmental management is just as important as obedience training.
Set the stage for success by creating routines, boundaries, and calm spaces.
Your emotional state is part of your dog’s environment; tend to it with care.
Join the Conversation
What’s one change you’ve made to your dog’s environment that helped improve their behaviour or your relationship? Share your story in the comments, I’d love to hear how the world around your dog has shaped their learning.
Next Steps
In Lesson 3, we’ll explore social learning—how dogs learn from watching people, other dogs, and the patterns in daily life. You might be surprised just how observant your dog is.
I’ll also include a video demonstration discussing how Piper responds differently to various environments, and how we structure her world to help her thrive.
Want to Go Deeper?
Join the FireTeam K9 paid community to unlock full video lessons, member-only coaching sessions, challenges, and a supportive space for dog lovers who want to train with purpose and heart.
Happy training,
– Karl MacPhee
IDTP, CPCC, PCC
FireTeam K9 Trainer/Coach
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
