The Four Dog L.E.G.S.®

When we are selecting a dog or attempting to address specific behaviors with our existing canine partner, we need to be sure that we are looking at the whole animal. That way, we’re less likely to miss something that might bite us later on; or, conversely, to give up prematurely when there may be a simple solution.

We don’t want to fall in love if the relationship is inevitably doomed for failure. If we’re asking a dog that is designed to be a protective guard to roll out the red carpet to anyone who walks in the door, or expecting a highly driven athlete to be a couch potato, everyone could end up frustrated.

Nor do we want to throw in the towel for the wrong reasons. What seems like an impossible situation may have a simple solution—maybe changing a daily routine or adjusting how we respond to the behavior we don’t like. What seem to be irreconcilable differences may, in fact, just be basic misunderstandings. Remember that you and your dog are, after all, different types of animals.

In order to ensure that we don’t misstep as we cross this bridge, we need a solid framework before we can make the connections. As we embark on this journey, we will benefit from using a basic system to help us account for all the moving parts of our dog’s behavior. The L.E.G.S.® model—representing the four elements of Learning, Environment, Genetics, and Self—serves as a reliable and dynamic mechanism to guide us in our search for answers and solutions.

LEARNING—your dog’s experiences and education

ENVIRONMENT—the many aspects of your dog’s external world

GENETICS—the DNA that designed your dog inside and out

SELF—the unique interior world of your dog: health, development, age, sex, and individuality

Dog L.E.G.S.®

After years of meeting dejected dog owners who couldn’t understand their dogs’ behaviors, it became my mission to help dogs and their people find a way to connect the dots. In 2009, I created the L.E.G.S.® system to organize the insights of dozens of scientific disciplines into something understandable for the modern dog owner. L.E.G.S.® is a simple framework for understanding the great range of factors that affect our dogs’ behavior. It ensures that no stone goes unturned.