Introducing The Hierarchy of Dog Needs®
Standards of Care and Best Force Free Practices
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Veterinary Behaviorists Are Using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs!
Dr. Katrina Ward, veterinarian and President of the AVBIG (Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest Group), unveiled the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in her presentation to the Australian Veterinary Association shortly after its release in November of 2015. “The Hierarchy of Dog Needs was very well received and hopefully will be taken up as a routine method of assessing needs and applying humane behavior modification. It will definitely be in my client resource package!” She continues, “Those of us on the front line, dealing directly with clients and their dogs, spend a lot of energy dispelling training myths and rectifying the harm that certain techniques can cause to dog-human relationships. To have this resource, which applies psychology that is not harmful to the individual dog’s mental or physical well-being, is extremely useful.” ~Dr. Katrina Ward
Please see our VIPP (Very Important Pet Professionals) endorsements below to learn what other pet professionals are saying about the Hierarchy of Dog Needs.
Marc Bekoff & Minnie | Photo Credit: Tom Gordon
We are truly honored to be featured twice in Psychology Today by one of our most applauded heroes and friend to the animals, Dr. Marc Bekoff, Animal Behavior PhD. Nothing could more clearly shine a light on the Hierarchy of Dog Needs and on the new, best-selling Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook Featuring the Hierarchy of Dog Needs.
The Hierarchy of Dog Needs, Created by Linda Michaels, M.A., Psychology
The Hierarchy of Dog Needs (HDN) is the modern, unique groundbreaking model of wellness and thriving illustrating Standards of Care and Best Force-free Practices. It is an adaptation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of (human) Needs™ adapted to meet dogs’ needs. Dog needs are listed hierarchically for ease in visualization and understanding: we first meet our dogs’ biological needs, emotional needs and social needs. However, the levels are fluid, not static, and should be thought of as without linear boundaries, but more like waves with undercurrents and cross-currents between the levels. Once these foundational needs are met, the hierarchy describes the methods that force-free trainers use to modify behavior: management, antecedent modification, positive and differential reinforcement, counter-conditioning and desensitization, Premack Principle, and social learning. The exclusively Force Free behavior modification best practices and methods, embedded with an ethical code, may be safely and effectively used in any order or combination.
The Hierarchy of Dog Needs closes the door to using punitive or aversive methods to train dogs. The HDN is not designed to be a treatise on learning theory: neither positive punishment, negative reinforcement, negative punishment, nor extinction appear as training strategies. Embedded with a moral compass and an ethical code, the HDN adopts the No Shock, No Prong, No Choke, No Dominance, No Fear, No Pain paradigm of dog training and animal care making these harmful tools and devices obsolete.
This FREE guide is a safe and effective guide for anyone to use with any dog. The Hierarchy of Dog Needs opens doors to conversations with other pet professionals and pet parents. This model is in use internationally by veterinary behaviorists, veterinarians, dog trainers (including working-dog and police-dog trainers), groomers, shelters, rescues, animal welfare advocates, as well as pet parents, and is now available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Danish, German, Estonian, Korean, Arabic with other translations in progress.
If you are still having difficulty with any behavior using the methods on the guide, please consult a Force Free training expert.
Our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to both Dr. Marc Bekoff and Dr. Simon Gadbois for contributing quotations for this project
Translation courtesy of
Dr. Simon Gadbois, PhD
Dalhousie University
Translation courtesy of
Sandra Machado, CPDT-KA, VSPDT and João Marcel Camargo, Puppy Class Brasil
Translation courtesy of
Ji Min
HIGO Canine Welfare Charity Project
Translation courtesy of
Luis Gómez, MS,
Luis Suoto, Dogalia,
and Carlos Míllara, CANMIGOS
Translation courtesy of
Sarah Hoffman and Simone Müller, Training4Paws
Translation courtesy of
Laura Kiiroja and Maarja Tali
Translation courtesy of
Alex Lee, KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
‘훈련이 잘못됐습니다’ 저자
Translation courtesy of Dr. Ilse Rediers
Translation courtesy of Angelica Herra and Natalia Gryntarchi
If you are interested in using this graphic in a print publication, you must obtain permission at LindaPositively@gmail.com The Hierarchy of Dog Needs may not be sold or used for commercial purposes in any form, by anyone but the creator/trademark and copyright holder, Linda Michaels.
Very Important Pet Professionals (VIPP) Endorsements
The response to the Hierarchy of Dog Needs has been overwhelmingly positive. We applaud and thank Veterinary Behaviorists for pioneering the use of the HDN in the veterinary professions. We encourage other pet-related professionals in the animal welfare and force-free movement in using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in their business and practice. Get the FREE booklet to join the movement!
Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, the founder of the ISCP (International School for Canine Practitioners), says, “Our students and graduates at the ISCP use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs as the basis for their assessments, their work with dogs, and their careers, and I highly recommend that all dog professionals and guardians download it and refer to it often.” The ISCP provides courses up to diploma level in canine psychology and behavior.
ICAN, the animal welfare International Companion Animal Network has featured the HierarchyOfDogNeeds.com on their website as their template of animal care and training. ICAN's purpose is "to bring together reputable organizations who use, teach and recommend only force-free methods in working with animals". They seek to set high standards within what is currently an unregulated industry and reach out to collaborate and support like-minded organizations.
Dr. Lynn Honeckman, DVM, owns a behavior-only practice in Orlando, FL, and studies with Dr. Karen Overall, DVM, PhD, Editor of the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. She presented the Hierarchy of Dog Needs to pre-vet club students at the University of Central Florida, and Lunch-and-Learn veterinary and emergency clinic talks. Dr. Honeckman is a member of Dr. Marty Becker’s Fear-Free® advisory board, a lead chairperson for AVSAB position statements, and special council for and member of the PPG advocacy committee. “Understanding the Hierarchy of Dog Needs is critical in treating every aspect of our patients. It is important to remember that veterinary care cannot be solely focused on physiological needs without taking the other aspects of emotional, social, training, and cognitive needs into consideration. We should approach every living being with the knowledge that above all we should do no harm.”
~ Dr. Lynn Honeckman
Monique Feyrecilde, BA, LVT, VTS, speaker for the DVM360 Veterinary Conference, co-author of Cooperative Veterinary Care, and veterinary technician specialist in behavior, presented the Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide as part of her enrichment presentation to a worldwide audience of veterinarian attendees.
Veterinary Behaviorist, Dr. Joanna McLachlan, includes the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in the information packets she provides to her patients.
Peggy Moran, dog behavior consultant, speaker, and dog trainer, presented the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in repeat speaking engagements to Animal Behavior students at the prestigious University of Chicago. Her presentation was entitled: Lost in Translation: How Myth and Misperception Undermine the Human/Dog Relationship.
Hierarchy of Dog Needs Tallin University
Tallinn University School of Natural and Sciences and Health in Estonia, offered a course titled: “Introduction to Canine Cognition, Behavior, and Human-Animal Interactions”, including the Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide, taught by Maarja Tali. Learn more about the internationally acclaimed university school cooperative venture with the Estonian Association of Assistance and Therapy Dogs and the Norwegian Centre of Anthrozoology here.
Purina's "What Do Our Dogs Need" features the Hierarchy of Dog Needs and tells readers, "The fact that you love your dog and want to do your best for them isn't the question, but do we really understand what our dogs need in order to thrive? Linda Michaels adapted the Maslow's hierarchy to create the dog's version of the hierarchy of needs. This helps explain what your dogs need from you and, importantly, what you need to prioritise in order to give your dog the life they deserve when they join your family." Read the full blog here.
“The Hierarchy of Dog Needs helps fill unmet or under met dog needs,” says “America’s Veterinarian”, Dr. Marty Becker. Dr. Marty is “Taking the ‘pet’ out of petrified”SM with the newly launched FEAR-FREE SM veterinary clinic campaign, on the forefront of animal care. He supports force-free behavior modification.
The Royal Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Chief Inspector (retired), Jan Eachus, is including the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in animal abuse and neglect criminal cases he is investigating for prosecution. We are honored to be included in his witness statement resources list alongside the DEFRA Code of Practice for Dogs and the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 (Section 9). The code states, “Dogs feel pain and have similar pain thresholds to people.” Jan is currently a Metropolitan Police Canine Welfare Officer.
Carol Neil, founder of the Alberta Force Free Alliance, says, “We use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs guide in our pamphlet to bring awareness about dogs' needs since the vast majority of pet parents think only of biological needs. We love the beauty and simplicity of the "Do No Harm" training manual and include a link to purchase it on our website as a great resource for pet parents to help fulfill the Force-free training needs of their dogs.”
The Association of INTODogs has adopted the Hierarchy Of Dog Needs standards and practices to their page as their guide to dog trainers, behaviorists and other dog professionals. INTOdogs “seeks to uphold and promote the highest ethical standards in the training and support of dogs by promoting positive, kind methods in order to enhance the quality of life for owners and dogs.”
Jennifer Cattet Ph.D. from Medical Mutts says, “The Hierarchy of Dog Needs covers far more than the trainer’s choice of methods. It’s very well thought out.” Medical Mutts is a service dog training organization that helps dogs who have been abandoned and improves the lives of people faced with difficult challenges.
“I give the Hierarchy of Dog Needs to all my clients,” says Michelle Martiya, Gentle Grooming instructor. “Having such a clear picture of all of their dog’s needs really helps my clients to focus on areas that are lacking in their dogs care, and by addressing these needs, their dog’s behavior (and overall health) improves both in the home and during grooming. “Michelle’s unique Beast to Beauty, Inc. webinars and workshops provide critical continuing education for groomers. Michelle teaches low stress handling techniques, training, and behavior modification for dogs in the grooming salon.
FACE (Foundation for Animal Care and Education) said on their blog, “Once our dogs’ foundational needs (biological, social, emotional) are met, we can then use the Hierarchy of Dog Needs to address force-free behavior modification.” The FACE Foundation is a San Diego area nonprofit whose mission is to enhance and preserve the quality of life of animals by providing access to necessary medical care and education.
In his essay on Techniques for Bishop Burton College, Shay Kelly, used the Hierarchy of Dog Needs to support his work on conditioning. Kelly, a Foundation Science degree student in canine behavior and training, says, “Michaels’ adaptation of the hierarchy to represent canine needs, places safety and security in first and second place respectively in order of requirement. It may therefore be reasonably argued that the dog-human relationship will be adversely affected because of a lack of bonding between dog and human if the human is using positive punishment… “
National Crisis Response Canines member, Cynthia LeBouef Stone tells us that NCRS will be using the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in their training manual regarding Maslow’s Hierarchy of (human) Needs™. LeBouef explains, “The Hierarchy would be a reference to the canine portion of the team.” National Crisis Response Canines is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides safe, compassionate support to people affected by crisis and is one of only two organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide Crisis Response Canines to a disaster. They use a positive-only training environment.
Michael Nichols, certificant in Dog Emotion and Cognition from Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center, presented the Hierarchy of Dog Needs to the Whatcom Humane Society in Washington state. “I included the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in our discussion about dog emotions and cognition — and why it is impossible to know what dogs can learn without consideration of the base of the pyramid. A client wrote to me saying: “My favorite part was the pyramid mapping the Hierarchy of Dog Needs.” ~Michael Nichols
Guy Williams, Avon & Somerset Police U.K., is a force-free police dog trainer and police dog handling instructor. Guy spoke at the 2016 IMPACT Working Dog Conference and opened his presentation with the Hierarchy of Dog Needs.“Everything starts by nurturing the dog and this is counter-intuitive to many handlers. Getting dogs working with you is the secret and that requires being someone worth working with. Loki (photo) is proof of that! And once again that brings us to the Hierarchy.” ~ Guy Williams
SA Amigo magazine, a non-profit bilingual pet magazine located in San Antonio whose goal is to help educate the community on animal wellness and decreasing euthanasia rates, has featured the Hierarchy of Dog Needs in their Fall issue. SA Amigo is distributed at San Antonio’s Whole Foods. View the issue here.