What is the ‘Will to Please’ Phenomenon in Dogs?

Some breeds of dog, like Labradors or Golden Retrievers, possess what is referred to as a “will to please.” This term originates in English and can be translated as the will/willingness/need to please. These dogs put great stock into cooperating with or being with humans – thus providing great training potential and insight as to which breeds still possess this characteristic. Here are some tips for handling dogs with this trait:

At times, “will to please” can be confused with eagerness to work. While some dogs show an impressive willingness to work when presented with meaningful and breed-appropriate tasks – like guard dogs – others prefer working alone without human assistance (social dogs for instance). At other times, however, social dogs need their caregivers around them but may be unwilling to work.

What Does “Will to Please” Mean in Dogs?
Dogs’ “will to please” refers to how people-oriented they are and the importance their breed placed on working with people initially. Such four-legged companions naturally understand and comply with what their caregiver expects of them and comply, just as intended by their breeder – especially companion dogs, such as Golden Retrievers or German Shepherds that were originally bred for tasks requiring cooperation and teamwork with owners such as hunting. For hunting breeds like Golden Retrievers or working dogs like German Shepherds this characteristic has always been essential; this trait also plays out when hunting or working dog breeds were created as team players with owners rather than working together on tasks required by owners alone or teamwork with people, unlike hunting breeds such as hunting dogs like Golden Retrievers or working dogs such as German Shepherds for tasks requiring cooperation; such as companion dogs which main task consists of keeping people company.

Dog Breeds With an Evident “Will to Please”
In addition to retrievers such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers as well as German Shepherds, other dog breeds renowned for their “will to please” include Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Kelpie and Australian Kelpie Malinois/Belgian Shepherd Dog (MSD), Shetland Sheepdog/Sheltie/Collie; Collies* Spaniel * Kooikerhondje * Spanish Water Dog/Perro de Agua Espanol Welsh Corgi Continental dwarf spaniels/Papillon * Lionesses * Bolognese * Maltese * Havanese
“Will to Please” in dog training can be helpful for beginners. A dog that exhibits this trait tends to be easy and suitable for newcomers alike; however, this doesn’t mean they will train themselves or always understand humans without issues – you should still teach your friendly four-legged friend some rules and commands so he knows what he should and shouldn’t do; additionally it’s vital that communication between dog and owner remains clear, unambiguous, and consistent so he understands exactly what to expect of him – otherwise unwanted behaviors could develop;

These pups find joy when challenged according to their breed. A smaller social dog might enjoy intelligence games, tricks and light physical activity more. Meanwhile, working dogs, German Shepherds or hunting dogs with strong wills to please require proper functional tasks, intense dog sports activities and plenty of exercises in order to stay content and occupied. However, rewarding and motivating “will to please” breeds quickly get excited by new tasks or training sessions with praise, petting, or the promise of something exciting together – making these types of activities easier and more achievable.