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The SEEKING System

 This blog is going to take a look at one of the emotional systems of the brain – the SEEKING system. It was neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp who identified seven core emotional brain circuit systems believed to shared by all mammals. These systems are always written in capital letters.

The SEEKING system involves feelings of anticipation associated with something that is rewarding to us. It drives our goal-orientated behaviour.

“Goal-orientated? That'll not mean me. I've no big plans”

When saying “goal-orientated” this doesn't have to mean some big goal or ambition you have. Feel hungry and get up to get a snack? That's your brain's SEEKING system at work. Feel motivated to go outside for a nice walk or sit down and pick up something to read? These are also examples of goal-orientated actions driven by the SEEKING system.

“What's this got to do with dogs?”

A lot. Those feelings of anticipation associated with the SEEKING system are brought about by dopamine which is a chemical messenger in the brain that motivates us to do things we see as rewarding. Dopamine is also involved in learning and memory.

This is why training your dog with tasty treats (or something else the dog finds rewarding) is the best way to help them learn. The dopamine produced in the dog's brain when they anticipate a reward, and then when they get the reward, will make them goal-orientated (motivated) towards performing the task you are teaching them. It will make them feel good, help them learn and make them want to repeat he behaviour which has been rewarded.

Also, the dog will feel safe and be engaged with you because of this nice experience. The SEEKING system is the emotional system that drives the urge to pursue things that are benefical to us. Just like us, dogs are social creatures and social connection is beneficial as it makes us feel safe.

It's important to give your dog opportunities to use their SEEKING system

Sniffing - it's a dog thing!
As we've discussed, SEEKING makes your dog feel good. One big way of giving your dog the opportunity to use their  SEEKING system is letting them sniff on their walks. Please see my earlier blog The Importance of Sniffing on a Dog Walk.
The SEEKING system is what drives the dog to obtain information from their environment by sniffing. 
These core systems are inbuilt in us for survival. SEEKING is what drives us to obtain information from our environment to ensure we are safe. But it's also about thriving in our environment. It drives our exploration, curiosity and interest in things.

Also, set up sniffing activities for your dog to do at home. This is called 'Canine Enrichment' because it enriches a dog's life. 

Look at the video below, showing Barkley chasing treats. Using his SEEKING system leads to an enjoyable time!

Maybe you play this little game of throwing treats for your dog? If you haven't tried it you could give it  a go.

Snuffle mats and puzzle toys

Other enrichment activities which utilise the SEEKING system are treat-filled snuffle mats and treat-filled puzzle toys. If your dog is new to puzzle toys, keep things simple to start with to help your dog's confidence. They'll soon get the hang of it.

Here are some photos of my dogs with their snuffle mat and other enrichment games.


As you can see, some of these games are home made from cardbox boxes and baking trays filled with shredded paper. You can use your imagination.

Make sure to use very small bits of food for these activities. That way you can keep re-filling the games to keep the fun going!

Providing opportunities for your dog to use their SEEKING system is vital for their well-being. If you haven't got into enrichment activities indoors yet, make sure your dog gets sniffing on their walks. And look into enrichment activities too.

Please note

If you are playing these enrichment games with more than one dog at the same time, the dogs must be dogs who get on well and have no issues with sharing. If a dog resource guards do not have them playing these games along with other dogs - let them play the games on their own instead.


Ursula Linton



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