--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dogs are born knowing exactly what they…" description: "\"Dogs are born knowing exactly what they want to do: eat, scratch, roll in disgusting stuff, sniff and squabble with other dogs, roam, sleep, have sex. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/jon-katz-11360_abstinence_dogs-are-born-knowing-exactly-what-they_2517303.png" --- # Dogs are born knowing exactly what they want to do: eat… ![“Dogs are born knowing exactly what they want to do: eat, scratch, roll in disgusting stuff, sniff and squabble with other dogs, roam, sleep, have sex. Little of this is what we want them to do, of course. We ask them to sit, stay, smell peasant, practice abstinence, and be accommodating.” quote by Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/jon-katz-11360_abstinence_dogs-are-born-knowing-exactly-what-they_2517303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/jon-katz-11360_abstinence_dogs-are-born-knowing-exactly-what-they_2517303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/jon-katz-11360_abstinence_dogs-are-born-knowing-exactly-what-they_2517303.png) > “Dogs are born knowing exactly what they want to do: eat, scratch, roll in disgusting stuff, sniff and squabble with other dogs, roam, sleep, have sex. Little of this is what we want them to do, of course. We ask them to sit, stay, smell peasant, practice abstinence, and be accommodating.” [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dogs follow instinctual drives, yet humans impose artificial constraints, highlighting the gap between nature and culture. **In simple terms:** Dogs act on instinct; humans impose rules. Key Takeaway Balance natural behavior with training. Themes instinct training human-animal relationship culture Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - pet ownership - animal training - wildlife management Key Concepts behaviorism ethology social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - Why do we restrict natural behaviors? - How can training respect animal needs? A Different Perspective May oversimplify animal cognition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstinence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Dogs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs/) [Dogs Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs-born-1216037/) [Dogs Roam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs-roam-1216038/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Peasants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peasants/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Scratches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scratches/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Sniff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sniff/) [Squabbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squabbles/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/because-of-the-dog-s-joyfulness-our-own-is-increased-it-is-no-small/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-myriad-of-men-are-born-they-labor-and-sweat-and-struggle-they/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Some of my relatives held on to imagined memories the way homeless people hold onto lottery tickets. Nostalgia was their crack cocaine, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/some-of-my-relatives-held-on-to-imagined-memories-the-way-homeless/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [It has taken us two million years to elevate politics from the level of a monkey squabble, to a level comprehensible to a six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/it-has-taken-us-two-million-years-to-elevate-politics-from-the-level/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [The G20 was established as a forum to discuss, first and foremost, world economic issues. If we load it with... Of course, politics affects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-g20-was-established-as-a-forum-to-discuss-first-and-foremost/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Astrology furnishes a splendid proof of the contemptible subjectivity of men. It refers the course of celestial bodies to the miserable ego: it establishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/astrology-furnishes-a-splendid-proof-of-the-contemptible-subjectivity/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Remember this practical piece of advice: Never come into the theatre with mud on your feet. Leave your dust and dirt outside. Check your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantin-stanislavski/remember-this-practical-piece-of-advice-never-come-into-the-theatre/) [Constantin Stanislavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantin-stanislavski/) > [I will not meddle in America's internal political squabbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-will-not-meddle-in-america-s-internal-political-squabbles/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Asking someone to repeat a phrase you'd not only heard very clearly but were also exceedingly angry about was around Defcon II in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/asking-someone-to-repeat-a-phrase-you-d-not-only-heard-very-clearly/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw. They will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/power-will-go-to-the-hands-of-rascals-rogues-freebooters-all-indian/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is no winner or loser - just one family, the U.M.P. The time for internal squabbles is behind us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-francois-cope/there-is-no-winner-or-loser-just-one-family-the-u-m-p-the-time-for/) [Jean-Francois Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-francois-cope/) > [Up till now I always thought bickering was just something children did and they outgrew it. Of course, there's sometimes a reason to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/up-till-now-i-always-thought-bickering-was-just-something-children/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [The only thing for which we can combine is the underlying ideal of Socialism; justice and liberty. But it is hardly strong enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-only-thing-for-which-we-can-combine-is-the-underlying-ideal-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Campaigns and primaries can get ugly. There are always messy squabbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/campaigns-and-primaries-can-get-ugly-there-are-always-messy-squabbles/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) > [ There has been a fair amount of criticism of the DNC for letting this squabble between \[Bernie\] Sanders and \[Hillary\] Clinton campaigns spill out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/there-has-been-a-fair-amount-of-criticism-of-the-dnc-for-letting-this/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) ## More by Jon Katz > [My beloved dog defied treatment from the best and most expensive veterinarians, holistic practitioners, trainers, and animal communicators. He was simply beyond my ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/my-beloved-dog-defied-treatment-from-the-best-and-most-expensive/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [When people buy, rescue, or otherwise acquire a dog from unscrupulous breeders or amateur rescue groups, they are making a decision with ethical consequences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/when-people-buy-rescue-or-otherwise-acquire-a-dog-from-unscrupulous/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [If you're going to love animals and have a life with them, the odds are you're going to lose them. It's helpful when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/if-you-re-going-to-love-animals-and-have-a-life-with-them-the-odds/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Personally, I don't want to own a dog that inspires fear. I choose my dogs carefully, have their temperaments observed and evaluated, train and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/personally-i-don-t-want-to-own-a-dog-that-inspires-fear-i-choose-my/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Animals have come to mean so much in our lives. We live in a fragmented and disconnected culture. Politics are ugly, religion is struggling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/animals-have-come-to-mean-so-much-in-our-lives-we-live-in-a/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [“I am not mad here, but clear and calm. I am not transformed, but allowed to be wholly myself.I am isolated, but have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/i-am-not-mad-here-but-clear-and-calm-i-am-not-transformed-but-allowed/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [It's natural canine behavior to chew on all sorts of things, roll in other animals' droppings, hump and fight other dogs, menace anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/it-s-natural-canine-behavior-to-chew-on-all-sorts-of-things-roll-in/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Actual evil probably requires much more creativity, passion, and political ideology than anyone at or near the top of Microsoft seems to possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/actual-evil-probably-requires-much-more-creativity-passion-and/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [It's important to remember that the animals are not grieving with us. They're very accepting. They're not lying there thinking 'How could you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/it-s-important-to-remember-that-the-animals-are-not-grieving-with-us/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [“It inspires a bit of awe to see working dogs really do their jobs, to see thousands of years of history, instinct, and breeding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/it-inspires-a-bit-of-awe-to-see-working-dogs-really-do-their-jobs-to/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [“I am no theologian, and do not have the answers to these questions, and one of the reasons I enjoy the animals on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/i-am-no-theologian-and-do-not-have-the-answers-to-these-questions-and/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Some rescue groups are highly organized, experienced, well-funded, nearly professional. Others are small amateur operations run out of garages and back yards. Their members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/some-rescue-groups-are-highly-organized-experienced-well-funded/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [“That, even with imperfect masters, the canine soul is pure, loyal, and dependable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/that-even-with-imperfect-masters-the-canine-soul-is-pure-loyal-and/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Lifetime dogs intersect with our lives with particular impact; they're dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable, ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/lifetime-dogs-intersect-with-our-lives-with-particular-impact-they-re/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [I owe my dogs much - more than I can say - but they are not my 'companions' - as if we voluntarily chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/i-owe-my-dogs-much-more-than-i-can-say-but-they-are-not-my-companions/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) [Explore all 60 Jon Katz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) ## More Abstinence quotes > [Sexual activity, and the thoughts and fantasies of sex, use up a great portion of our vital force. When that force is conserved through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/sexual-activity-and-the-thoughts-and-fantasies-of-sex-use-up-a-great/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [“Male masturbation is not a release, it is a squandering. Anyone who begins to no-fap will soon discover this. Like most things, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/male-masturbation-is-not-a-release-it-is-a-squandering-anyone-who/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/atheism-is-a-religion-like-abstinence-is-a-sex-position/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/when-a-married-person-uses-pornography-or-is-unfaithful-it/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [“Look, choosing to wait until marriage makes me feel empowered. But if the same choice cripples you, then it wasn't the right one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-allen/look-choosing-to-wait-until-marriage-makes-me-feel-empowered-but-if/) [Rachael Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-allen/) > [Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/taking-the-pledge-will-not-make-bad-liquor-good-but-it-will-improve-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [There is a great deal of political pressure to only talk about abstinence, and to deny support for condoms and education on using them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-is-a-great-deal-of-political-pressure-to-only-talk-about/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Abstinence-only education - the best STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and pregnancy delivery system that politicians have ever devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/abstinence-only-education-the-best-std-sexually-transmitted-disease/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [While one may lose much because of avarice, nothing was ever accomplished by abstinence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isuna-hasekura/while-one-may-lose-much-because-of-avarice-nothing-was-ever/) [Isuna Hasekura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isuna-hasekura/) > [“The secular, for all its goodness, does not defend itself very well against mindless and perpetual consumption. It cries out to be offered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-secular-for-all-its-goodness-does-not-defend-itself-very-well/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I went to an all-girls Catholic school. And all the nuns just breathed down our necks "abstinence." And that's not the right thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/i-went-to-an-all-girls-catholic-school-and-all-the-nuns-just-breathed/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [How do we want our air? Pure. How do we want our water? Pure. How do we want sex on our wedding night? Pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-kelly/how-do-we-want-our-air-pure-how-do-we-want-our-water-pure-how-do-we/) [Molly Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-kelly/) > [“There’s gratification in abstaining from the easy choice. Instant gratification can bring more suffering than pleasure. If I do the hard thing, the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-wang/there-s-gratification-in-abstaining-from-the-easy-choice-instant/) [Cecily Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-wang/) [Browse all 233 Abstinence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Dogs are born knowing exactly what they want to do: eat, scratch, roll in disgusting stuff, sniff and squabble with other dogs, roam, sleep, have sex. Little of this is what we want them to do, of course. 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