Dog training glossary
Default Behavior
Quick answer
A behavior a dog reliably offers on its own in a given situation without being asked.
Written by the TailorPup team, updated September 2026. See our editorial approach.
What it means
Default behaviors are built through consistent rewarding until the dog starts offering them automatically as its go-to response in a specific context, rather than waiting for a cue. They're especially useful for situations that happen often and predictably, like greetings or doorways, where asking for a specific behavior every single time isn't practical.
A real example
A dog that has been consistently rewarded for sitting at the door before it opens eventually starts sitting there automatically the moment someone approaches the door, without anyone asking.
Common mistake
Expecting a default behavior to transfer to a completely different context (a dog that defaults to sitting at the front door may not do it at a friend's house) without separately building it there.
Related terms
Know the term.
Now build the plan.
TailorPup turns concepts like this into a personalized 12-week plan for your dog's breed, age, and behavior.