The Brain

The dogs brain stores information in two different ways:
-1. conditioned
-2. what it learns

Both rely on the individual dogs information-store system, which are determined by genetics. The brain consists of billions of cells (neurons) each neuron might have up to 10,000 connections with other neurons. The cells communicate with each other through neurotransmitters. The speed of these transmissions depend partly on a fatty substance (myelin). In the dogs prime, messages are transmitted very fast, but as the brain/dog ages, messages move slower. The cerebrum controls learning, emotions and behavior, the cerebellum controls the muscles and the brain stem connects to the nervous system. Each sense feeds into the brain through its own nerves. A network of cells in the brain (called the limbic system) integrates instinct and learning. Conflict between what a dog instinctively wants to do and what we teach it to do probably takes place in the limbic system. People can over ride this system by giving rewards to the dog for obeying the owner rather than its "instinct".