Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, Dog Training, Temecula

Perfect Pet: How To Be Pack Leader

Why is it important to be the pack leader?

Being the pack leader to your dog is one of the most important things you can do for him. It is the basis of your relationship with him and is the

force behind everything

you do with him. This is in no way an exaggeration. Just about all

misbehavior's

that dogs display

can

be traced down to two route

causes. Those two route causes are the

lack of

sufficient exercise and the lack of pack leadership.

Being the pack leader for your dog is never as important as it is when you are trying to train him. If you try to train a dog that does not see you as pack leader you will be fighting an uphill battle. If he does not see you as his pack leader he will not be willing to obey your commands. The respect that dogs have for their pack leader in the wild is undeniable. He wants and needs to have that same respect for you. This is what is natural for him and it is what makes him feel safe and secure.

The pack and the pack leader show certain behaviors in the wild that you can duplicate in your home. Following this example of dog behavior will not only assure that your dog sees you as pack leader but that is what will make him feel loved and it is what he expects.

How do I make sure my dog sees me as his pack leader?

You never need to use harsh punishments to show your dog that you are the pack leader. Just show him that is your roll in little everyday ways.

What steps can I take to become the pack leader?

1. The pack Leader always goes first

Walk through all narrow walkways first go up stairs first, go out doors first. Remember the pack leader always goes first. Before going in or out of a door make him sit, go out or in, then give him his release word telling him it is okay for him to go

through the door.

If he goes out ahead of you make him come back and

sit and

wait for you to go out. Until he is completely trained he needs to be kept on a leash.If he is not on a leash you have no control.

2. Pack leader is in charge of the food

The way a dogs see things the pack leader is always in charge of the food. The pack leader always eats first and eats as much as he wants. Do not free feed your dog. He needs to see that his food comes from you. You don't want him to think that it just miraculously appears in his bowl or worse yet it appears there because of any thing he has done. Give him one to two meals a day. When you are about to feed him, fix his food and set it aside. Go ahead and eat your meal. Then when you are done go ahead make him sit and stay then give him his release word then let him have his dish of food. Remember the pack leader always eats first. If there is someone in the family that the dog does not respect let that person feed him. Have him follow the same steps that you do when feeding him. In the pecking order the dog needs to be at the bottom with the whole family above him, including the children. If he sees himself at the bottom he will be much more compliant to commands and be much better behaved.

3. Don't walk around him

If he is laying in the middle of the hallway or a doorway, do not walk around him. Make him move. That is the way it works in the dogs natural environment If the pack leader wants to walk past and a subordinate pack member is in his way... the subordinate dog moves.

4. The pack leader always gets the prime places in the den

The pack leader always gets the most comfortable place to lay down If you insist that he sleep with you on the bed at least do not let him on it unless you invite him up. The best place for him to sleep is in his crate.read my article on How to get your dog to love his crate.

5. Make him come to you

Instead of going up to your dog to pet him. Call him and make him come to you when he least expects it, then when he comes reward him with a praise and a treat.

6. Do not let him tell you when it is time to play

All games that you play with your dog should be initiated by you and end when you have had enough and are ready to stop playing. Do not let him decide when it is playtime.

7. Make him Sit

Every time your dog wants something make him sit first then give him what he wants for his reward. If he does not sit walk away and ignore him. No sit, no reward.

8. Never let him bite, even during play

Never allow your dog to mouth or bite anyone, at any time, not even

during play.

9. How much affection is too much?

When it comes to petting and giving your dog attention be careful not to

give him too much of either one. When he wants attention make him sit

first. Pet him only when you decide to and at other times tell him "NO".

In the wild the subordinate dogs touch, lick and groom the pack leader to

show respect and submission. Let this be your guide. You are the one who

should start and stop all affection. Affection should only be given when

your dog is being calm and submissive. Never give him affection when he is being excited, anxious, scared, or nervous.

10. Keep your elevation higher than your dogs

Do not get down to pet your dog because that is a show of submission. Give praise, petting and rewards in a position that is higher than your dog.

11. Don't wrestle or play tug of war

When playing with your dog do not wrestle or play tug-of-war. These games encourage dogs to dominate physically and use their teeth. Instead play hide and seek, fetch or Frisbee. Make sure you are the one who starts the game and ends the game, not the dog. Stop playing before the dog gets bored or tries to keep the ball.

12. Teach him to "Drop It."

"Drop it" is one of the commands that is important to teach your dog. He should always give you the toy when you ask for it or when the game is over. Your dog can associate possession of privileged items with higher ranking. Taking the toy away at the end of the game sends a clear signal to him that he does not own the item and that it is owned by the pack leader.

13. Sometimes ignore him

When you first get home from work or from being away do not make a big deal about him and shower him with attention. I realize that showing him how happy we are to see him is what is natural for us. However, it sends a much better message to the dog if we just calmly put our things away, take care of a few other things, give it at least 15 minutes before greeting him and acknowledging his presence. Pretend you do not know he is trying to get your attention. This will let him know he is not so important after all. It shows him that you are the important one and will pet him when you are ready. Imagine this, the pack leader comes home from the hunt. He gets overly excited and runs around licking and jumping to greet the subordinate members of the pack. Well, not likely. He is much more likely to calmly arrive ignoring the others. Then he is likely to go over to rest after his hard work catching dinner. Then when he is ready he eats all he wants then goes back to lay down again. This is what is natural for your dog and it is what he expects.

14. Never let him growl at you

Never let your dog growl at you or at your children. This is a threat and means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him " NO" Let him know it is never acceptable to growl at you or your family.

15. Don't let him growl at people who approach you

If you are sitting with your dog on your lap and he growls when other people come near he is NOT being protective of you! That is how it looks to us as people but it is not the case. He has taken the alpha position and has put you in the subordinate position. Tell him "NO" and put him down on the floor.

Conclusion

Do these things for a happy, well adjusted and secure companion

Following these steps will probably feel very foreign to you. I know your first reaction to treating your dog in this way even seems mean to some of you. As humans it is our natural instinct to treat our pets like babes and give them an abundance of love and attention. But remember that dogs are a totally different species and have different needs from us. Dogs need a strong leader and that is what makes him feel safe and secure. Being that strong leader is what makes him feel your love for him. By being a strong leader your dog will be happy, well balanced and feel secure knowing he has a leader that can take care of him in all situations.

For us it is natural to take care of those we love. It is most often our

priority to put their needs before our own and to nurture and care for

them first. In the canine world however the pack leader takes care of

himself first and the rest of the pack takes care of him first too. Although

foreign to us this actually makes perfect sense because this assures the

pack that it will survive by making sure that the strongest, fastest, most

skillful member of pack survives and reproduces.

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