How to Stop your Dog From Being Crazy When You Get Home

#AlphaDogTraining #dogtrainingsaltlakecity How to Stop your Dog From Being Crazy When You Get Home by Alpha Dog Training https://www.alpha-dog-training-slc.com (801) 910-1700 I had a client the other day who’s dog, “Willie,” used to jump and bark when he got home from work. He asked how he could correct the behavior. I told him that it’s natural that after a long day at work, it’s always great to come home to our dog who’s really excited to see us. We immediately respond to our dog’s request for attention. We normally pet him or hug him and then “try” to walk in the house to chill out. The problem is that our dog just doesn’t want to stop asking for “hugs and attention.” It finally gets to the point of just becoming annoying. We then get mad. The last thing we wanted to do was to come home and be mad at our dog… So, the first thing we tell our clients in a situation such as this is that they need to understand that their dog needs to “be treated like a dog”. Their dog perceives the family as his pack. In a pack, there is the leader and the followers. The leader makes all the decisions for the pack. Everything must be his idea. The pack will wait to be directed and commanded by the leader. Thus, when my client comes home and opens that door, Willie is coming up to engage and set his role as the leader. Since my client is a human and doesn’t follow the same social norm, he thinks nothing of his dog’s request for attention and complies. He has just allowed Willie to tell him what he wants my client to do. My client (unknowingly) passively accepts that Willie is the leader and he will do whatever Willie wants. That is why my client’s dog won’t leave him alone. He has more stuff for my client to do. The solution to this issue requires my client to assert passive dominance. When my client comes home and opens the door, he needs to ignore Willie completely. If Willie starts to become annoying, he needs to correct Willie and continue into the house on his terms. He should be slow, calm, and resolute in his actions. Remember, he needs to assert that he is the leader and the one making the rules. Willie is simply “the follower” and must follow the direction of my client (the leader).

My client needs to enter the house and perform any action of his own choosing. It doesn’t matter what that action may be. He may simply put his keys on the table, take off his coat, or get a cold drink from the refrigerator. The important thing is that the action is easily discernable to Willie and freely implemented by my client. This is sending a clear signal to Willie that my client is doing what he wants and is not engaging him in any way. It is reinforcing his leadership role with Willie in a way Willie naturally understands. It is also keeping the entire situation calm and in my client’s control. When my client is finished “doing his action,” he should calmly call Willie to him. He can now pet him and greet Willie. The major difference between this way and Willie’s way is that everything is now on my client’s terms. Willie is now acting on what my client wants him to do and he drops the stress and anxiety he has of trying to be the alpha leader. I told my client to try this out and assured him that he would see a remarkable difference in Willie and he will have a very pleasurable homecoming after a long, hard day at work. Willie is now identifying my client as the leader and Willie is accepting his role as the follower.