The Groundwork to Establishing Pack Structure with Dogs

The Groundwork to Establishing Pack Structure with Dogs Published by Alpha Dog Training https://www.alpha-dog-training-slc.com/ (801) 910-1700 This is especially important with dogs that are predisposed to becoming dominant or aggressive. Becoming a pack leader involves adopting the attitude of a pack leader. It does not involve aggression towards a dog, it doesn’t involve rolling him on his back, hard leash corrections or even raising your voice to the dog. It involves adopting a leader's attitude. This is something that new dog owners must learn how to do. Every dog knows a leader when he is in the presence of one. They can sense a leader. They don’t need leash corrections to consider their owner a pack leader. In fact, inappropriate corrections often result in a dog looking at the offender with contempt rather than respect. When we bring a new dog into our home the decision we make on how we live with that dog and the methods used to train that dog have long term implications on what kind of relationship we develop with the dog. I tell people “they may not think of themselves as a dog trainer, but the fact is every time we are around our dog we are teaching the dog something. The question is “are we teaching it something good or something bad?” T he Solutions to Most Behavioral Problems The solution to almost all behavioral problems lies within changes owners need to make in the way they live with their dogs. Unlike humans, dogs live in the present. Human psychologists almost all focus on the past to find answers to current problems. This is fine for a human but it's a mistake to think that this is how to fix a pack animal. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that modifications to training don’t need to be made for a dog that was truly abused. The fact is the term "abuse" is used far too often when trying to explain behavioral problems. I always tell pet owners that I never change my philosophy of how to live with or train a dog just because it had a bad experience in the past. It's Never Too Late I want to make a point here and that is if you currently have a problem with your dog, it’s never too late to consider making changes on how you live with your dog. In fact, if you have a problem, it’s imperative that YOU DO MAKE CHANGES because the way you have been living with your dog has allowed these problems to develop. So, it’s never too late to turn things around. It’s never too late to start to do things correctly. You just need the patience and confidence in what you are doing to fix your problems. The First Weeks When I bring a new adult into our home, I socially isolate the dog for a period of time. With some dogs this may only be for 3 or 4 days. With dominant dogs it can be weeks. Social isolation means that I take care of the dog's basic needs: feeding, water, walking and providing a clean place to sleep, but nothing else. I don’t pet the dog, I don’t play with the dog, I don’t talk sweet to the dog. I act like it is not there. I act aloof to the dog. During this social isolation period the only time the dog is out of the crate while in the house is when it is on its way outside. Now I need to say that this is not what we do with our puppies. We use dog crates and ex-pens but the fact is puppies are treated a little differently. Always On a Leash The instant I let the dog out of the crate I hook a leash to him so he is always under complete control. During this period, I never have the dog off leash-- not even when I walk him from the crate to the door. When the time comes that I do allow him more time out of the crate, he is always on a leash. If I watch TV he is on leash and laying by my feet. If I work on the computer, he is on leash tethered to my desk. He does not have free run of the house for weeks. In fact, when a house dog starts to misbehave in the house (chew or mark) it needs to go back in the crate and stay on leash when it's in the house. Being loose in the house is an earned privilege. Pet owners often forget this. It becomes crystal clear to the dog that I am in total control of its life and its environment. I can’t over emphasize how important that is to a pack animal. While formal training on an adult dog may not start for several weeks or even a month there is a lot that the dog can learn while you wait. The dog needs to learn that this is his new home and I am his new pack leader. I want to begin the bonding process before I take it out and expect it to do formal obedience work. Keeping the dog on leash and controlling every aspect of its life allows for the opportunity to show that I am fair and that I don’t issue unwarranted corrections. Learning to be consistent and fair goes a long way towards fruitful 2-way relationship.