All
the other dogs in the pack respect the alpha dog's wishes.
Any dog that challenges the alpha's authority gets a swift
physical reminder of just where his place in the pack really
is.
Your
family is your dog's "pack". Many dogs fit easily
into the lower levels of their human pack's pecking order
and don't make waves. They do what they're told and don't
challenge authority. Other dogs don't fit in quite as well.
Some of them are natural born leaders and are always challenging
their human alpha's. Other dogs are social climbers - they're
always looking for ways to get a little closer to the top
of the family ladder. These natural leaders and the social
climbers can become problems to an unsuspecting family
that's not aware of the dog's natural pack instincts.
Some
families encourage their dogs to take over the "pack" without
realizing it. They treat their dogs as equals, not as subordinates.
They give them special privileges like being allowed to
sleep on the bed or couch. They don't train their dogs
and let them get away with disobeying commands. In a real
dog pack, no one but the alpha dog would get this kind
of treatment. Alpha doesn't have anything to do with size.
The tiniest Chihuahua can be a canine Hitler. In fact,
the smaller the dog, the more people tend to baby them
and cater to them - making the dog feel even more dominant
and in control of his humans.
Alpha
dogs often seem to make good pets. They're confident, smarter
than average, and affectionate. They can be wonderful with
children and good with strangers. Everything seems to be
great with the relationship - until someone crosses him
or makes him do something he doesn't want to do. Then,
suddenly, this wonderful dog growls or tries to bite someone
and no one understands why.
In
a real dog pack, the alpha dog doesn't have to answer to
anyone. No one gives him orders or tells him what to do.
The other dogs in the pack respect his position. If another
dog is foolish enough to challenge the alpha by trying
to take his bone or his favorite sleeping place, the alpha
dog will quickly put him in his place with a hard stare
or a growl. If this doesn't work, the alpha dog will enforce
his leadership with his teeth. This is all natural, instinctive
behavior - in a dog's world. In a human family, though,
this behavior is unacceptable and dangerous.
Dogs
need and want leaders. They have an instinctive need to
fit into a pack. They want the security of knowing their
place and what's expected of them. Most of them don't want
to be alpha - they want someone else to give the orders
and make the decisions. If his humans don't provide that
leadership, the dog will take over the role himself. If
you've allowed your dog to become alpha, you're at his
mercy and as a leader, he may be either a benevolent king
or a tyrant!
If
you think your dog is alpha in your household, he probably
is. If your dog respects only one or two members of the
family but dominates the others, you still have a problem.
The dog's place should be at the -bottom- of your human
family's pack order, not at the top or somewhere in between.
In
order to reclaim your family's rightful place as leaders
of the pack, your dog needs some lessons in how to be a
subordinate, not an equal. You're going to show him what
it means to be a dog again. Your dog's mother showed him
very early in life that -she- was alpha and that he had
to respect her. As a puppy, he was given a secure place
in his litter's pack and because of that security, he was
free to concentrate on growing, learning, playing, loving
and just being a dog. Your dog doesn't really want the
responsibility of being alpha, having to make the decisions
and defend his position at the top. He wants a leader to
follow and worship so he can have the freedom of just being
a dog again.
How
to become leader of your pack
Your
dog watches you constantly and reads your body language.
He knows if you're insecure, uncomfortable in a leadership
role or won't enforce a command. This behavior confuses
him, makes -him- insecure and if he's a natural leader
or has a social-climbing personality, it'll encourage him
to assume the alpha position and tell -you- what to do.
"Alpha" is
an attitude. It involves quiet confidence, dignity, intelligence,
an air of authority. A dog can sense this attitude almost
immediately - it's how his mother acted towards him. Watch
a professional trainer or a good obedience instructor.
They stand tall and use their voices and eyes to project
the idea that they're capable of getting what they want.
They're gentle but firm, loving but tough, all at the same
time. Most dogs are immediately submissive towards this
type of personality because they recognize and respect
alpha when they see it.
Practice
being alpha. Stand up straight with your shoulders back.
Walk tall. Practice using a new tone of voice, one that's
deep and firm. Don't ask your dog to do something - tell
him. There's a difference. He knows the difference, too!
Remember that, as alpha, you're entitled to make the rules
and give the orders. Your dog understands that instinctively.
With
most dogs, just this change in your attitude and an obedience
training course will be enough to turn things around. With
a dog that's already taken over the household and has enforced
his position by growling or biting and has been allowed
to get away with it, you'll need to do more than just decide
to be alpha. The dog is going to need an attitude adjustment
as well.
Natural
leaders and social climbers aren't going to want to give
up their alpha position. Your sudden change in behavior
is going to shock and threaten them. Your dog might act
even more aggressively than before. An alpha dog will instinctively
respond to challenges to his authority. It's his nature
to want to put down revolutionary uprisings by the peasants!
Don't worry, there's a way around it.
An
alpha dog already knows that he can beat you in a physical
fight so returning his aggression with violence of your
own won't work. Until you've successfully established your
position as alpha, corrections like hitting, shaking, or
using the "rollover" techniques described in
some books will not work and can be downright dangerous
to you. An alpha dog will respond to these methods with
violence and you could be seriously hurt.
What
you need to do is use your brain! You're smarter
than he is and you can out think him. You'll also need
to be stubborner than he is. What I'm about to describe
here is an effective, non-violent method of removing your
dog from alpha status and putting him back at the bottom
of the family totem pole where he belongs and where he
needs to be. In order for this method to work, your whole
family has to be involved. It requires an attitude adjustment
from everyone and a new way of working with your dog.
This
is serious business. A dog that bites or threatens people
is a dangerous dog, no matter how much you love him. If
treating your dog like a dog and not an equal seems harsh
to you, keep in mind that our society no longer tolerates
dangerous dogs. Lawsuits from dog bites are now settling
for millions of dollars - you could lose your home and
everything else you own if your dog injures someone. You
or your children could be permanently disfigured. And your
dog could lose his life. That's the bottom line.
Canine Boot Camp for Alpha Attitude Adjustment
From
this day forward, you're going to teach your dog that he
is a dog, not a miniature human being in a furry suit.
His mother taught him how to be a dog once and how to take
orders. Along the way, through lack of training or misunderstood
intentions, he's forgotten. With your help, he's going
to remember what he is and how he fits into the world.
Before long, he's even going to like it!
Dogs
were bred to look to humans for food, companionship and
guidance. An alpha dog doesn't ask for what he wants, he
demands it. He lets you know in no uncertain terms that
he wants his dinner, that he wants to go out, that he wants
to play and be petted and that he wants these things right
now. You're going to teach him that from now on, he has
to earn what he gets. No more free rides. This is going
to be a shock to his system at first but you'll be surprised
how quickly he'll catch on and that he'll actually become
eager to please you.
If
your dog doesn't already know the simple command SIT, teach
it to him. Reward him with praise and a tidbit. Don't go
overboard with the praise. A simple "Good boy!" in
a happy voice is enough. Now, every time your dog wants
something - his dinner, a trip outside, a walk, some attention,
anything - tell him (remember don't ask him, tell him)
to SIT first. When he does, praise him with a "Good
Boy!", then tell him OKAY and give him whatever it
is he wants as a reward. If he refuses to SIT, walk away
and ignore him. No SIT, no reward. If you don't think he
understands the command, work on his training some more.
If he just doesn't want to obey, ignore him - don't give
him what he wants or reward him in any fashion.
Make
him sit before giving him his dinner, make him sit at the
door before going outside, make him sit in front of you
to be petted, make him sit before giving him his toy. If
you normally leave food out for him all the time, stop.
Go to a twice daily feeding and you decide what time of
day he'll be fed. Make him sit for his dinner. If he won't
obey the command - no dinner. Walk away and ignore him.
Bring the food out later and tell him again to SIT. If
he understands the command, don't tell him more than once.
He heard you the first time. Give commands from a standing
position and use a deep, firm tone of voice.
If
the dog respects certain members of the family but not
others, let the others be the ones to feed him and bring
the good things to his life for now. Show them how to make
him obey the SIT command and how to walk away and ignore
him if he won't do as he's told. It's important that your
whole family follows this program. Dogs are like kids -
if they can't have their way with Mom, they'll go ask Dad.
In your dog's case, if he finds a member of the family
that he can dominate, he'll continue to do so. You want
your dog to learn that he has to respect and obey everyone.
Remember - his place is at the bottom of the totem pole.
Bouncing him from the top spot helps but if he thinks he's
anywhere in the middle, you're still going to have problems.
Think
- you know your dog and know what he's likely to do under
most circumstances. Stay a step ahead of him and anticipate
his behavior so you can avoid or correct it. If he gets
into the trash and growls when scolded, make the trash
can inaccessible. If he likes to bolt out the door ahead
of you, put a leash on him. Make him sit and wait while
you open the door and give him permission - OKAY! - to
go out. If your alpha dog doesn't like to come when he's
called (and he probably doesn't!), don't let him outside
off leash. Without a leash, you have no control over him
and he knows it.
Petting and attention:
Alpha dogs are used to being fussed over. In a real dog pack, subordinate dogs
are forever touching, licking and grooming the alpha dog. It's a show of respect
and submission. For now, until his attitude has shown improvement, cut down
on the amount of cuddling your dog gets. When he wants attention, make him
SIT first, give him a few kind words and pats, then stop. Go back to whatever
it was you were doing and ignore him. If he pesters you, tell him NO! in a
firm voice and ignore him some more. Pet him when you want to, not just because
he wants you to. Also, for the time being, don't get down on the floor or on
your knees to pet your dog. That, too, is a show of submission. Give praise,
petting and rewards from a position that's higher than the dog.
Games:
If you or anyone in your family wrestles, rough-houses or plays tug of war
with your dog, stop! These games encourage dogs to dominate people physically
and to use their teeth. In a dog pack or in a litter, these games are more
than just playing - they help to establish pack order based on physical
strength. Your dog is already probably stronger and quicker than you are.
Rough, physical games prove that to him. He doesn't need to be reminded
of it!
Find new games for him to play. Hide & seek, fetch or frisbee catching
are more appropriate. Make sure you're the one who starts and ends the game,
not the dog. Stop playing before the dog gets bored and is inclined to try
to keep the ball or frisbee.
Where does your dog sleep?
Not in your bedroom and especially not on your bed! Your bedroom is a special
place - it's your "den". An alpha dog thinks he has a right to sleep
in your den because he considers himself your equal. In fact, he may have already
taken over your bed, refusing to get off when told or growling and snapping
when anyone asks him to make room for the humans. Until your dog's alpha problems
are fully under control, the bedroom should be off-limits! The same goes for
sleeping on furniture. If you can't keep him off the couch without a fight,
deny him access to the room until his behavior and training has improved.
Crate-training:
Dog crates have 1,000 uses and working with an alpha dog is one of them. It's
a great place for your dog to sleep at night, to eat in and just to stay
in when he needs to chill out and be reminded that he's a dog. The crate
is your dog's "den". Start crate training by feeding him his
dinner in his crate. Close the door and let him stay there for an hour
afterwards. If he throws a tantrum, ignore him. Don't let your dog out
of his crate until he's quiet and settled. At bedtime, show him an irresistable
goodie, tell him to SIT and when he does, throw the goodie into the crate.
When he dives in for the treat, tell him what a good boy he is and close
the door.
Graduating
from Boot Camp: What's next?
Just
like in the army, boot camp is really just an introduction
to a new career and new way of doing things. A tour through
boot camp isn't going to solve your alpha dog's problems
forever. It's a way to get basic respect from a dog who's
been bullying you without having to resort to physical
force.
How
long should boot camp last? That depends on the dog. Some
will show an improvement right away, others may take much
longer. For really tough cookies, natural leaders that
need constant reminders of their place in the pack, Alpha
Dog Boot Camp will become a way of life. Social climbers
may need periodic trips through boot camp if you get lax
and accidentally let them climb back up a notch or two
in the family pack order.
How
do you know if you're making a difference? If boot camp
has been successful, your dog should start looking to you
for directions and permission. He'll show an eagerness
to please. Watch how your dog approaches and greets you.
Does he come to you "standing tall", with his
head and ears held high and erect? It may look impressive
and proud but it means he's still alpha and you still have
problems! A dog who accepts humans as superiors will approach
you with his head slightly lowered and his ears back or
off to the sides. He'll "shrink" his whole body
a little in a show of submission. Watch how he greets all
the members of the family. If he displays this submissive
posture to some of them, but not others, those are the
ones who still need to work on their own alpha posture
and methods. They should take him back through another
tour of boot camp with support from the rest of the family.
Obedience
Training:
Once
your dog has begun to accept this new way of life and his
new position in the family, you should take him through
an obedience course with a qualified trainer. All dogs
need to be trained and alpha dogs need training most of
all! You don't have to wait until he's through with boot
camp to start this training but it's important that he
respects at least one member of the family and is willing
to take direction from them.
Obedience
class teaches you to train your dog. It teaches you how
to be alpha, how to enforce commands and rules, how to
get respect and to keep it. All family members who are
old enough to understand and control the dog should participate
in the class.
Obedience
training is a lifelong process. One obedience course does
not a trained dog make! Obedience commands need to be practiced
and incorporated into your daily life. In a dog pack, the
alpha animal uses occasional reminders to reinforce his
authority. Certain commands, like DOWN/STAY, are especially
effective, nonviolent reminders of a dog's place in the
family pack order and who's really in charge here.
A
well-trained obedient dog is a happy dog and a joy to live
with. Dogs want to please and need a job to do. Training
gives them the opportunity to do both. A well-trained dog
has more freedom. He can go more places and do more things
with you because he knows how to behave. A well-trained
dog that's secure in his place within the family pack is
comfortable and confident. He knows what's expected of
him. He knows his limits and who his leaders are. He's
free from the responsibility of running the household and
making decisions. He's free to be your loving companion
and not your boss. He's free to be a dog - what he was
born to be and what he always wanted to be in the first
place!
When
You Need Professional Help
If
your dog has already injured you or someone else or if
you are afraid of your dog, you should consult with a qualified
professional dog trainer or behaviorist before starting
Canine Boot Camp. Your dog should also have an exam by
your vet to make sure there are no physical causes for
his behavior.
To find a qualified trainer or behaviorist near you, contact your veterinarian
or the American Kennel Club for a list of obedience training clubs in your
area.
©Vicki
Rodenberg De Gruy, Chairman of the Chow Chow Club Inc.'s
Welfare Committee.
All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission. |
