By pet blogger Laura Bell
(Digital Image Fan photo)
It’s very important that your dog knows his place in your ‘pack’. You need to establish yourself as the leader of your pack, otherwise you’ll be setting yourself up for a lifetime of bad behavior and correcting problems. Dogs need to know their rank in the pack, otherwise they become confused, therefore deeply unhappy. Dogs who aren’t sure who the pack leader is generally have no respect for the humans in the house and don’t know what to do, which means doing whatever they feel might be appropriate. If your dog guards his food or growls at members of the family, for instance, you need to address such issues before someone gets in trouble.
So here are some rules that will make clear to your dog that you are in charge, and give him peace of mind:
Feeding Your Dog
The leader always eats first, so you should always eat before your dog. Have a snack before you feed your dog so he can see that you are eating first. You can even lay the snack by the dogs bowl so he thinks you’re eating out of his bowl. By the way, never feed table scraps to your dog during a meal, as this will make him beg. The times you feed your dog should be scheduled, so avoid self-feeding dog dispensers.
Walking Your Dog
Walking your dog will establish you as the leader of the pack, providing you do it the right way (Cesar Millan knows best!). This walk needs to be what professionals call a ‘pack walk’. The difference between a pack walk and a regular walk is that a pack walk involves the dog walking by the side of the human holding the lead (slightly behind is even better), rather than pulling in front. This will give the dog a clear idea of who the leader of the pack is, as the leader always leads the way. A dog shouldn’t be allowed to go and sniff wherever he likes on the walk. He should be allowed to sniff where you let him. Your dog needs to release his pent up energy as well as satisfy his instinct to migrate. Your dog should be concentrating on following you, rather than leading the way or just doing whatever comes to his mind. But don’t miss the walks. If winter is too cold for your dog, you can find lots of suitable dog clothing and accessories for pack walks online.
Coming Home
When you arrive home from a walk, you should always be the first through the door, and any other humans with you. This is the same in any situation, even when going up the stairs, as the leader always goes first. Always tell your dog to stay and then call him when you’ve passed through. When you leave the house without the dog, make sure you ignore the dog for a few minutes after you’ve arrived home, even if you’ve only left for a few minutes.
Playing With Your Dog
When playing with your dog, you should never lie on the floor as putting yourself in a lesser position than the dog . It makes them think they may be superior to you. If you play with any toys with your dog, all games should be started and ended by you. And remember, the toys are yours. So store them after you play. This helps keep the dog’s interest in the toy too.
The best way to reinforce your leadership is to practice the above rules every day. Remain consistent and vigilant, and your dog will soon realize that you are the leader of their pack and be happy and relaxed.