Being a pack leader means not only effective training but teaching the dog in a way that makes sense to them.
Dogs are predators by nature – in a predator world dominance rules. This is true for a pomeranian as well as a wolf or a coyote. Most dogs are fine with the idea of being lower on the totem pole – as long as they know where they stand. If you are “pack boss” (and you should be) the dog is confident in his position as next in line for food, attention, water and shelter. Small things test this dominance – who goes through doorways first, who eats first and who controls prime spots to rest are but a few. If you control these small things you will have dominance. Dominance doesn’t mean abuse! It does not mean beating your dog or mistreating him. It means setting rules in place. The top three rules are You are #1, You are #1 and You are #1. He should have no doubt about this.
A dog who is submissive isn’t simply a dog that cringes in the corner. It’s also the dog when you say “NO!” backs out of whatever he’s in to. It’s the dog when you call him he comes running. These basic things can save his life! You – like the #1 wolf in a pack, allow him to eat or take it from him as you see fit and he doesn’t need to see why. You ask him to move over to allow you to take the prime spot (your chair) and it’s not really a question.
Dogs in a pack have a leader – one leader. All other dogs in the pack defer to this dog – those who try to challenge have a fight that can (in dog terms) mean injury or death. In packs there’s also the #2 dog who submits to the boss but no one else….and on down to the bottom submissive dog who submits to everyone. He eats last, he’s the one on the edge stuck in the cold and the last to share in pack activities.
In some views expressed on a popular dog training show the other dogs are all #2. There is some truth to this but if a pack of 5 dogs you put down 4 bowls there will be one who is left out or, alternately, two who share. If the #1 dog finishes first and is still hungry he will boot someone else from their bowl. Obviously the bigger the pack the further down the chain the bottom dog is.
If you have multiple dogs watch them. Watch the body language and the interaction between them. An example from my own dogs, past and present – picking five dogs there was Gael, Freckles, Fly, Bruiser and Scout. Gael – mother to the others – was boss dog. She could wrinkle her nose without any sound and the others would back off. She got the choice spots to lay, she got first choice of goodies. Bruiser (oldest son) had worked his way to #2 – he would back down to Gael but no one else. Scout had asserted himself in #3, then Freckles and Fly. If four bowls were put down Fly would be trotting around left out. The first one done would go to the next submissive one down…which left the lower ranking dogs more apt to bolt their food in order to get their share before the bosses took it if left to their own devices. The boss dogs would eat more slowly – as they were confident no one would take their food. In December 2006 Gael was taken for a “routine” surgery and ended up having to be put to sleep – leaving a mixup in the pack. Shortly afterwards Abby came to join the household. With Gael missing Bruiser began asserting himself as top dog – then Abby came in and objected, which has led to some squabbles. Among dogs who are submissive and not willing to challenge however this is nothing. With Fly for example – as a bottom dog Fly has no interest in being boss…she’s comfortable in her position as bottom and, unlike wild dogs, doesn’t have to worry about starving from lack of food. When Abby asserted dominance on Fly she’d snap at her (not biting) and stand over her – to which Fly would promptly roll on her back and submit. Scout, Freckles and Fly *have* their order – the one being challenged for position regularly is Bruiser and, as boss dog, he’s more heavily stressed maintaining that position than is the lower ranking ones who have nothing to lose.
Where this *is* shifted – Bruiser will submit to me as in his eyes *I* am boss dog. He will lay down and roll over in submission without me ever touching him. If he’s dominating food and I walk and stand over him he will back up. If he’s in to something he shouldn’t and I say “Bruiser NO!!!!!!!!!” and stand over him his shoulder drops to the floor and eventually he will roll on his back the same way Fly does to him. A point worth mentioning is I’ve had all of these except Abby since birth – they *know* what to expect and they have had consistent training from early on. Abby submits to me but as a new “pack member” she is trying to determine where in the pack she fits and is always hopeful of moving up and pushing that barrier. What this means to an owner – Bruiser and Abby are NEVER left alone where they can get to one another – if a fight should break out without one of us being there it could be fatal depending on how soon or if one of them gives in. And remember from a pack standpoint, just like wolves, the rest of the dogs will turn on and may kill the loser of a fight. It’s a harsh reminder that even domesticated dogs cannot erase years of insticts of what makes a dog a dog.
For most households you’re dealing with one or two dogs. Understanding the mentality of a DOG goes a long ways. They are not people or children in fur coats – they have the nature of a DOG even if a small breed. And with a small poodle or chihuahua it can be worse as when they snarl and growl people think it’s funny. When they get bigger with bigger teeth and bite someone for nudging them off the chair or bite someone for coming in the door it isn’t funny anymore and the dog is confused. The owner created the problem by not immediately dealing with the situation.
With a puppy this is so very easy to establish and it’s lessons that last a lifetime. It doesn’t matter, really, if it’s a yorkshire terrier or a great dane – boundaries are important! If you put the food bowl down he should allow you to reach down and take it back. If he doesn’t gently but firmly grab the neck and shoulders and push him to the floor and ‘growl’ “NO!” Hold him briefly – enough to get the point across where he’s not fighting you to get up. If you watch a mama dog with puppies SHE DOES THIS – she’ll place her mouth over his head but will pin him down. Let him up, have him sit then give him the bowl again. Repeat until you can reach down and take a piece of kibble from the bowl and get no reaction from the pup…and praise him for that!
When getting to a doorway make sure YOU walk through first. This one thing will make a big difference not only with puppies but big dogs too. When you want to sit somewhere or lie down where the dog happens to be he should move and give you that space without a fuss.
With an adult dog many of the same principles apply but until you are very comfortable reading dogs use caution. Using these things on a very dominant adult dog new to the home in the wrong way can get you bitten – either in challenge or in fear (as the dog saying “I’m submitting leave me alone!”).
And again – dominance/submission is not based on abuse or beating the dog. A serious infraction with a dog or pup in my household is met with a firm but gentle shake of the neck and “NO”. Serious meaning unprovoked bothering of another animal, not listening to having been told twice about something…or dominance tests.
Along with this make HEAVY use of praise. Put him in a position where he nearly has to make the right choice then praise him. For example – if your puppy sleeps in his crate you KNOW first thing in the morning he’s going to have to go pee and/or potty – so take him out and tell him to go. He will because he can’t help it! When he does lay on the praise – “GOOOOOOOOOOOD BOY!!!!!!!!!!” Smile – make your voice happy. He will eventually learn what the words mean and, like Gael, will pee on command. We could be travelling and stop at a rest stop and I would get out, take Gael to the doggy area, say “go pee” and she did – we were back on the road in minutes while others were begging their dogs to go. It takes time to teach them this like anything else. Equally, if you’ve observed your dog you know their habits. If an hour after eating they begin chewing on something don’t just scold them…50 minutes after eating put them in their crate with a chew toy. Instead of “bad dog” they hear “let’s go play – good boy!” Which kind of boss would you want to be around?!
Dogs are amazingly loving animals. They tolerate blows and unspeakable things and still wag their tail at people. It doesn’t take cruelty to train a dog properly – it takes timing and TIME. Remember a dog – even a chihuahua – can crush the bones in the hand of an abuser but most don’t. An amazingly small dog can crush and consume a chicken leg – and the bones in our hands are smaller!
Be a responsible owner and spend the time to train your dog. Observe them – both individually and in whatever sized group you have. Learn about wild dog/wolf/coyote behavior and keep that in mind. Dogs want to please – we have to make it possible for them to please us. The joy and love in a well trained dog’s eyes for his owner is truly a gift – it’s a gift you give to the dog and he gives back tenfold.
