Being The Leader Your Dog Deserves
The Key Is "Understanding"
Are you unhappy about your dog's behaviour?
Do you ever think "WHY is it doing that?"
Does your dog
• jump up on you or your visitors
• pull on the lead
• be out of control off-lead
• not come when you call
• bark incessantly
• chew and destroy
• be nervous, anxious, fearful or panicky
• be aggressive or anti-social
• exhibit undesirable and socially unacceptable behaviour
Why Does This Happen?
The answer is simple - your dog is confused about who is the leader and decision maker in your home.
With this confusion, comes stress. And when your dog is stressed, undesirable behaviours can result.
While domestic dogs today come in a myriad of sizes, shapes and breeds, genetically and instinctively they are virtually unchanged from those living in the wild. Wild canine packs operate where the hierarchy of the pack is critical and at the head of the pack are the Alpha pair. The strongest, most intelligent members of the pack, the authority of the Alphas is absolute and unflinching - there has to be a leader for the pack to work. Through observing key signals when it comes to food, status, danger and the hunt, pack members understand the Alpha pair are in charge and responsible for leading the pack. They will make all the decisions to ensure survival.
In your home your domestic companion is using the same instincts. It doesn't matter what breed or age your dog is - it is looking for the signals of leadership that instinctively make sense to them. Unfortunately where we think we are providing the right signals is often at conflict with what our dogs understand or are looking for. With this lack of clear communication owners unwittingly sending their dogs confusing or wrong signals. In doing so, the dog comes to the conclusion that it - not the owner - is the leader and decision maker of the domestic pack. Hopelessly unequipped to perform this role in a human world it doesn't understand, the dog reacts in all sorts of ways. Most commonly by behaviours such as those above.
So we need to learn the dog's language. This is about us learning canine communication, not expecting our dogs to understand 'human'. It works for all types of challenges, no matter what the breed of dog. It doesn't matter how young or old your dog is. This method is based on communication and positive reinforcement - by the very clear signals you give it your dog will think for itself and work out that you are pack leader and understand it's place in the household. It will look to you as it's leader of it's own free will, making conclusions through the information you give it.
No gadgets, no force, no unkind methods, no ordering your dog around. This isn't obedience training, it's learning the way to communicate naturally with your dog.
A dog can only ever be a dog. It can't learn our language - but we can learn theirs.
With natural canine communication, you are on your way.
