To keep in mind when training or playing with dominant dogs: One
of the most common mistakes dog owners make is to humanize
their dogs instead of treating them in a species-appropriate
way. They let their dogs jump onto their bed or couch whenever
the dog feels like it, they allow the dog to disobey commands
and eventually, they yield when the dog growls at them.
In
these situations, it is no wonder that a strong dog thinks he has become the pack leader. In nature, only the pack leader
is allowed to do what he wants. This has nothing to do with
size or strength - it is all about attitude. My first dog
Wolf was a classic case of an alpha-dog and I vividly remember
numerous occasions where he wanted to challenge me as his
leader. There is only one way to respond in situations like
this and that is not to yield. To be clear, not yielding has nothing to do with violence or punishment! To make this work, we need
to understand how dogs perceive their environment. It may
not be a big deal for you whether or not your dog gets off
the couch when you ask him to, but it certainly is for your
dog. In a wolf pack, disobeying the leader would instantly
trigger a species-appropriate response. This response can
range from a hard, threatening stare at the offender to a
physical attack by the leader. When working with dogs, eyes
are a powerful tool and staring your "rebellious" dog right
into his eyes with a "You have heard me!" attitude can go
a long way. The end result needs to be the same and that is
the dog yielding to you. Consistency and a firm hand are the
essentials for dealing with a dominant dog.
For further reading
on this subject, I recommend the Who
is in charge here article by Vicki Rodenberg De Gruy
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