Most dog behavior problems are related to a dog's confusion about leadership
or a lack of motivation. If you are your dog's leader, you can simply tell him to stop whatever he is doing or call him to you
successfully at any time . Wouldn't it be great to be your dog's leader? The only behavior problem it wouldn't solve is one that occurs when you aren't there. Wow. Simple, yet so elusive. Well, if leadership is sounding attractive,
you might want to read more about how domestic dogs evolved.
You can't become the leader in one knock down, drag out fight, and hope it will stick. You will have to earn the leadership position.
If you are ready to motivate your dog, read on....
THE PLAN
If you have had specific problems with
aggression involving dog bites, work with a professional trainer. Any
dog with a mouth can bite, but a dog that has bitten a person has proven that he
will do so. If your
dog has bitten, she should wear a leash
when you are home to supervise (leash can be a hazard on a dog left alone).
You will be able to use the leash to move
her off the sofa, out from under the bed or anything you may need to do that normally results in a confrontation in which you
risk getting bitten. This not only keeps you safer but it will change your dog's mind about how you react to threats. You won't have to back down because you won't have to touch your dog to gain
compliance when she is behaving in a threatening manner.
Establish a command that your dog responds well
to for a treat, such as "sit." If
your dog does not respond to commands reliably, start with our basic
lesson. Once his response is reliable, begin asking him to sit before you feed him.
Show him the food and ask once. If he does not obey, put the food away. Feel free to ask again in 5 or 10 minutes after you have done some other activity in another room. He will catch on quickly that you only ask once. If you are unable to get results the first day, be sure to leave food out at night. Don't let him see you leave it because he did not respond to your request but never deprive an animal of food as a part of training. Dogs do not learn well when they are
worried about food and companionship.
Eventually,
your dog will probably sit as soon as he sees you with his bowl. However, if he sits without being asked and you feed him then YOU have
deferred to him. So, if he is already sitting at meal time, ask him to come into another room. Then ask him to sit. Of course, you may use other commands such as
"down" or "fetch" if he already knows these. The point is that you must ask him to
obey a command or defer to you before you give him anything. He must learn that
all things come from you and nothing is free.
Begin asking him to sit for any attention at all. Ask him to sit before a walk. If he does not obey, put him out in a fenced yard to eliminate rather than walking
him--if he prefers the yard, then walk him--whichever is more rewarding should be withheld unless your dog is willing
to do you a favor first. If he puts his head on your lap for attention or climbs up on the couch or bed, get up and change the TV channel or leave the room. The reason for this is two fold. He absolutely cannot have anything,
especially your attention, unless he
defers to you first. Second, you do not want him to learn to persistently bother you until you give in. This is definitely NOT going to make you the leader.
You will eventually notice that your dog sits beside the couch waiting to have attention or to climb up. Remember, if he sits without being asked make sure he does something extra before you allow him his reward. Ask him to give you his paw or bring you a toy. You may notice his behavior is changing for the better already.
It is important to remember this is not boot camp. Your dog can still have all the luxury and treats and attention he has always
enjoyed, as long as he earns them by complying with his leader's requests. It's that simple. Never deprive your dog of his usual care as a punishment. During this training period you may even want to offer extra attention in the form of extra walks and games of fetch -- even ice
cream; AS LONG AS YOUR DOG EARNS these. Once you feel your dog responds
reliably indoors when resources are involved, it's time to motivate
him through training.
A dog does not fear his leader, he trusts him as the source of all good things. A leader must demonstrate an ability to provide and must command respect without fear. You can control any dog's behavior quickly with a choke collar or loud
voice but you will not be his leader.
