How to be your dog's leader...

Somehow in the past people developed this strange idea that physical domination and fear based methods were the way to control their dogs. I'm not too sure where all that nonsense sprung from, but I can tell you for sure that it does not work and creates more problems than it solves...

The reason for this is if you use aversive methods your dog is not learning how to behave, but is only complying out of fear of repercussion. When you are not present to administer the correction of choice, or the punishing device is worn (such as choke chains, etc.) the dog doesn't feel it has to behave appropriately. I actually took a Seeing Eye dog for a walk and the owner insisted that I use a choke collar. Because I refused to administer a correction the dog refused to listen to me as she quickly figured out that she did not have to.

Ideally your dog should want to do the right thing because when it does good things happen and the world is a happy place.

The key to being your dog's leader isn't actually your method; it's your attitude.

In the wild the pack leader is confident, and also a strong protector. That means it is your job to protect your dog from potentially harmful situations where your dog will believe it needs to take matters into it's own hands, and always show your dog that you are taking control of each situation that arises. You must always remain calm and in control if you want your dog to respect your leadership. If you are afraid, your dog will be too. If you yell and scream, your dog will panic and attempt to take control of the situation or appear stubborn and unresponsive when actually it is frightened and trying to give you signals not to hurt it. Owners who think their dog is stupid, but this is not actually the case commonly misinterpret these signals.

If you find that you have a lot going on in your life that causes you to be emotional or erratic in your dealings with your dog, I recommend you consider taking supplements such as B Complex.

Remember, consistency is key when dealing with your dog. If he knows what is expected of him it will be much easier for him to comply... Be fair and be patient and you will be able to reap the rewards of a dog that is under control instead of being out of control!

Always remember...you can take a well behaved dog anywhere.

- Angela Granchelli