Who Is The Boss - You Or Your Dog?

Are you the boss of your dog or is he the leader of the pack?  If you’re not sure who is boss then just ask yourself these questions:

1. Who controls who?  Do you control your dog and your life or does your dog control you?
2. Does your dog let you relax or does she annoy you until you get up and take her for a walk?
3. Is it you that takes the dog for a walk or does your dog take you for a walk?
4. Does your dog scab around the table while you are eating?
5. Do you give up half of your bed for the dog?

There are many dog owners who are unfortunately being owned by the dog which can be very frustrating at times.  You need to teach your dog right from the start where her place is in the pack.

I know sometimes it is hard to look at those puppy dog eyes and not give in to them but for your own sake and for the dogs it is best to have rules in place and discipline your dog when they break those rules.

You can treat your dog like one of the family that isn’t a problem but she does need to know where her place is in the family.  If you don’t do this early you may be asking for trouble later on.

A dog that thinks she is the leader of the pack in the home will want to show her dominance in other situations also.  For your dog to socialise well with other dogs then it is best for her if she knows that she isn’t the pack leader, otherwise she may show aggression toward other dogs.

Also if your dog becomes too attached to you she may become overly protective of you and may not let anyone near you, including your friends.  This may result in your friends feeling uncomfortable in your home and threatened by your dog.

Most importantly if you have children then your dog must know that she is beneath the children in the pack order so that she doesn’t show aggression toward the children.

Here are some tips to teach your dog his status in your family pack:

1. When you enter the house let your dog wait until all the human members of the family have entered.  Let your dog enter and exit the home last.
   
   
2. Do not feed your dog until you have finished eating your meal.  The leaders of the pack eat first before the lower members of the pack so teach your dog this early and she will accept it.
   
   
3. If your dog does show any aggression then stand over her and hold her head and firmly tell her ‘No’.  Always stand over her while doing this as it puts you in the superior position and reinforces that you are the leader of your pack.

It is alright to spoil your dog sometimes but it is important to let her know her position in the family.  By doing this from an early age your dog will be a pleasure to have in your home.