HOW TO DEAL WITH A DOMINANT DOG

Although a dog may be born dominant, the environmental upbringing plays an enormous role in how the dog turns out. Puppies learn their role in the pack order, during their stay with their mother. Once they leave her and go to their new owner, they will obtain a new place in their new pack. In far too many cases, the puppy is over indulged and takes over as the dominant pack leader. If this doesn’t cause a problem before six months of age, it certainly will become apparent any time after 10 months of age.

In a wolf pack, the two Alpha wolves are the strongest, healthiest, most intelligent and most experienced members of the pack. The dominant pair dominate and dictate every aspect of the pack’s life. The remainder of the pack accept the Alpha pair’s rule and defer to them without question. Below the leading pair, each subordinate member is content to know its vital place and function within this pecking order.

Unfortunately, we give human qualities to our puppy, and later on to the adult dog. This gives the dog an elevated opinion of their status and they become “dominant” over their owner. One of the mistakes that owners make is to assume that they are the leader of their pack, but then they do all the things that make them a “subordinate” in their dogs eyes!

Most dogs believe they are responsible for us – they believe it is their job to safeguard our welfare, rather than the other way around.

WHAT TO DO?

Interaction between dogs takes place during times of danger (real or perceived), when they are out on a walk / in a park / at training; and when they are reuniting. At these times certain dogs are put into their place, the leader asserting its authority and the subordinates accepting that authority.

It is at these times that the human needs to take charge and try to follow the example and reproduce the behaviour of the leading dog. In order to do this you need to be:

CONSISTENT & CALM

Most dogs know the basic commands of sit, down, stay, but do not really understand the meaning of these words. Their effectiveness proves only the value of being consistent in providing information to your dog.

Shouting is a sure way to create a neurotic dog. A leader that is upset or agitated, is a leader that does not instill confidence, and is less likely to be believed in. An Alpha wolf displays a serenity that at times is dismissive. Owners need to start behaving in a manner that dogs will associate with leadership.

To start with, you need to imitate the behaviour of the Alpha by ignoring your dog. This is not easy to do – humans are verbal creatures, but we also use a log of body language. Dogs also use body language, and especially eye contact. This can be used most effectively.

  1. For the first few minutes of the day, make sure that you do not even make eye contact with your dog – just ignore them. It is unnatural at first, especially when your dog is leaping all over you. However, the impact is obvious within a day or two of starting this new regime – very soon the jumping and bad behaviour will stop and the dog will become more respectful.
  2. The above procedure should also be carried out when returning home. No verbal comments and no eye contact. The dogs will learn to respect this and stop jumping up on the car, and you.
  3. It mustn’t be forgotten, the while undesirable and excessive behaviour must be ignored, all positive behaviour must be praised or rewarded. To underline this point, a QUIET, EXTRA FUSS is made when you feel like approaching them.

The next important step to follow is when visitors come to the door, most dogs jump up on them, run around and make a terrible fuss. Shouting stop, down only exacerbates the situation.

  1. It is important to tell the visitors to IGNORE the dogs when they come through the door. If a dog keeps jumping around, then take it to another room, or put it on a lead to keep it under control. Of course the visitor will think you are crazy, as they want to acknowledge your dog. Very soon things will begin to calm down.
  2. When the visitor is settled the dog should be brought out, or let off the lead, and totally ignored. Most dogs quickly move off and either lie down, or find something else to do.

 Going out for a walk / to the park / to training is another point to tackle.

  1. Dogs usually get extremely excited when the lead is brought out and the humans shout at them to calm down. In a wolf pack, the Alpha pair allows the subordinates to run around for a while (before the hunt) and then eventually all calm down and they are able to lead the hunt. In our situation, we need to follow this example. Dogs have got to get wound up because to them, this is the prelude to a hunt and they have to get their adrenaline pumping. We mustn’t fight this instinct, but go with it.
  2. The difference is, that after putting the lead on your dog/dogs DO NOTHING. Stand there impassively, wait and be calm and silent. The calm leadership will calm the dogs right down and then it will be time to start out. Every time the dog gets excited, stand still and wait till it is calm.
  3. On the walk continue to show leadership. A dog that pulls on the lead is showing leadership, and certainly not respecting the leadership of its owner. When the pulling starts, stop and wait. You can also quickly turn around and walk fast in the opposite direction. You are know in the leadership role. The dog should realize that they are going nowhere fast, and begin to respect your leadership. This might mean that for a while your walk will consist of backward and forwards until the dog stops pulling.

Selective hearing when a dog is off lead, is extremely frustrating. The owner calls for a dog to come, but the dog just continues doing what it finds more interesting. Knowing that an Alpha dog leads the pack on a hunt, from a dog’s point of view, if it thinks that it is the Alpha, then it will think it is leading the hunt to the detriment of all else. In the dog’s mind, the power as a subordinate, will not call the dog back, but follow as a pack member. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.

  1. Starting in your garden, call the dog to you and reward it for coming – NEVER PUNISH A DOG FOR COMING!!!
  2. If a dog does not want to come, do not call and nag, turn around and go inside the house, or in the opposite direction. Dogs are pack animals and given the choice of going alone or returning to the pack, they usually choose the pack.

 FEEDING REGIME

 Using a dog’s feeding time, can be a way of re-establishing the leadership structure – it is always the Alpha that eats first in a pack.

  1. Before preparing the dog’s food, put a biscuit (or something else) nearby. Then get the bowl and whilst preparing the food (even just pouring the dry food into the bowl), eat the biscuit, making it look like you have taken it from the food bowl.
  2. Thinking in terms of the pack mentality, the dog thinks you are eating out of their bowl – making you the leader.
  3. Just before putting the bowl down for the dog, put the bowl up to your mouth and pretend to eat from it.
  4. The dogs have to accept that you, the pack leader, have to be satisfied before they too can eat.

THE FIVE MINUTE RULE

  1. At no time should a dog’s food be left out all day. This makes a dog have no respect for you as the leader.
  2. After pretending to eat from the bowl, make the dog sit (I prefer a dominant dog to down) on command and then place the bowl on the floor. Release the dog from the command and allow it to eat.
  3. THE DOG IS GIVEN 5 MINUTES TO EAT. After this time, if the dog has not finished eating, pick up the bowl and put it away. In a dog pack the Alpha tells the rest of the pack how much they are allowed to eat and how long they are allowed to eat. Taking the food away, and not leaving food out all day, will confirm your leadership role in the pack.

It is extremely important that you, the owner, are in control of your dog. Don’t listen to people who will tell you that what I have mentioned above is cruel. It is through humans “love” of their dogs, that so many dogs land up at the SPCA, or have to be put to sleep for behaviour problems. Just remember:

THINK LIKE A DOG. What would a dog do in a pack? And try to follow the example of an Alpha pack leader.

KATHLEEN CLAYTON (Miss)
B A (Unisa) Higher Diploma in Education (JCE). Certificate of Companion Animal Behaviour Course (University of Pretoria and Onderstepoort)

(H) 011 783 3042

(Cell) 082 454 1750

Reference: The Dog Listener – Learning the Language of Your Best Friend by Jan Fennell