Dogs are pack animals by nature, they look to an alpha (leader). Think about those National Geographic specials – nature intended a ranking amongst the pack members. To the dog, you and your family are each members of this pack. If the dog doesn’t see you as the alpha, then they naturally assume the role themselves. Eventually, these dominant dogs become the dogs that growl at you, bite the vet, or otherwise don’t behave.
It is important to repeat these exercises frequently. As with anything in which we want to succeed, we must practice, practice, practice. Behavior modifying exercises must be repeated hundreds of times to convince the pup of our leadership. You should try to spend an average of 20 minutes with the pup on these exercises, twice daily.
In one posture, hold the pup over your head, firmly supporting him with both hands and stare into his eyes (staring is a dominant behavior to the dog). Maintain this position until the pup has been still for 10 seconds. He must be still for that length of time or he hasn’t submitted to you.
Remember that you have to be careful not to cause unnecessary anxiety on your pups, they might end up fearing you instead of seeing you as their alpha. This has been the many cases for puppies who have irresponsible owners. You can get calming treats from KarmaPets if you happen to have gotten a relatively young dog that has anxiety issues, it will help you a lot.
Next, while still holding the scruff of the neck, lay the pup on its side. Use your free hand to steady and restrain the pup’s body. This position should be maintained until the pup is quiet for 10 seconds.
Don’t Force Affection
Dominant dogs are naturally more aloof and solitary. Remember, in the pack, the leaders do not approach the followers. The followers come to the leaders. The trap that it’s easy for humans to fall into is to pursue their dog to give affection when the dog isn’t “cuddly” enough, which puts the dog in the leadership position.If your dog is dominant, the best approach is to ignore her. When she wants attention, she will come to you, and this reinforces your role as the Pack Leader.
Do not let him pull on leash.
If he leads you on a walk he will want to take lead in all other aspects of life. Be the leader; teach him to walk beside or behind you. Also, frequently stop him on walks and give him obedience commands. Make him stop at all the street corners, have him sit and then down. Don’t allow him to get up until you release him to “heel” again. If he advances forward or gets up, use the verbal correction “no” and command him again. Be calm and confident. Getting flustered makes him feel like he is winning. Use precise commands and only reward him if he completes them the first time he is asked. Teaching formal leash walking and a “heel” command typically needs to be done with the help of a professional dog trainer like Specialty Dog Training™, but applying the above advice will give you a great start. *Avoid giving specific obedience cues that have not been properly taught or conditioned.
How to stop your dog from being dominant
In the wild, dogs operate on a social hierarchy. It’s been that way since the dawn of time and continues today in wolves and wild canines. The hierarchy is pretty simple. There is one leader, called the Alpha, and the followers.
The Alpha is the strongest of the pack. They make all of the decisions for the rest of the canines. As a result, they’re also the most respected. They eat first, tell the pack what to do and where to go, and sets the tone for how the pack lives.
This hierarchical way of thinking doesn’t stop just because a dog is domesticated. It’s an instinctual thing. If you have more than one dog in your house, you may notice that one of your dogs seems to have command over the rest. However,
Your family is like a pack. It’s important that you become the Alpha. Not only will this help to avoid any aggressive behavior, but it can help tremendously with obedience training.
Many confuse Alpha-like behavior with bullying. That is not the case. It’s simply demanding respect and asserting your dominance in everything you do. Becoming the Alpha doesn’t mean scaring your dog into submission. In fact, your pup will probably be more inclined to show you some loving as the Alpha.
Here are a few ways you can assert your dominance and become the leader of your pack.