Set Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations
Again, rules, boundaries, and limitations are even more important for dominant dogs because it focuses their dominance and gives them a way to express their confidence without using it on you.At a minimum, there should be rules for where they can go in the house without your permission, they should always have to wait before going in or out the door, and they don’t get their food until they are calm and submissive.
With dominant dogs, you can take it a step further with things like agility training, which allows them to use up excess energy while leading themselves through the obstacle course.
Five Things to Keep in Mind When Dealing with an Alpha Dog
Dogs will not follow unstable energy. This is even truer of alpha dogs, who will try to correct what they see as unbalanced behavior. This is why, when dealing with a dominant dog, you have to be even calmer and more assertive than normally.If you’re anxious or nervous, your dog will sense this, and a dominant dog will see it as their cue to take charge. On the other hand, if you are calm and assertive, a dominant dog will read this as everything is all right, and they won’t feel the need to protect and direct their pack, i.e. you.
Do Not Allow Him Onto the Bed or Sofa
Dominant dogs like pack order. And pack order is about having pack leaders, and everyone else is next in line. Beds and sofas should be reserved for the top dogs, which is you and the family. Not Fido.
Although you might want to cuddle him on the sofa, this is a small sacrifice that you need to make in order to establish pack hierarchy. The same goes for you not sitting on the floor, because he’ll see that as you stepping off your throne, and joining him on his level.