"My dog just tried to bite me!
All I did was tell him to move over so I could sit on the couch next
to him."
"My dog got into the trash can
and when I scolded her, she growled at me. What's wrong with her? I
thought she loved me!"
"Our dog is very affectionate
most of the time but when we try to make him do something he doesn't
want to do, he snaps at us."
What do these dogs have in
common? Are they nasty or downright vicious? No, they're "alpha."
They've taken over the leadership of the families who love them.
Instead of taking orders from their people, these dogs are giving
orders! Your dog can love you very much and still try to dominate
you or other family members.
Dogs are social creatures and
believers in social order. A dog's social system is a "pack" with a
well-defined pecking order. The leader of the pack is the alpha,
supreme boss, Top Dog. He (or she) gets the best of everything - the
best food, the best place to sleep, the best toy, etc. The leader
also gets to be first in everything - he gets to eat first, to leave
first and to get attention first. All the other dogs in the pack
respect the alpha dog's wishes. Any dog that challenges the alpha's
authority gets a swift physical reminder of just where his place in
the pack really is.
Your family is your dog's
"pack." Many dogs fit easily into the lower levels of their human
pack's pecking order and don't make waves. They do what they're told
and don't challenge authority. Other dogs don't fit in quite as
well. Some of them are natural born leaders and are always
challenging their human alphas. Other dogs are social climbers,
always looking for ways to get a little closer to the top of the
family ladder. These natural leaders and the social climbers can
become problems to an unsuspecting family who's not aware of the
dog's natural pack instincts.
Some families encourage their
dogs to take over the "pack" without realizing it. They treat their
dogs as equals, not as subordinates. They give them special
privileges like being allowed to sleep on the bed or couch. They
don't train their dogs and let them get away with disobeying
commands. In a real dog pack, no one but the alpha dog would get
this kind of treatment. Alpha has nothing to do with size. The
tiniest Chihuahua can be a canine Hitler. In fact, the smaller the
dog, the more people tend to baby them and cater to them, making the
dog feel even more dominant and in control of his humans.
Alpha dogs often seem to make
good pets. They're confident, smarter than average and affectionate.
They can be wonderful with children and good with strangers.
Everything seems to be great with the relationship - until someone
crosses him or makes him do something he doesn't want to do. Then,
suddenly, this wonderful dog growls or tries to bite someone and no
one understands why.
In a real dog pack, the alpha
dog doesn't have to answer to anyone. No one gives him orders or
tells him what to do. The other dogs in the pack respect his
position. If another dog is foolish enough to challenge the alpha by
trying to take his bone or his favorite sleeping place, the alpha
dog will quickly put him in his place with a hard stare or a growl.
If this doesn't work, the alpha dog will enforce his leadership with
his teeth. This is all natural, instinctive behavior - in a dog's
world. In a human family, though, this behavior is unacceptable and
dangerous.
Dogs need and want leaders.
They have an instinctive need to fit into a pack. They want the
security of knowing their place and what's expected of them. Most of
them don't want to be alpha; they want someone else to give the
orders and make the decisions. If his humans don't provide that
leadership, the dog will take over the role himself. If you've
allowed your dog to become alpha, you're at his mercy, and as a
leader, he may be either a benevolent king or a tyrant!
If you think your dog is alpha
in your household, he probably is. If your dog respects only one or
two family members but dominates the others, you still have a
problem. The dog's place should be at the bottom of your human
family's pack order, not at the top or somewhere in between.
In order to reclaim your
family's rightful place as leaders of the pack, your dog needs some
lessons in how to be a subordinate, not an equal. You're going to
show him what it means to be a dog again. Your dog's mother showed
him very early in life that she was alpha and that he had to respect
her. As a puppy, he was given a secure place in his litter's pack
and because of that security, he was free to concentrate on growing,
learning, playing, loving and just being a dog. Your dog doesn't
really want the responsibility of being alpha, having to make the
decisions and defend his position at the top. He wants a leader to
follow and worship so he can have the freedom of just being a dog
again.
How to Become Leader of
Your Pack
Your dog watches you
constantly and reads your body language. He knows if you're
insecure, uncomfortable in a leadership role or won't enforce a
command. This behavior confuses him, makes him insecure and if he's
a natural leader or has a social-climbing personality, it'll
encourage him to assume the alpha position and tell you what to do.
"Alpha" is an attitude. It
involves quiet confidence, dignity, intelligence, an air of
authority. A dog can sense this attitude almost immediately; it's
how his mother acted toward him. Watch a professional trainer or a
good obedience instructor. They stand tall and use their voices and
eyes to project the idea that they're capable of getting what they
want. They're gentle but firm, loving but tough, all at the same
time. Most dogs are immediately submissive toward this type of
personality because they recognize and respect alpha when they see
it.
Practice being alpha. Stand up
straight with your shoulders back. Walk tall. Practice using a new
tone of voice, one that's deep and firm. Don't ask your dog to do
something - tell him. There's a difference. He knows the difference,
too! Remember that, as alpha, you're entitled to make the rules and
give the orders. Your dog understands that instinctively.
With most dogs, just this
change in your attitude and an obedience training course will be
enough to turn things around. With a dog that's already taken over
the household and has enforced his position by growling or biting
and has been allowed to get away with it, you'll need to do more
than just decide to be alpha. The dog is going to need an attitude
adjustment as well.
Natural leaders and social
climbers aren't going to want to give up their alpha position. Your
sudden change in behavior is going to shock and threaten them. Your
dog might act even more aggressively than before. An alpha dog will
instinctively respond to challenges to his authority. It's his
nature to want to put down revolutionary uprisings by the peasants!
Don't worry, there's a way around it.
An alpha dog already knows
that he can beat you in a physical fight so returning his aggression
with violence of your own won't work. Until you've successfully
established your position as alpha, corrections like hitting,
shaking, or using the "roll over" techniques described in some books
will not work and can be downright dangerous to you. An alpha dog
will respond to these methods with violence, and you could be
seriously hurt.
What you need to do is use
your brain! You're smarter than he is and you can outthink him.
You'll also need to be more stubborn than he is. What I'm about to
describe here is an effective, nonviolent method of removing your
dog from alpha status and putting him back at the bottom of the
family totem pole where he belongs and where he needs to be. In
order for this method to work, your whole family has to be involved.
It requires an attitude adjustment from everyone and a new way of
working with your dog.
Canine Boot Camp for Alpha
Attitude Adjustment
From this day forward, you're
going to teach your dog that he is a dog, not a miniature human
being in a furry suit. His mother taught him how to be a dog once
and how to take orders. Along the way, through lack of training or
misunderstood intentions, he's forgotten. With your help, he's going
to remember what he is and how he fits into the world. Before long,
he's even going to like it!
Dogs were bred to look to
humans for food, companionship and guidance. An alpha dog doesn't
ask for what he wants, he demands it. He lets you know in no
uncertain terms that he wants his dinner, that he wants to go out,
that he wants to play and be petted and that he wants these things
right now. You're going to teach him that from now on, he has to
earn what he gets. No more free rides. This is going to be a shock
to his system at first but you'll be surprised how quickly he'll
catch on and that he'll actually become eager to please you.
If your dog doesn't already
know the simple command SIT, teach it to him. Reward him with praise
and a tidbit. Don't go overboard with the praise. A simple "Good
boy!" in a happy voice is enough. Now, every time your dog wants
something - his dinner, a trip outside, a walk, some attention,
anything - tell him (remember don't ask him, tell him) to SIT first.
When he does, praise him with a "Good Boy!," then tell him OKAY and
give him whatever it is he wants as a reward. If he refuses to SIT,
walk away and ignore him. No SIT, no reward. If you don't think he
understands the command, work on his training some more. If he just
doesn't want to obey, ignore him - DON'T give him what he wants or
reward him in any fashion.
Make him sit before giving him
his dinner, make him sit at the door before going outside, make him
sit in front of you to be petted, make him sit before giving him his
toy. If you normally leave food out for him all the time, stop. Go
to a twice daily feeding and you decide what time of day he'll be
fed. Make him sit for his dinner. If he won't obey the command - no
dinner. Walk away and ignore him. Bring the food out later and tell
him again to SIT. If he understands the command, don't tell him more
than once. He heard you the first time. Give commands from a
standing position and use a deep, firm tone of voice.
If the dog respects certain
members of the family but not others, let the others be the ones to
feed him and bring the good things to his life for now. Show them
how to make him obey the SIT command and how to walk away and ignore
him if he won't do as he's told. It's important that your whole
family follows this program. Dogs are like kids - if they can't have
their way with Mom, they'll go ask Dad. In your dog's case, if he
finds a member of the family that he can dominate, he'll continue to
do so. You want your dog to learn that he has to respect and obey
everyone. Remember - his place is at the bottom of the totem pole.
Bouncing him from the top spot helps but if he thinks he's anywhere
in the middle, you're still going to have problems.
Think - you know your dog and
know what he's likely to do under most circumstances. Stay a step
ahead of him and anticipate his behavior so you can avoid or correct
it. If he gets into the trash and growls when scolded, make the
trash can inaccessible. If he likes to bolt out the door ahead of
you, put a leash on him. Make him sit and wait while you open the
door and give him permission - OKAY! - to go out. If your alpha dog
doesn't like to come when he's called (and he probably doesn't!),
don't let him outside off leash. Without a leash, you have no
control over him and he knows it.
Petting and attention:
Alpha dogs are used to being fussed over. In a real dog pack,
subordinate dogs are forever touching, licking and grooming the
alpha dog. It's a show of respect and submission. For now, until his
attitude has shown improvement, cut down on the amount of cuddling
your dog gets. When he wants attention, make him SIT first, give him
a few kind words and pats, then stop. Go back to whatever it was you
were doing and ignore him. If he pesters you, tell him NO! in a firm
voice and ignore him some more. Pet him when you want to, not
because he wants you to. For the time being, don't get down on the
floor or on your knees to pet your dog. That, too, is a show of
submission. Give praise, petting and rewards from a position that's
higher than the dog.
Games: If you or anyone
in your family wrestles, rough-houses or plays tug of war with your
dog, stop! These games encourage dogs to dominate people physically
and to use their teeth. In a dog pack or in a litter, these games
are more than just playing - they help to establish pack order based
on physical strength. Your dog is already probably stronger and
quicker than you are. Rough, physical games prove that to him. He
doesn't need to be reminded of it!
Find new games for him to
play. Hide & seek, fetch or frisbee catching are more appropriate.
Make sure you're the one who starts and ends the game, not the dog.
Stop playing before the dog gets bored and is inclined to try to
keep the ball or frisbee.
Where does your dog sleep? Not
in your bedroom and especially not on your bed! Your bedroom is a
special place - it's your "den." An alpha dog thinks he has a right
to sleep in your den because he considers himself your equal. In
fact, he may have already taken over your bed, refusing to get off
when told or growling and snapping when anyone asks him to make room
for the humans. Until your dog's alpha problems are fully under
control, the bedroom should be off-limits! The same goes for
sleeping on furniture. If you can't keep him off the couch without a
fight, deny him access to the room until his behavior and training
has improved.
Crate-training: Dog
crates have 1,000 uses and working with an alpha dog is one of them.
It's a great place for your dog to sleep at night, to eat in and
just to stay in when he needs to chill out and be reminded that he's
a dog. The crate is your dog's "den." Start crate training by
feeding him his dinner in his crate. Close the door and let him stay
there for an hour afterwards. If he throws a tantrum, ignore him.
Don't let your dog out of his crate until he's quiet and settled. At
bedtime, show him an irresistible goodie, tell him to SIT and when
he does, throw the goodie into the crate. When he dives in for the
treat, tell him what a good boy he is and close the door.
Graduating from Boot Camp:
What's next?
Just like in the army, boot
camp is really just an introduction to a new career and new way of
doing things. A tour through boot camp isn't going to solve your
alpha dog's problems forever. It's a way to get basic respect from a
dog who's been bullying you without having to resort to physical
force.
How long should boot camp
last? That depends on the dog. Some will show an improvement right
away, others may take much longer. For really tough cookies, natural
leaders that need constant reminders of their place in the pack,
Alpha Dog Boot Camp will become a way of life. Social climbers may
need periodic trips through boot camp if you get lax and
accidentally let them climb back up a notch or two in the family
pack order.
How do you know if you're
making a difference? If boot camp has been successful, your dog
should start looking to you for directions and permission. He'll
show an eagerness to please. Watch how your dog approaches and
greets you. Does he come to you "standing tall," with his head and
ears held high and erect? It may look impressive and proud but it
means he's still alpha and you still have problems! A dog who
accepts humans as superiors will approach you with his head slightly
lowered and his ears back or off to the sides. He'll "shrink" his
whole body a little in a show of submission. Watch how he greets all
the members of the family. If he displays this submissive posture to
some of them, but not others, those are the ones who still need to
work on their own alpha posture and methods. They should take him
back through another tour of boot camp with support from the rest of
the family.
Obedience Training
Once your dog has begun to
accept this new way of life and his new position in the family, you
should take him through an obedience course with a qualified
trainer. All dogs need to be trained and alpha dogs need training
most of all! You don't have to wait until he's through with boot
camp to start this training but it's important that he respects at
least one member of the family and is willing to take direction from
them.
Obedience class teaches you to
train your dog. It teaches you how to be alpha, how to enforce
commands and rules, how to get respect and to keep it. All family
members who are old enough to understand and control the dog should
participate in the class.
Obedience training is a
lifelong process. One obedience course does not a trained dog make!
Obedience commands need to be practiced and incorporated into your
daily life. In a dog pack, the alpha animal uses occasional
reminders to reinforce his authority. Certain commands, like
DOWN/STAY, are especially effective, nonviolent reminders of a dog's
place in the family pack order and who's really in charge here.
A well-trained obedient dog is
a happy dog and a joy to live with. Dogs want to please and need a
job to do. Training gives them the opportunity to do both. A
well-trained dog has more freedom. He can go more places and do more
things with you because he knows how to behave. A well-trained dog
that's secure in his place within the family pack is comfortable and
confident. He knows what's expected of him. He knows his limits and
who his leaders are. He's free from the responsibility of running
the household and making decisions. He's free to be our loving
companion and not your boss. He's free to be a dog - what he was
born to be and what he always wanted to be in the first place!
When You Need Professional
Help
If your dog has already
injured you or someone else or if you are afraid of your dog, you
should consult with a qualified professional dog trainer or
behaviorist before starting Canine Boot Camp. Your dog should also
have an exam by your veterinarian to make sure there are no physical
causes for his behavior.
To find a qualified trainer or
behaviorist near you, contact your veterinarian or the American
Kennel Club (212-696-8200) for a list of obedience training clubs in
your area.
Related Reading
Mother Knows Best
by Carol Lea Benjamin
Dog Problems
by Carol Lea Benjamin
Dogs Love To Please
by September B. Morn
Psychological Dog Training
by Clarence Meisterfield
Good Dogs, Great Owners
by Brian Kilcommons
This article was written by
Vicki DeGruy, chairman of the Chow Chow Club Inc.'s Welfare
Committee, with heavy reliance on the writings of Carol Lea
Benjamin. The concepts presented here are not new or original,
simply organized in a program format meant to be easy and safe for
dog owners to put into practice. This article may not be reproduced
for other than personal home use without the expressed permission of
the author.
WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE?
