Dog Training: Establish Leadership

On the one hand, everything is correct, because they become an integral part of the family, and on the other hand, they are animals that have their own instincts and thoughts.

If you show a dog that he is in charge, then he will stop obeying and start doing whatever comes into his head.

As a rule, most dogs do not live in enclosures, but in houses and apartments with their owners, which means that you automatically start the process of destruction in your home.

No matter how much you love your pet, you must show him that you are in charge.

Violence against dogs is prohibited.

First of all, you need to remember that raising a dog is not slapping a soft spot, which will not give anything other than causing pain to the pet. By the way, in a pack of dogs they don’t hit each other, so it’s pointless to mindlessly hit an animal. We need to come up with other, more humane ways to raise a ponytail.

Clear daily routine

You need to establish a clear daily routine for your pet and follow the schedule. Dogs like to be walked and fed at the same time, they like stability. If you strictly follow your pet's daily routine, then the dog sees you as a good leader who can be relied on.

The first beauties of the USSR and modern actresses at 40: who looks younger (photo)

Words from Boris Grachevsky’s latest interview are worth everyone’s attention

Ruins of a Victorian town bath discovered in England under a car park

"Bite" to explain something

Until you became its owner, the dog was commanded by the mother. To deal with a disobedient child, the animal world has its own way: the mother bites the puppy in the neck or simply rolls it onto its back.

A person can also use these same methods, but to imitate a bite, you need to tense your fingers and simply hit the neck with the tips, but only from above, where the skin is rougher.

If the behavior has not changed, then throw the naughty person on his back. It is possible that the pet will not understand the first time, but by the third time he will definitely realize that he is to blame.

What is the root of the problem

Dogs are descendants of wolves, and these predators usually live in a pack, adhering to strictly established rules. The success of a flock in hunting, growth of livestock, and expansion of territory largely depends on the determination and intelligence of the leader. Yes, he has a number of privileges, but he has even more responsibility. The rest of the community must obey unquestioningly, and this is not discussed.

Naturally, the leader is a smart, cunning animal that can solve problems with minimal risk to the rest of the pack. For dogs, this leader is the owner, or rather, he should be. When a puppy appears in the house, he perceives the owner as the person who acts as a “competent parent”. That is, the one who pays more attention to the pet, is involved in its upbringing, training, walking, participating in all important events and giving the first knowledge about the world around us.

At this stage, the relationship between the dog and the owner is built, and only the behavior of the owner, his actions, determines whether he will acquire the status of “leader” in the eyes of the puppy. Usually, in puppyhood, owners do not pay much attention to their pet’s disobedience, attributing everything to age and ignorance. But behavioral defects will certainly appear when the puppy enters puberty. At this time, he will begin to search for his own place in the family hierarchy, and will definitely try to take leadership positions.

On the one hand, this is a good sign - the pet is growing up and feels its physical and moral strength. But what methods he uses shows how much the owner has strengthened his position as a leader. The owner should be wary if the dog behaves as follows:

• shows aggression towards the owner - looks threateningly, growls, grins, imitates an attack;
• takes the owner's place and is in no hurry to vacate it when the owner appears;
• shows disobedience, and does it regularly, as if testing a person’s “strength.”

When a dog behaves like this, a person must admit that the dog does not perceive him as a “leader” and even makes attempts to “put him in his place.”

In this case, you should not despair and give up, or try too zealously to “educate” the offender using harsh methods. In the first case, the dog will finally establish itself on the top rung of the hierarchical ladder, in the second, it will become evil or cowardly. The dog acts based on his own instincts, should he be blamed for this?

Any incorrect behavior of a dog is the result of the “teacher’s” mistakes. This means that you should start with yourself, analyze the educational process and, if necessary, study special literature. Usually, assistance in raising a dog of a certain breed is provided by a breeder, if we are talking about a professional, or an experienced dog handler. In addition, most mistakes can be avoided already in the first stages of education, and then correction will not be required.

How to raise a dog: rules that will help you become a leader

And the flock lives according to the laws of hierarchy: some occupy a dominant position, others are submissive.

In an artificially created close pack of “man and dog”, certain connections will be maintained with a clear form of subordination, where the highest level on the hierarchical ladder is occupied by the owner...or the dog.

Therefore, it would be a mistake to encourage the dog to behave in ways that give it the illusion of dominance in the home. By yielding to the dog's whims, the owner makes the dog feel like the head of the family (= pack). At other times, he demands obedience from her, as from a lower rank.

Mixing roles prevents the dog from determining its place in the hierarchy of relationships and becomes the first step towards its problematic behavior: in an attempt to “strengthen” its dominant position, the dog resorts to aggression as one of the means of dominance.

The family in which the dog is located is a unique, diverse social group; no matter how its owner perceives the dog, it behaves in this group in accordance with its own laws.

Naturally, “dog laws” are determined by a hereditary complex that determines the potential for the dog to develop certain forms of behavior. For example, dogs with a stable internal “leader” complex happen to actively try to establish themselves in this status as they grow up.

This happens quite often in large dogs and manifests itself in the fact that as the puppy grows older, it “shows its teeth” more and more often and becomes more and more aggressive towards its owners.

Don't come close to me

If we consider the “anatomy” of such relationships, it turns out that dog aggression, as a rule, occurs when the owner tries to limit or prohibit it from any activity. For example, a dog plays with a stick, and you take it away. By indulging in such “manifestations of character” of the animal, without establishing the necessary social boundaries, the owner provokes aggression.

Social boundaries for self-confident dogs with a leadership complex sometimes need to be set when new members appear in the group (family). A person who is part of a group will experience pressure from the dog (if the latter is given such an opportunity).

There are also situations in which a dog, recognizing one of the family members as the unconditional leader, builds its relationships with others at its own discretion.

bobot 05/09/201505/09/2015 Category Animals Dog tags Comment.

A dog is man's friend. Man is a wolf to man. Tell me who your friend is and I will tell you who you are. So tell me now, what is a dog that is another person's friend to you? That's the same! Then listen, my little Mowgli, how to live among wolves.

Prevention

• A good war is one that can be avoided. And in the case of dogs, too. If the shortest distance between points A and B is a wasteland where ownerless bitches and dogs hang out, disregard the laws of geometry and go around like a normal hero. Some particularly impudent flocks may consider part of the street or park theirs - do not argue or interfere with their territory.
• Barking is not as dangerous as remaining silent. Barking is an invitation to negotiate. It has been repeatedly noted that if you address dogs buzzing in an industrial area using good profanity, they will understand and respect you. Because for most and the best part of their lives they were communicated only in this language. Having reached a consensus with the dogs, do not lose your vigilance and retreat backwards.
• In the case of aggressive dogs, three “don’ts” are very important: do not turn your back, dogs are not noble cowboys from westerns, and willingly attack from behind. Do not wave your arms or run away. You can try to deceive the dog - pretend that you are picking up a stone from the ground. The cowardly individual retreats.
• For some reason, evil-minded animals do not like cyclists. If you know how to drive fast, increase your speed to the limit. If you don’t know how, get off and lead the bike by the bridle.
• If the owner watches a barking dog with a smile, there is a great temptation to tell him everything at once. Refrain! The most vicious and stupid animals may well be devoted pets. Having decided that the owner is in danger, they will definitely attack the offender. There is a known case when an incredibly stupid Moscow Rottweiler did not allow doctors to approach the owner who had lost consciousness. While the beast was dragged away, the unfortunate woman went to a better world. And an equally stupid boxer dog from Canada tried to save his owner who decided to go swimming. Bitten and scratched, the poor fellow barely made it to the shore. In general, it is worth remembering these cases, feeling sorry for the owners and asking them as friendly as possible to call the dog to their place before the number of paws, ears and tails decreases.

See also: 5 terrible cases of octopus attacks on humans

FIGHTS WITHOUT RULES

• Does the beast approach silently, baring its teeth, or does it generally rush towards a fire? The matter is rubbish, you will have to fight back, and immediately. If there is a wall or tree nearby, hug yourself to protect your back. If not, group yourself by squeezing your knees. You can put your hands vertically in front of you: the dog grabs horizontally, but it’s difficult for him to do this vertically.
• The time has come for tough measures, no matter what all the zoophiles say. For example, slowly take off your jacket, wrap it around your hand and present it to the dog, and then push the clothes down its throat. A small bag will also work for this purpose. You can strike with your knee, or a strong blow, with your hand or a stone, to the nose, the most sensitive area. Options to strangle or kick hard in the stomach (turn away, Greenpeace people) are for the strongest.
• Dogs don’t know how to fight, so you can contrively fall on top of the whole mass, press it to the ground and try to damage the throat.
• If the enemy is clearly and initially superior, only passive, unmanly tactics are suitable: fall on your face, clench your legs, cover your neck and head with your hands, and call for help.

RESCUE FROM THE MOUTH

• It happens that another, weak and helpless person becomes the object of attack. How to rescue him from the monster’s jaws? If a dog has grabbed onto an arm or leg, do not pull the limb - this will only make the wound deeper. But the dog itself can be pulled - for example, by its hind legs: the evil creature will lose its balance and, stunned, will unclench its jaws.
• A scarf or belt is suitable for making a loop: you need to tighten it around the dog's neck as tightly as possible and gradually tighten it.
• Dogs have depressions under the jaw on the neck, on both sides of the trachea - pressing on them with your thumb and forefinger will cause considerable discomfort to the dog, and it will unclench its jaw.

See also: The most expensive dog breeds in the world

Just don’t see every dog ​​except your own as a potential enemy. Among strangers and even stray dogs, although it is rare, you come across kind and smart ones.

— How to get to the Library? - Go straight through the former warehouses.

- What a horror. Only there are not enough werewolves... - And here they are. - Ugh! It is forbidden! Sit! Lie! Home! “That’s not how you talk to these dogs.” Come on, cover your ears.

- Let's go beep-beep-beep! I'm your mother beep-beep-beep! ... - What did you tell them? — The dog understands the language that people spoke in front of it.

EASTERN WISDOM

But a resident of Iran would not even look at this text: while advanced Europe is thinking about how else to fight for animal rights, in a harsh Muslim country there is a ban on the appearance of dogs in public places. Guard dogs, herding dogs and hunting dogs – no matter what, they are useful. And the rest are considered unclean, and keeping them in the house is an undesirable thing. If you go out with your dog or take him anywhere in the car, you will be fined and confiscated. Not property, dogs.

YOU GIVE IT UP

The dogs themselves punish bad owners. And with the best intentions. One Ukrainian deputy was walking his boxer (the dog, not Klitschko), without a leash or muzzle. The powers that be are allowed. A police cadet was walking towards him. The law enforcement officer did not like the look of the boxer, which he expressed quite sharply. The dog, to his credit, behaved well. But the wild deputy pulled a grenade out of his wide trousers and threw it towards the cadet. The boxer, as befits a well-trained dog, rushed for the grenade and brought it to his owner. Before he could rejoice, an explosion occurred.

See also: Animal Facts: Amazing Parasites

SAT ON YOUR NECK

But the South Africans, the spouses Gerda and Roger, were exemplary and responsible dog breeders. And they were very upset when their dogs ran away and started chasing hares. I feel sorry for the hares, and for random passers-by - they will suddenly attack. The couple decided to purchase electric collars for the dogs - a weak shock of electricity, and the animal is as obedient as a lamb. To begin with, they decided to test the collars on themselves - how painful it was and at what distance it worked. Roger put the device on his neck and drove the car about a kilometer away from the farm. The horn sounded to Gerda, and she pressed the button. Roger received a blow - a very noticeable one - and accidentally pressed the buzzer again. Gerda decided that the collar did not work and turned on the current again. After the husband, who was convulsing, fell with his chest on the horn and began to buzz for a very long time and piercingly, Gerda realized that something was wrong. Fortunately, everything ended well. And for dogs too - collars, shuddering nervously, Roger resolutely threw them into the trash can.

source

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

BraveRobot found more articles on this topic:

• Be Better: 6 Ways to Show Kindness and Boost Your Mood
• Good reasons to get a dog, backed by scientific research
• A man, studying wolves, eats raw meat with a pack
• 10 Most Expensive and Adorable Dog Breeds in the World
• A man, studying wolves, eats raw meat with a pack
• A small child and a dog: how to make them friends?
• What to do when a dog is dominant?
• Incomparable Igor Talkov “Tell me, where did you come from?” (video)
• How to deal with a stray dog: dog protection
• A touching story of a husky rescue on the island of Bali

How do dogs display their “leader” traits?

Some dogs have gone far from their wild ancestors, others not so much, and this applies to both positive and negative wolf habits. Zoologists who study the life of a wolf pack argue that even a person cannot be as organized as these predatory animals. They have a strict hierarchy, with all members having their own responsibilities.

The leader of this well-coordinated team is the leader - this can be either a male or a female, and the individual must be smart rather than strong. The leader gets the best pieces of food. This is due to the fact that a weak, exhausted leader, in case of danger, will not be able to react clearly and save his family. It is surprising that in case of hunger, he can give his share to the young - this is how the leader cares about the future of the flock.

In general, in the wolf’s understanding, the leader is a responsible person on whom the well-being of the entire micro-society depends. Dogs are structured differently; in their understanding, the head of the house is endowed with complete power and can do whatever his heart desires. Naturally, the family will not die from his “inept” leadership and will not experience a crisis like a wolf pack, but the dog will cause a lot of inconvenience to the owner and household members.

It is not without reason that experts consider it important that the owner shows the animal that he is the boss in the family. Many dogs take this for granted, but others need to pay attention to this point. Dogs that behave as follows have dominant qualities:

• refuse to follow commands, do not respond;
• do not obey, even when on a leash;
• show unjustified aggression towards family members, strangers and other animals;
• when trying to take away any object, they growl and bite the owner.

This is how an ill-mannered dog behaves, one that has not mastered the basic program and obedience skills.

How to prove your dominance to a dog?

Scientists have proven that dogs are pack animals, and therefore they need to exist, obeying the leader. The leader in the pack is, of course, the individual who has the ability to set rules for the entire pack and make sure that no one breaks them. A professional trainer, unlike some owners, proves his superiority to the dog from the first minutes of communication, since he acts ruthlessly and uncompromisingly. How strongly the dog defends its position, so does the trainer. Because it would be correct if the main (leader) in the family is the owner, and not his dog. Those who keep dogs should not forget that a leader for a pet is one who is able to confirm his superiority over and over again.

Dogs are quite sensitive to the weaknesses of their owners, so always remain decisive and strict in your behavior with the dog if you want to raise it correctly.

Rating of dominant breeds

It is better to identify dominant dogs in advance to avoid unpleasant consequences, especially for beginners and breeders with small children. Below are the leaders in the ranking that are best for professionals to deal with:

• American Bulldog. The dogs have high intelligence and excellent protective qualities. The key to companionship is the establishment of leadership from the age of the puppy, otherwise the dog becomes aggressive and unceremonious.
• Cane Corso. Dominant traits appear from an early age, the dog begins to dominate the house. This breed is not suitable for a novice breeder, since with inexperience in training the animal gets out of control and becomes aggressive.
• Dogue de Bordeaux. The dog must be socialized in a timely manner, otherwise its behavior is difficult to predict. It is better to entrust training to a professional; an amateur will not cope with this task.
• Domerman. With an aristocratic appearance, an ill-mannered dog behaves aggressively and tries to dominate people and its own kind. With an impressive size, the dog’s bad manners can lead to unforeseen consequences.
• Shiba Inu. Outwardly, this is a cute bear, but in character it is a stubborn and wayward animal that constantly fights for territory. Possessing high intelligence, representatives of this breed study the weaknesses of the owner and, on occasion, use them against him.

See also: How to train a dog at home
It is better for beginners not to get representatives of these breeds. Not every professional can successfully handle such a beast.

How to show your dog that you are in charge

Inconsistency is the most damaging thing to any training or education. The dog falls into doubts, hesitations, as it is: today it is impossible, tomorrow the owner did not have time and it is already possible. And where there is doubt, there is no authority.