So, you want to train your dog, eh? I bet the first thing you want to do is wave a
magic wand and enjoy a fully obedient pup. Tsk tsk. There is no magical quick fix,
I'm afraid. But if you put forth the effort, I guarantee you will notice a change.
Training requires three basic things from you - PPK (Patience,
Persistence and Knowledge). Without these three things, you'll come up short every time.
I will cover a few basic commands on this site, which can be found in the drop down list at the end of this informative
article (on the next page).
However, FIRST there are a few things you absolutely need to know. There are times to get impatient
(i.e. waiting for your birthday, sitting through commercials, and pacing in front of an occupied
bathroom when your bladder is about to explode) but training your pup is definitely not one of those times.
So, if you have to leave in about 5 minutes or you're balancing too many other things on your agenda today, save
this site for when you can sit down and read it properly. Half-assing it will only frustrate both you and your pup.
Eh-hem. Pardon my French. Just wanted to make sure I have your attention. What I'm saying is important. Otherwise,
I wouldn't go through the trouble of writing it. I'm not naturally a long-winded person. So you can bet everything I've
written can be filed under "MUST READ".
Are you the Pack Leader???
If you do not step up to the plate and lead with confidence, your dog will instinctively assume that he or she
must do it for you. When you live with a dog, you become a "pack of dogs" whether you like it or not. And in EVERY
dog pack there is a pack leader. If the leader is not you, then it has to be Fido. There's no way around it.
It is very common for a pet dog to rule over their home without the owner even realizing it. And this is certainly
not the dog's fault. The owner just doesn't realize he or she is encouraging the absolute takeover with their actions
and reactions to their dog. How can you tell if your dog is the pack leader instead of you? Here are some helpful questions for you...
* Does your dog walk in front of you or even drag you during walks?
* Does your dog bolt outside before you can?
* Does your dog sleep on the bed where you do?
* Does your dog get food or treats when he or she demands it?
(Gazing up at you with those sad puppy eyes, laying on the worst guilt trip imaginable.)
* Does your dog annoy you until you pet or pick him or her up?
*Or on the other end of the spectrum, does your dog seem scared and/or anxious about darn near everything?
These are all signs that your dog does not have a good solid pack leader. And if you didn't know before, you will know
now that when a dog assumes a leader role in the pack, it assumes all of the stress that comes with such an important
job. So if you think babying or spoiling your dog gives them a better life, you couldn't be more wrong. When you
spoil your dog, they don't think "aww, my owner loves me". Instead they think "the big two-legged dog in my pack
is showing signs of submission. They must be weaker than I. I guess that means I better be on high alert since I can't
count on him/her to keep the pack from danger". Dogs have their own unique way of viewing the world. The sooner you
accept this, the sooner you can assume the throne and allow your dog to retire into the stress-free environment
your proper care provides.
Assuming the Pack Leader Role...
So you've accepted that you can no longer give in to Sparky's every whim, have you? Great! The first step is always
the hardest. You're coming right along! So then, how do you take the reins? How do you make it clear to your beloved
pup that leadership is no longer their burden? There are many ways to do this, but... YOU MUST
BE CONSISTENT! Leading only some of the time creates confusion and again shows a sign of weakness. Stick to your
guns and don't give in when they throw a temper tantrum (which they will in the first phases of the transition,
you can bet the farm on that). Here are some things that will raise your rank in the
hierarchy and remind your dog of its follower role:
*Remain calm and assertive.
No matter how you are feeling or what kind of day you've had, you must be confident and in control. Your feelings
travel down leash and your dog is very receptive to them. You must prove to your dog that they needn't worry, remember?
So head up, no slouching and walk like you're a VIP. ;-)
*Your dog must walk beside or behind you.
No. It's not cruel or mean. And your dog will not be angry or upset with you. If you've ever watched a traveling pack
of dogs, this is what is natural to them. After a bit of testing you, they will accept this mode of travel when you
prove that you are firm in your wish to lead. There will be no hard feelings.
*You must be the first one out the door.
If they bound in front of you, simply guide them back inside with the leash and tell them firmly to "Wait". If they
sit down to wait, all the more better. You know it's time to continue on if you can step in and out of the
doorway without them taking this as a sign to rush through your legs. Only when you are guiding him should your
dog cross the threshold into the outdoors. And it's even better to start outdoors when he's looking away from the
doorway (if even for a second).
*Do not confuse happiness with excitement.
It's walk time! *wag wag* *jump jump* *circle circle* Rover looks happy, right? Wrong. He is excited and out of control. Do not speak enthusiastically to him to excite him further. Do not play the hit or miss game with
his leash hook and collar ring. Remain calm and assertive and nip any of this wild behavior in the bud.
Demand calm submissive behavior from your dog and don't think that just because he isn't bouncing off the walls that
he isn't happy. A calm submissive dog IS happy, because it is not stressed. And furthermore,
if you don't have control before you leave the house, it will be that much harder to gain control when you're outside with all
of the distractions.
*You must eat meals before your dog.
No feeding at the table. It isn't harmful for your dog to have certain table scraps on occasion, but it must be in his food bowl,
away from the table and AFTER all the humans are done (including children as their rank should be above the dog's as well).
*Your dog must say "please" for anything it wants to have or any activity it enjoys.
But my dog doesn't talk, you say? Well, actions speak louder than words... especially if you're a dog. Your dog
says "please" by properly obeying a command. If Spot wants his bone, he must "Lay Down" first. If he wants to go
on a walk, he must "Sit" first. If he wants you to throw his ball, he must "Back Up" first. You get the idea. You
give the command -> he obeys -> he gets the reward (his desire at the moment).
IMPORTANT: Do NOT use a command your
dog is not 100% efficient at for this. It isn't fair to him because he will try to make you happy to get the reward,
but if he gets confused it will backfire.
*Enforce furniture restrictions/limitations.
When your dog sleeps with you in your bed, he is either the same rank as you or higher in the pack. The same thing
is true for the living room furniture, etc. I wouldn't recommend you ever let a dog on your furniture. However, I
know there are several billion people out there that want to anyway. So here's what I suggest. You maintain control
while this is happening. You command them to join you (otherwise they don't. It's as simple as that). Then have them
do a command or two while they're up there, to remind them that you are the boss. Also, have a command for getting
off the furniture so that you have overall control of the situation. And if you simply
must have Spike sleep with you, he
should be at the end of the bed and not up near the headboard with you, hogging your pillow. =P
*Your dog gets what it wants on YOUR terms.
Your dog will not die if it doesn't get to sniff EVERYthing on your walk. And males do not have to mark everything
they walk past. If you are waiting on them to do this, then your dog is in charge. Maintain control by giving a
command when you want your dog to sniff or mark an area. The command I use is "Take a Break". But as soon as I
say "Let's Go". There will be no more sniffing or marking until the next break. Also, when you're rewarding commands
with treats (which you'll learn about in a moment) and you accidentally drop a treat, don't just shrug and say "oh
well" as Buddy licks it up. Throw a command in there that means you WANT him to pick it up in his mouth. "Buddy, Take
It! Good boy!" That way, he's taking it because you told him to. Pretty sneaky, eh?
