Dog Training: Let Your Dog Know Who Is The Leader of the Pack
Do you often wonder why your dog is too aggressive towards you or other dogs? Surprisingly, dogs that show a lot of aggressive dog behavior are not really mean dogs. These are dogs who simply think they are the alpha dog or the “leader of the pack” of other dogs or of their human family. This character makes them good leaders and protective over their human “subjects” but can also make them violent even towards the humans they are trying to protect, once their leadership is challenged.
Of course a very aggressive dog is simply not acceptable! It may be so dominant that it can harm other dogs or even worse, it can attack children whom they may consider as inferior to them.
If you have an alpha dog, good dog training can help you deal with his aggression. As a dog owner, you need to let your dog understand that he is not the leader of the pack and that he should learn to submit to you.
Here are some tips on how you can control your overly aggressive alpha dog:
Show Confidence When Training Your Dog
You have to show confidence whenever you deal with your dog. For instance, when you give him a command to follow, make it sound firm and establish eye contact with your dog. This gives your dog the impression that you have authority over him. Your body language and tone of voice should reflect this authority and should tell your dog that you are the dominant one, not him.
Make Your Dog Work For His Keep
As the human leader, you have to make your dog realize that you are in control and that he would have to submit to your every whim and desire. Make him work for everything he needs such as food, water, playtime, treats, etc. For example, if he wants to go for a walk, make him “sit” first and let him out the door after you and not the other way around. Remember though that dogs may exhibit toy or food aggression so you need to watch his body language and be ready to control the first signs of his aggression.
Be Consistent
Be consistent and do not reward his bad behavior with treats or affection. If your dog whines or barks excessively to let you know he is hungry, it is your duty as the leader of the pack to give him a command which when obeyed gets him his meal. Until he obeys, he should not receive what he is longing for. An alpha dog must know that you have rules that are not flexible and that he gets rewarded if these rules are followed.
These are just few ways you can establish your position as the “alpha” between you and your dog. Recognizing alpha dog behavior and correcting them with good dog training takes time and patience, but is necessary in order to manage dog aggression.
