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Author: Katie A Moran Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Most people would answer "Sure my dog respects me". Or are they mistaking love for respect? In this article, we will discuss how to build respect and leadership... Without having to drop a piano on the dog's head.
In the article "The 3 Types of Dog Trainers" we mentioned that as a trainer or "Alpha" you should be fair, firm and consistent. You must ensure the dog understands that you will always be fair. On the flip side, the dog has a responsibility to follow known directives and if it fails, there will be consequences. That's the deal you make with the dog and invariably, that is how you built respect and leadership.
Dogs lead very simple lives. They see life in black and white. There are no subtle nuances or grey areas. Things are either "good" or they are "not good". They don't read between the lines and for the most part they don't rationalize like we do. They just react to the white and the black parts of their lives.
We show the dog that we are only going to ask him to do things that he knows how to do. When he does something correctly, we praise him and let him know we are happy. When he does something wrong we will ALWAYS let him know he has made a mistake.
Don't give your dog crap for something he has not been trained to do. Remember the white and black rule? You shouldn't correct him because you think he should have known better. As you gain experience you will know when the dog refuses to comply or is simply not clear as to what you want him to do. The dog must learn that you are always consistent in how and when you will administer corrections.
Consistency is absolutely important for a pack leader (that would be you). If your dog shows signs of aggressive behavior towards your guests when they visit, you will of course correct him. You should also correct him if he decides to be aggressive when you take him out for a walk. If you pass up that chance, your dog will either be confused or think that taking a bite out of anybody's behind is quite ok.
When I was dog sledding, we'd let the dogs roam free in a pen for about 15 minutes. 20 or so dogs running around sniffing each other back sides can sometimes lead to some interesting behavior. There is of course a hierarchy in place and you could see some younger dogs trying to move up the chain of command. Usually these issues are dealt with very subtly but disrespectful behavior is dealt with aggressively and in a swift manner. For a correction to be effective you should administer it within 1½ seconds of the infraction and not an hour later. It's too late after that. The dog will wonder why it's being corrected.
Another important part of dog training is knowing what level of correction to administer to a dog. This means the trainer should know when saying "NO" is sufficient and when a level 10 leash correction is called for. I'd say a level 10 is required when a dog is showing aggression to a child. Still, new trainers have difficulty in knowing what level and how hard.
New trainers need to know that a dog learns through repetition just like us. A dog will usually take longer than us humans however. He may require 30 times of going through the same exercise before he gets it. Trainers are often guilty of thinking their dog understands a command when the dog is actually unclear as to what he is supposed to do. The trainer then unjustly corrects the dog for something the dog does not fully understand yet. Remember the black and white rule?
In conclusion, be firm, consistent and fair. Your dog will always expect you to respond to him in that manner and you in turn can expect your dog to respect you, cooperate and try to do what you ask.
Was that not the deal you made with your dog?
Patrick & Katie Moran
Pet Shop
www.monstergiftstore.com
Patrick and Katie have been around dogs all their lives. Patrick is an ex-musher from Canada who has had to turn dogs into four-legged athletes. Katie has always lived surrounded by 4 or more dogs at a time. Dog nutrition is an important factor to fewer vet bills and longer life for your pet.
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