Showing puppy who is boss

So stand tall and think "big" and stay confident. Do not be nervous, your dog will sense this and assume you are weak. It is this weakness that triggers a dog to try and take over for the good of the pack; the pack needs a strong leader.

Give the dog a command before giving the food. If a dog does not follow the command i. Try again in about 20 minutes or longer. Repeat this until the dog listens to the command. When your dog calms down and waits patiently, ears set back, head lowered even slightly, lying down is good if he is relaxed with his ears back, no signs of growling on his face invite him to eat his food. The people in the family the dog growls at should feed the dog the majority of the time.

Small dogs or puppies that demand to be picked up or put down should not get what they want until they sit or do another acceptable quiet behavior. They should not be put down unless they are settled quietly in your arms. Dogs should never be left unsupervised with children or anyone who cannot maintain leadership over the dog. To reinforce your position even more, you can make your dog lie down and stay there for 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Tell him to lie down, then tell him to stay. If he tries to get up, correct him. Last but certainly not least Your dog can sense these emotions and will see you as weak. This will escalate your problem as your dog feels an even stronger need to be your leader. Think Big and Powerful and be calm, assertive, and consistent. Remember, there is no hiding our emotions from our dogs. They can, in a sense, read our minds in reading our emotions. This energy is the universal language of animals. Talk less, using more body language.

Picture yourself, in your own mind, as big, powerful and very sure of yourself. Pull your shoulders back and stand up straight. Your dog will feel this. This is your number one resource when it comes to communicating with your dog. Your dog will be happy and secure knowing he has a strong pack leader to care for him.

By incorporating all these behaviors in his normal day your dog will realize that you, the human, are alpha over him and he is beneath you. Obedience exercises and classes are great and very useful, however, obedience training alone does not address pack behavior problems. Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position Letting your dog know you are the boss Top Dog Below is a list of rules every dog owner should follow to ensure your dog knows his place in your human pack.

No table scraps should be fed to the dogs during a meal. Dogs must never be allowed to mouth or bite anyone at any time, including in play.

He has to work to get each one of them released and the toys must be rotated daily. When you pick them up in the evening, be sure he is watching you control these items. Put them away and bring out different toys the next morning. If at any time he protects a toy or tries to control the situation, remove the toy and put it away for the day.

If he is lying down in a hallway, walk through him by gently shuffling your feet until he gets up and moves. The alpha never walks around his littermates. In control, but calm and silent dominance works best. Save the verbal corrections for when you really need them. If he leads you on a walk he will want to take lead in all other aspects of life. Be the leader; teach him to walk beside or behind you. Also, frequently stop him on walks and give him obedience commands.

Make him stop at all the street corners, have him sit and then down. Be calm and confident. Getting flustered makes him feel like he is winning. Use precise commands and only reward him if he completes them the first time he is asked. Always make him complete a few commands before letting him off leash and call him back intermittently while he is playing off leash.

Have him come, sit and then release him to play again. Reward him if he responds right away. It is a very rude way of greeting and is also associated with dominance.

Believe it or not, your dog will sense the change in you. Sometimes it is met with aggression. In the wild, the alpha will fight those who challenge their place in the pack.

If your dog becomes aggressive with you, we suggest you seek professional help. Dog aggression can be very dangerous. Have him sit while you walk through the door first, while you prepare his food, before you give a treat, when guests arrive at the door, or when he tries to jump on you.

Ever heard of tough love? Tough love in no way suggests that you should yell, smack, or engage in any type of harshness or violence towards your dog. Physically punishing your dog will only create distrust, fear, and a forced sense of submission. Tough love may be things like making him sleep in the floor rather than take his place in the bed as he did before; Having him wait after you put down his food for you to give permission to eat; ignoring him when he tries to manipulate you into doing what he wants you to do.

When you want to pet your dog, call him to you. If you are struggling with an alpha dog in your home, obedience Training is the very best place to start.

Training sets clear boundaries. Learning basic commands makes it easier for you to manage your dog. It teaches your dog to look to you for instruction. It teaches your dog to listen. And Training should never stop when you get your dog home. Be consistent. Whether you purchase or adopt, we are all excited to bring home a new puppy. But did you know training…. Request a Reservation. Are you a new customer?

Glen Allen Midlothian. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Glen Allen Monday — Thursday am — pm. Monday - Thursday pm — pm. Midlothian Monday — Thursday am — pm. This should never be allowed. Your dog stares into your eyes and does not turn away. When intentional, staring is used by dogs as a tool to intimidate and express their position as the leader.