
EDUCATION
EDUCATIONIn order to raise a dog to be a pleasant companion and pack mate, it is a prerequisite that one understands its behavior. A dog does not think like a human and will never be able to. Like man, he knows emotions, feelings of pleasure and displeasure, but is not able to reason things out. He reacts directly to stimuli. on stimuli from within, for example when he is sleeping, hungry or thirsty or on stimuli outside by reacting to things he smells, hears, sees, feels or tastes. There are some variations, but it doesn’t always react the same. Sometimes the smell is important, other times he lets the smell out the smell and reacts to something he hears, for example the voice of the boss calling him. In that case, the stimulus, coming from the owner, is the most important for the dog. If the relationship between the two is not good, he doesn’t care about the boss and keeps sniffing.
Internal stimuli can also determine the motivation to respond to something. If the dog sees a bowl of water and he is not thirsty, he will not drink. If the dog is afraid, this is the signal for some hormone glands to release substances into the blood that immediately prepare the body to react. He will then take action and it depends on the circumstances whether he will flee or drop out.
Because the cerebral cortex in humans is larger and more developed than in dogs and it is precisely in this part of the brain that lies the ability to reason, think ahead (plan), memory and use language, it follows that man can react with both feeling (on a human level comparable to the dog) and with the mind. Thus, unlike the dog, humans can think in advance about what they are going to do or say in a certain situation. Moreover, man knows the difference between right and wrong and understands rules. You can teach a dog rules, but it is not possible to explain ‘why’ he has to follow a certain rule. Humans and dogs can live well together and have a lot of fun with each other; However, they are two very different creatures, each with their own reactions to stimuli from the environment.
Although the dog is descended from the wolf, with the exception of a few breeds, it hardly resembles the wolf in appearance today. However, in terms of his inner life, his instincts are essentially no different from those of his ancestors, the wolves. The difference is that humans have selected the different breeds for desirable behavioural traits. As a result, one dog is more suitable for hunting, another for guarding the territory and another for defending a herd against predators. Through domestication (pet-breeding) and selective breeding, specialists have emerged from the all-rounder, the wolf, in the form of many dog breeds. You have to deal with this special behavior if you want to teach the dog something, if you want to educate him.
Wolves live in packs with a hierarchy structure. In the group, one is the leader, who decides what happens. He indicates when and how to hunt and teaches the young animals who is in charge. Many pack animals strive for the highest possible rank, because this brings benefits, the best food, the best place to sleep, moreover, a higher ranking wolf has more success in reproduction than a lower one. They usually don’t get a chance to do so. To gain a certain position, there is no life-and-death fighting, because that would not be in the interest of the species. All members of the pack need each other, as big game is usually hunted. Most problems are solved by the position of the ears and tail, sounds and by high or low body postures. Wolves are social animals with a great ability to learn.
The combination of intelligence, need for affection and social behavior has made the dog a fine partner of humans over the years. However, he still thinks and feels like his ancestors. Many dogs also strive for the highest possible position in the ‘human pack’, although this is not equally clear in all breeds or per dog. In any case, he doesn’t understand an anti-authoritarian attitude on the part of his boss. One has to be the boss and if man cannot, cannot or does not want to take on that (in the latter case a wrong democratic institution), then the dog will take this place, otherwise the pack will not function. He can’t do anything else. The consequence of this is that he has acquired the right to correct the (in his eyes) lower ranking human being if he finds it necessary. He does this by growling and/or biting if he doesn’t like that something. Too much freedom for the dog, too little guidance, all too often leads to suffering for both man and dog. The dog always loses out in such a situation, he shows ” false behavior ” or has an ” unreliable character ” and he finally makes his last trip to the vet. He is a victim of man’s ignorance or laxity. The one who leads the human / dog pack should never be the dog, but the human being. In a family, the dog functions as the lowest in rank. It is therefore important that agreements are made about what the dog can and cannot do. Every member of the family (pack) must adhere to these agreements, this is clear to the dog. A good pack leader is also consistent, so not one day on the bench and not the next. A good leader ( human being ) by attitude and voice. He/She does not snarl and snarl or be angry all day long, on the contrary, he/she is quiet with a great spiritual superiority. He/She respects the dog in his dog-ness and tries to gain his trust through his way of dealing with the dog. If we succeed in this, we will have a companion for life in the dog.
Parenting is a must. The pressure on dog owners has increased in recent years and will increase in the coming years. The most common problems are, the stray dogs, the dog poop, barking and biting dogs. There are more and more rules, such as leash permits, dog tax, often far too small or no off-leash areas at all. A lot of freedom is taken away from the dog. However, all these measures do not address the root cause of the problems. Of course, stray dogs are a danger in traffic, often with a fatal outcome for the dog and possibly injured or seriously frightened people. In addition, these dogs get the chance to deposit their feces anywhere. A dog can easily learn to relieve itself in a certain place. That should not be on a pavement, or in the middle of a lawn, but on a dog walking area, in the bushes or at the very edge of the lawn if there is no other option. This is just a matter of picking up his heap and putting it where he can do it in the future. The next time he is taken there, he smells his own scent, which encourages him to do it around there again. If his supervisor gives him a command, e.g. ” heap ” or ” in the bush ” , he also learns to do it on command, if necessary. If, after a while (six weeks), it has become a habit to relieve himself in the bushes, then he will also seek out the bushes on his own initiative in a strange (but safe) environment. In the meantime, if he knows the command “heap”, it is possible to let the dog relieve himself, in a designated place, before he is allowed to play. The problems of barking and biting are profession to solve if something is done about the cause. If the dog is raised as a small person, big problems can also arise. We can’t ask the dog to become a little human in order to understand us, on the other hand, man could become a little dog. This does not mean that you have to start walking on four legs right now, but that you do have to start thinking more doggedly. If you treat your dog the way he expects to be treated, you will find that training is not that difficult at all and the cause of many problems can be eliminated or prevented.
BEHAVIOURAL AND COMMUNICATION FORMS OF THE DOGWhen we talk about dog behavior, there are 2 elements that we can’t ignore. These are dominance and submissiveness. They form the basis for all forms of behavior and communication between dogs and from dogs to other animals and people. In principle, these concepts are separate from aggression. Only when the communication through dominance and submissiveness is not understood or accepted, will it turn into aggression. Dominant behavior and submissive behavior are more dependent on ego than on strength, although the latter of course helps enormously when it comes to a fight. However, the largest dog is not always the boss, often small dogs can show so many dominant signals that a larger dog accepts the smaller dog as a higher rank.
The origin and recognition of dominance and submissiveness can be traced back to the ancestors of the dog, the wolf. In the wolf pack, every effort is made to ensure the survival of the species and this requires a strong hierarchy. This hierarchy or order of precedence is mainly determined by dominant or submissive behavior. To a much lesser extent by fighting, as this can only result in wounded deaths and this can only make the group weaker. All these means of communication can still be found, often in a weakened form, in our dogs today.
DOMINANCEThis term is used when we talk about bossy or overbearing behavior. This type of behavior is used to convey that one dog feels bigger, better, and stronger than another. The more dominant the behavior, the stronger he feels. When the other dog finds this behavior dominant enough, he will accept it and show submissive behavior and the ranking is determined. However, if the other dog does not think this is dominant enough, he will show even more dominant behavior, this will continue until one of the two accepts the other as a higher rank. If both dogs are about equally dominant and do not give in to each other’s dominance, then a fight will have to decide who is in charge.
Examples of dominant behavior :
Making oneself big
Carry tail straight up
Ears erect and forward-facing
Walking with stiff legs
Lie down in a high place, stand
Ignoring the other person
Brushing, standing on end of hair on the back
Riding other dogs
Pressing the other person’s head or legs on the shoulders
Knocking the other over
Continuing to demand attention
Standing up to the other person (especially with people)
Leading the way, being the first to go through the door, pulling on the leash
Muzzle biting
Looking the other person in the eye, fixing
Growling during play
Growling near feeder or bone
Showing teeth
Letting the other person come to him
SUBMISSIONThe name immediately explains what it is all about, submissive behavior. With this, the dog indicates that he accepts the more dominant position of the other. Again, the more submissive the behavior, the lower the ranking position. Submissive behavior is often confused with fear, while in principle these have nothing to do with each other. However, the external signals are very similar.
Examples of submissive behavior:
Making oneself small
Carrying the tail low or between the legs
Lay the ears flat back
Offering the throat
Humble pee, urine
Lying on the back, offering the abdomen
Licking the other person’s mouth
Looking away, averting one’s gaze
Getting out of the way when the other person is coming
Pushing the nose under the other person’s head
Dominance and submissive behavior can also occur simultaneously, when this happens we call this ambivalent behavior. In this behavior, the dog (or person) sends conflicting signals. For example, ears back and tail up, he wants to flee but then again he doesn’t. Because of this doubt, ambivalent dogs are unpredictable and an aggressive attack can be expected soon.
When we look at these forms of communication and the associated signals in practice, it quickly becomes clear how dogs communicate and what the ranking relationships between a number of dogs are. We can also react to dogs that show dominant or submissive behavior towards ourselves. When we begin to understand the behavior of dogs, it will soon become clear that this is only the tip of the iceberg, because every dog shows much more than we recognize, every piece of behavior has a reason and is communication for the dog, no matter how innocent or unimportant it seems to see what he is showing. All in all, we as owners will have to work hard to understand the dog, because the dog cannot learn to understand us. When we understand our dog, we can then start working on mastering our dog, showing enough dominant signals from us and correcting dominant signals from the dog. If this is done consistently and patiently, we will slowly but surely come to a good relationship with our dog. If this relationship is good, you are only a small step away from an obedient dog. You will have a lot of fun with such a dog, during training you will see that the dog also has a lot of fun working for you, but especially with you.
THE PACKTo build a good relationship with your dog, you need to respect him as a dog. He has no human mind and cannot reason things out. Since science has started to focus on research into animal behavior, it has become clear that the dog reacts differently than, for example, a child. A dog, like its ancestors, the wolves, acts according to its instincts and it does so, as it must do, it cannot do otherwise. The dog is not capable of treating man as a human being: so man must treat the dog as a dog. To understand the relationship between owner and dog as experienced by the dog, we need to look at its original way of life. Among the ancestors of the dog, each animal has its own place in the hierarchy of the pack. You get a higher place by fighting for it or by the loss of a higher rank. The one who is best suited for this is the leader of the group. It maintains order – there is no participation. The other wolves accept this guidance and feel safe with it, which is why there is peace and order in the pack.
In the pack of the dog, consisting of people and pets, there should also be peace. However, the dog you have in your home behaves according to the same laws as its ancestors. He will also want to fight for a place in the pack, in which he ended up as a house dog. Equal height is not possible in dogs, he is in the Up position or the Down position in relation to the human. However, if we, as humans, don’t want the dog to dictate what we can and can’t do, we need to make sure that the dog is at the bottom of the hierarchy. In this position, the dog will not only feel safe, but also comfortable. By having more freedom of movement in the pack, he is allowed to move freely in the living room, in good weather also in the garden, the domestic dog has acquired a higher position than the dog of the past that was only there for guarding or hunting.
MAN AS BOSSIf the dog does not receive sufficient guidance, it will become insecure and that can lead to all kinds of problems. Especially the more dominant dogs will take their chance and try to take over the lead in the pack. Gradually, he becomes more and more in charge through a long sequence of seemingly insignificant events. At a certain point, he no longer asks you to play: no, you have to play.
As a puppy, he took a lot of initiatives: he regularly came trotting with his toy and you usually went to play with him for a while. If he doesn’t manage to get you to play right away, he will keep barking or whining until he does. He also indicated when he wanted to be petted. As a little ball of wool, he would snuggle up to you in the evening, give you a paw and while watching television you continued to pet him until he fell asleep. If he didn’t feel like being petted, he just walked away. He still wants to be petted now (getting older), but not always at a time that suits you: no, if he wants it himself and preferably not for that long. If it takes too long, he growls. If you keep going, he will correct you by biting. He also has favorite places. If he is petted in the wrong place, he immediately makes this known by growling or snapping. When walking, he determines the direction, the pace and drags the lower “boss”, who obediently follows, with him. If the orders of the dog that has become a superior dog, who has become a force to be in charge, are not carried out, then there is no order in the pack and he has to intervene. He first warns by growling, then he threatens to raise his lip by adding it. If this also has no effect, then there is only one thing left, he has to correct harder to get the human being in the right place in the hierarchy. He can only do that in one way, the dog, and that is to bite then the suffering becomes a burden. Often he has to pay for this with his own life, but the fault was not with the dog (after all, he did what he had to do), but with the man who did not give him guidance. When we are looking for an ideal relationship between dog and owner, the dog should always be in the Down position and the owner should always be in the Up position.
BEHAVIOR OF THE BOSS
Confident behaviorYour voice and posture should convey “confident” behavior. Make it clear from the tone in which you say that you mean what you say. Pronounced “Boo” in a punitive tone, means immediately stop what you are doing and “Braaf” is really good. There is usually no need to roar or yell at the dog. When rebuking the dog, the voice should sound low and not shoot up due to tension, because then you will achieve the opposite. Also, don’t repeat the commands endlessly, if you have to say it three times today, you will probably have to say it four times tomorrow and in the future the dog will just let you talk to it. If you are hesitant in your actions, the dog will register this flawlessly. He will dare more and win in a conflict situation.
If necessary, adopt a dominant posture; Walk upright. The higher ranking dogs always make themselves big when they want to make something clear to a dog that is lower in rank: The tail is straight up and the ears are also up, if possible, up or forward. They make themselves as big as possible by standing straight on the legs and the neck is stretched. If you are sitting and giving the dog a command and the dog doesn’t care about you, stand up.
Above all, behave calmly towards your dog, a lot of hand and arm movements will soon be seen as a signal to play. They stimulate his urge to bite. The environment (busy and very noisy or very quiet) is often decisive for the dog’s behavior.
Conseqent behaviourAgree with housemates what the dog can and cannot do; It shouldn’t be the case that the dog of father and the children is allowed on the couch because it is so cozy and that mother absolutely does not want it. This confuses the dog, there should be rules and boundaries for the dog. Consistent behaviour also means: yes is yes and no is no and yes but. So don’t punish the dog when he steals something one time and laugh the other time; He doesn’t understand that.
Clear behaviorUse the same word for a particular command and don’t use it for multiple terms. If you say “off” when you want to let the dog lie down, don’t say it when the dog jumps up on you or has to get off the couch. If you are already using the word ” af ” for other purposes, say ” down ” to get the dog to lie down. If the dog bites hands or clothes in a playful way, forbid him, make it clear with a sharp “no” or “foe” that you absolutely do not want this. It is important that these words are used both at the right time and in the right tone. The will of the boss is law. The dog has to carry out a given command, if you give him the command ” sit ” then he must sit and not lie down. Being deaf is unfortunate for him, but it doesn’t work. Be patient and be consistent, hitting him doesn’t help and will only backfire.
InitiativeIn principle, the boss initiates activities. This is of great importance in determining the order of precedence in the pack. Notice how many initiatives some dogs take! Without you noticing, they rise enormously in rank.
If your dog keeps coming to you and demands that you be petted and cuddled by paw or head, you are not complying. The dog gives you a command and if you follow it, who is in charge? Let the dog do something for his pet, e.g. let him sit down first and then give him his pet as a reward. It works both ways, you confirm your rank and the stroke retains its value. Why would he do anything for you if he gets petted and cuddled all day anyway? You can also calmly dismiss him : ‘ no, don’t whine ‘, if he continues with his attention-grabbing behaviour, then punish him with a sharp ‘ foei ‘ .
Does the dog come to you all day long with a toy in his mouth to play together and you keep giving him his way to get rid of the nagging, then to give you commands. Rather, thank him for bringing his toy, but don’t accept his invitation. “No, not now” and put the toy away. If the dog runs away and resigns himself to his fate, you can call the dog to play with him after a few minutes if you feel like it. After all, you have taken the initiative to play. And that’s what it’s all about.
If the dog begs and you give him something, the dog will get his way. If he comes with his leash or food bowl and you go for a walk or give him food: again his success. You decide when to walk (make sure the dog gets enough exercise outside the door and the garden) and when to eat. In case of ranking problems, the owner deprives the dog of all initiative.
If the relationship between you and the dog is 100 percent good, you can be more flexible and it is not so bad if you play together if he is the one who invites you to play. Or if you spontaneously stroke him on the head and cuddle him because you want to show him that you love him.
Reward and punishmentTry to educate your dog in a positive way. Again, it is very important for a dog to be praised and rewarded for its good behavior. Not only will he be happy to repeat this behavior, it will also give him confidence. Rewards should be the most important part of education, punishment should be avoided as much as possible. What has to be done is made pleasant by the boss, by attaching something nice to it: friendly voice, petting, playing nice or something tasty. What is not allowed, the boss puts a taboo on it, by attaching something unpleasant to it: a stern angry voice, a sharp “foei”. If necessary, he will be bitten over the mouth by covering his snout with your hand and squeezing it gently, or he will be grabbed by his cheeks and looked at fixedly. Scaring the dog by means of a trickle of water from a water gun or by throwing something at him can make a big impression on the dog, just like putting him out of the pack for a while. If the punishment is not effective, it must be clearer. Reward and punish at the right time, i.e. immediately after the behavior performed. If you do it later, the dog will no longer make a connection between the reward and his good behavior, or the reprimand and his “crime”.
ORDER CONFIRMATION
Parenting exercises
A great way to confirm your rank is the parenting or basic exercises. With every command that the dog obeys, he submits to his higher ranking master. Don’t just mindlessly give him a command without paying attention to whether he carries it out. If he doesn’t do it and you don’t notice it because you’ve been busy with something else for a long time, then you lose some authority in the eyes of the dog. There are a few exercises that every dog must be able to master in order to be a non-disruptive dog in human society.
Sit, Lie down, Stay, Come when called and walk on the leash without pulling.
Coming to you when you call him. Each time the dog follows the request, it is a confirmation of your rank. In this case, the lower rank goes to the higher rank. So make sure he always comes when you call him. Coming to you should always be pleasant for the dog; It’s okay to use a tool in the form of a kibble or toy that he loves. Always reward him, never punish him if it takes a little longer. The dog eventually obeyed the order. If you do punish him, he knows no better than that he will be punished for coming. You understand that it will take even longer for him to come next time. (After all, you have taught him: coming is not fun)
Walking along without pulling is a different exercise. Pulling on the leash is dominant behavior: After all, you follow the dog and are then lower in rank. You should teach a puppy to go for a walk without pulling: You determine the pace and direction. If the dog wants to go to the right and drags you along, go to the left; If you want to turn the corner, go straight ahead. Teach the dog to pay attention to you instead of the other way around. Be the first to leave the house.
Learning to sit “sit”, lie down and stay “stay” are not only ranking affirming, it also brings peace to the dog. In addition, you will teach the dog good habits and have control over the dog. Again, never forget to reward the dog immediately for good behavior.!!
Play
If you want to build a good relationship with your dog, play with him a lot. In the game with the dog, you can playfully show who is the boss. You determine the beginning, the end, but also the way in which the game is played.
Don’t play wilder and wilder, especially dominant dogs tend to engage in a ranking battle with you during the game. Do not lie down and play with him, you are in a subordinate position for the dog. Do not let the dog stand or lie on top of you, always stay with your head above his head. During the game, playfully grab him over the muzzle, the dog experiences this as a friendly but dominant gesture, or push him away from you. In tug-of-war games, don’t let the dog win, i.e. you hold the rag and hold it. If your dog doesn’t let go on command, don’t play tug-of-war games because you’ll lose authority in the dog’s eyes. The dog is also not allowed to bite hands, legs, clothing and shoes during the game. If the relationship between you and your dog is good, i.e. you are the boss, then you can let him win during a game, that keeps the tension going for him. For an insecure or anxious dog, it is even advisable to let him win every now and then during the game, not only to make it more exciting, but also to give him a little more confidence. However, you always win the last game yourself: “so enough” and you put the toy away again. Fetch and search games are not only fun, but also good as domination suppressors. The lower in rank seeks out or picks up the item and hands it over to the higher rank.
Brush
If you brush your dog and the dog growls (often with his tail up), or he walks away and you stop brushing, then the dog has won. For some dogs, brushing is an attack on their dominance. Moreover, the personal zone that every living being has around him (so far and no further) is broken. If your dog has trouble brushing, start with the place where he doesn’t show resistance yet (usually the shoulder area and the back) and try to define the boundaries where you do and don’t meet resistance with a constant “well-behaved”. Try to push these boundaries first and then erase them completely. Patience is required. It should also be possible to touch and clean the inside of the paws and the underside of the soles of the feet. Let him roll over on his side or back while brushing, he will be in a subordinate position and you can brush his belly. Brush your dog every day, not so much for the coat, but because it is grade-affirming. Your dog should always allow you to groom him. You can give him all kinds of commands at the same time; ” stand “, ” off ” , ” on your back ” and of course ” obedient ” when he follows them. Try to avoid pain experiences in the beginning, brush him with a soft baby brush. Don’t get into a hard fight with him, you might lose. However, decide for yourself when the dog is ready and that is always at a time when the dog does not resist. Once the dog has built up enough trust in you, it will not only benefit your relationship with him, but it will also be a pleasure to take care of him.
DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE
Own placeThe dog should have a fixed place in the house, close to his pack (the family), but out of the loop. It should be a place where he feels safe and where he can always retreat if he feels the need to do so. Sometimes it even sends it there, e.g. during your meal. In this way he learns not to beg and it is also rank-affirming. You want him to stay there and the dog will carry out the command. Be careful not to consider this place as his territory and to defend it. He should never be sent to this place for punishment or punished in this place.
Scent flagsScent flags should not be put out everywhere. You indicate when people urinate. Lifting the paw against every tree, post or bush when walking the dog is really not necessary. Just walk through and in a place to be determined by you, give the dog permission to do its business. So it’s only at the outlet that they do their business.
Food, ToysFood bowl, toy and bone should always be able to be taken away. If you teach this in a pleasant way, the dog will no longer be inclined to defend his bowl out of food envy. Don’t put the food in his bowl all at once, but put a little bit in first. When it runs out (at a later stage) take away his bin and refill it. In this way, the dog learns that taking away the food bowl is not a problem, on the contrary, there is more to it… sometimes even something even tastier. The same goes for the bone. If your dog has difficulty with this, give him a bone that is even tastier after the command “loose”. The same goes for the toy: exchange the toy with a kibble and also use the command ” loose “. Teach your dog to sit nicely and wait as you prepare his food. This promotes peace in your dog and you can also put the food bowl down without being knocked over. Only at your command is the dog allowed to eat.
LiftLifting the dog is a dominant gesture. If the dog is too big, intertwine the fingers under the dog’s chest and lift only the front legs off the ground. That’s how strong I am, and in the eyes of the dog, you’re definitely a super dog. Get your dog used to the fact that you put your hand on his head, that your hand covers his muzzle from above, and that you can press on his shoulders without resistance.
RideIn most cases, driving the dog is also a dominant gesture. Never allow the dog to ride on the human. Of course, lifting a leg against the boss is also never allowed.
FavorsIn case of ranking problems, forbid the dog already granted favors. Don’t let him in the bedroom anymore, never let him get on couches, beds or on your lap again. After all, allowing these things puts him on an equal footing with humans and that promotes dominance and therefore biting.
VisitNever lock the dog away when visitors come. He could become aggressive towards those, in his eyes, nasty, visitors. Teach him to behave. The dog does not decide who can and cannot visit. Barking when a call is made is allowed. Barking after the command ” Enough ” is not allowed. Showing attention-grabbing behavior (squeaking, whining, whining and barking) is also not allowed. When raising your children, you also teach them that they don’t bother you all the time when you are talking to others. Above all, do not reward this erroneous behavior of the dog by reassuring the dog with the soothing word “calm” and also stroking him on the head, but say “phew” in a punitive tone. Reward (well-behaved) if the dog responds well and stops the unwanted behavior. After that, calmly send the dog to his place, not for punishment, but to bring peace to him. He may have something to chew but must stay in place until he is allowed to leave his place at your signal.
Running behind youDon’t let the dog follow you around all day. Especially a somewhat insecure dog wants to stay close to you. If it is not possible and you leave without the dog, he is frustrated (wants to go, but can’t go). He can express this by, for example, vandalizing (being busy with something to not feel that nasty, unsafe feeling of being alone anymore). He could also start barking and/or whining (I’m here, where are you) or become so emotionally aroused that he becomes potty trained again from sheer misery. Teach him to become more independent when you are at home and slowly build up being alone.
ChildrenNever leave your dogs and small children alone. Especially ‘crawling children’ often come across as threatening. Looking a dog straight in the eye and walking towards him is a sign of aggression. If the dog bites because he is cornered and the child is frightened, cries and withdraws, then the dog has won. Often you will have to protect your dog from small children. Teach them not to disturb the dog in place, not to keep crowing after the dog, not to throw toys at him, not to pull the ears or poke the eyes, not to wake up a sleeping dog, etc, etc,. Most dogs are very tolerant of small children, but communication breakdowns can occur because they don’t understand each other’s behavior and that can have very nasty consequences. Teach your children to be respectful of your dog. Teach them that it’s an animal and not a toy. Teach them to call the dog and not go there to play. Also, teach them not to pet strange dogs. Never allow young children to walk the dog alone. On a leash, your dog behaves differently than when he walks freely in the house, moreover, he often sees the child as a lower ranking and will want to defend him against anyone or anything. If it comes to such a fight, your child will be in between. Never leave children alone with dogs in an area without your supervision.
THE RESULT
Not educatedAnunbehaved dog is a prisoner of its environment. He can’t let go, because he doesn’t come. He pulls on the leash in no time, so the exhaust is getting shorter and shorter. You can’t take it in the car, he’s constantly moving, squeaking and barking so that’s no fun either. It is not possible to visit and if visitors come, he is locked up, because he does not behave.
Because he can’t get rid of his energy and is bored, he comes up with all kinds of things to have a little fun in his life in a way that is usually not pleasant for you.
Well-bredSo this is a dog that is in a lower position in relation to the people and there he feels both safe and comfortable. He can always be off the leash to play with you or other dogs. Is this difficult because he doesn’t like some dogs, no problem because he comes when he is called. He can come with you on a visit to a restaurant, on holiday, he can be anywhere with you because he behaves himself. Owner and dog have a lot of fun with each other, they play, work, walk, they do all kinds of things together. They are the very best ‘buddies’ and they enjoy each other.
Realize that a well-behaved dog gives a lot of freedom !!!!!
Quick Summary
DOMINANT ACTSThese are actions with which we clearly show the dog itself the highest ranking in our family …. (for the dog, the pack). These actions cost us little effort and are very clear to the dog. In principle, the actions can be applied on a daily basis.
– The boss is the first to go through the door that goes out. This is the door of the first order, even when you enter, you go first. This confirms your highest ranking. Also make sure that all other family members, who are also leaving the house at that time, go earlier than the dog. For example, the dog is the lowest in the family.
– If you have several doors in your home, use these doors to isolate the dog in a room for a while. (This only has to be short). This will make it clear that you are so powerful to place him on the edge of the pack and you will also place the other family members higher in rank. Make sure that you do not return to the dog until the dog behaves calmly. If you were to go to it when it beeps, for example, it will beep more often because it was rewarded for squeaking last time, because you opened the door again.
– The dog must be greeted last when entering. The highest in rank greet each other first and then the lowest. This means, if one of the family members re-enters the “family”, the other family members must be greeted first and only then the dog. Do this especially if you have smaller children and/or one of your family members has problems with the dog.
– Don’t allow the dog to get big in front of you. So when greeting and the like, the dog should stay low. Make sure the dog has a leather collar on so you can use it as a handle to keep it low. You can push on your dog’s shoulders (neck-back transition) with both hands. Dogs often do this among themselves when greeting, the highest ranking places his neck on the shoulders of the lower rank and thus confirms his position.
– If the dog is lying somewhere, do not walk around the dog, but step over him or let him move aside. The “dog pack leader” will never step aside for a lower rank.
_ Call the dog to you in all situations. The lower rank moves to the higher rank. It is only for a punishment that the higher rank goes to the lower rank. Try to make coming as pleasant as possible for the dog. Practice this with a treat for the dog, e.g. when you go to play, put on the leash before going for a walk by giving the dog a treat.
– Adopt a high posture towards the dog (large). This gives you the prestige of the highest rank. If you make yourself small a lot, he will think that he has risen in rank. If you want to get closer to the dog, bend over him. Bending over the dog is a dominant act. You can practice these by putting on the leash or brushing.
– Playing with the dog is one of the best ways to build a good bond. But you have to start the game, and you have to end it. If your dog invites you to a game, don’t accept it, but wait until he has lost interest, only then invite him to play when you feel like it. You must also be the one to finish the game, this will make you rise in rank. The toy that is used for interaction between owner and dog should not be placed with the other toys of the dog. Store it in your jacket pocket or in the closet. This keeps the toy super interesting for the dog. The so-called magic weapon of yours.
– Never allow your dog to decide when a certain action is finished, e.g. you are brushing the dog, your dog doesn’t feel like it anymore and walks away. Then call your dog back and brush him for a while, so that you decide when the action is over. When brushing, have the dog lie on its back. This is a submissive attitude for the dog. You can also do this in between.
– By lifting the dog and putting it on something (table) you show how strong you are. This is best done with smaller dogs (put a non-slip mat on the table). For larger dogs, demonstrate your strength by standing behind the dog and encircling your dog’s chest with your hands (just behind the front legs) and lifting the dog so that its front legs lift slightly off the ground. The dog has to let all this come over him with resignation and hang on a bit. If he does not do this, then hold on and put pressure on the chest with his arms, until his resistance has stopped. ( this is how you mimic the pair of behaviors that dogs also do among themselves to confirm their dominance ).
– In the family, the dog should be the last to get its food. First the highest ones eat and then the lower ones. The best way to teach your puppy that is fed several times a day is to first take something yourself, e.g. a biscuit, and then feed the dog. In some families, the dog has a bowl of food all day long, then this method does not apply and does not apply, after all, where food is always in a dog pack, there is no need to fight.
– Don’t pet the dog all the time because he wants to be petted. Another clear signal to the dog if you don’t want to pet and he still insists is the “muzzle bite”. You put your full hand over the top of the dog’s muzzle and you squeeze it a little, at the same time you give a short but powerful command such as “phew” or “no”. You can also apply this “punishment” in other situations. This is many times more effective than a tap on the nose.
– Do not lie down on benches, chairs or other elevations. The highest rank always has the highest place. If your dog lies down on the couch in the absence of the family and gets off immediately when someone enters, he is also showing enough respect.
– If you go up the stairs and you take the dog with you, make sure you go up first. If the dog would go first, he would be the first to wait for you on top, the dog would “think” that he is the highest ranking because he is literally high and you will come to him with a literally lower attitude. Be sure to turn the tables.
– If you take the dog to the bedroom, make sure that he does not lie on the bed. Only the higher ranks are allowed to lie in this special place. Personally, I’m not in favor of “taking the dog to bed”. This is for various reasons, confirmation of the ranking, the lowest ranking is on the edge of the pack, a dog that lies in the bedroom can perform its task as a guard dog more difficult (most burglars come in downstairs) and if the dog is bothered by fleas and the flea eggs are in the bedroom, you will not get rid of it so easily.
– Do not allow the dog to continuously expand a pee. Once your dog has done its business, there is no need to pee anymore. ( or the dog should not be physically well, consult your veterinarian). Continuous urination can be a sign of dominance.
– Never allow your dog to show mating behavior on people (legs, children’s backs, etc.) or on other objects (pillows, blankets, etc.) Only the highest ranking in the pack are allowed to mate.
Walking along without pulling is a different exercise. Pulling on the leash is dominant behavior: After all, you follow the dog and are then lower in rank. You should teach a puppy to go for a walk without pulling: You determine the pace and direction. If the dog wants to go to the right and drags you along, go to the left; If you want to turn the corner, go straight ahead. Teach the dog to pay attention to you instead of the other way around. Be the first to leave the house.