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Home Pets The Woof
Gang The
WOOF Gang: Masters of our domain, or leaders?

The

Monday, 19 October 2009 13:19
Laura Garber

Myths about dog
behavior are doing anything but promoting greater understanding between our two
species, especially when it comes to dominance. Could it be, with all the
demands and pressures we face from others, that we'll be damned if we let our
dogs get away with treading on us, too?

Many dogs have a tendency to jump up on people they
meet. They pull on the leash and rush through doors ahead of us. If given the
opportunity, they’d happily gobble down their meal before we’ve even sat down. A
dominance play? We have no problem considering someone invading our personal
space as rude, but with our dogs we see more sinister motives.

Laura Garber

Although not common, there is a behavior issue
called dominance aggression, which is most often directed toward the dog’s
family members.  If your dog guards his food, possessions or space, such as
the couch, and shows aggressive behavior with certain handling, such as collar
grabs or when being restrained, enlist the assistance of a certified canine
behavior counselor.

Whatever our
reasons, the issue of asserting dominance is perhaps the single greatest
obstacles to our relationship with our dogs. It can rend the loving fabric we
have woven together with them.

The Wolf Hierarchical
Model

The prevailing theory behind this theory is that wolves
have strict, inflexible hierarchies with one alpha who controls all food sources
and commands all pack movement and hunting.  However, these theories are
based on captive wolf packs. In wild packs, the responsibilities of the adult
wolves of the pack are more evenly distributed and the relevance of rank has
most to do with social interactions, promoting friendly relations and pack
cohesion.

What's more, in wild packs, when food is scarce, the dominant
pair allots food, and it usually goes to their pups first. When food is
plentiful, all eat together, and each has rightful ownership of resources within
his “space," beneath his head and between his feet.  Though another can try
to steal or use intimidation to take the food, every wolf, regardless of rank,
can rightfully defend his “stuff.”

Misinterpretation of wolf-like
behavior leads us to insist on eating first, going out the door first, and
relegating our dogs to the floor rather than the bed.  While there are
plenty of reasons to decide one practice over another, let’s make sure we do it
for the right reasons!

Being a Benevolent Leader to Your
Dog

Mark Rashid, horse trainer and author of several books on
the subject, observed two distinct types of leaders emerge in the social
hierarchies and interactions of horse herds. There were those horses who
controlled herd movement and behavior through fear and intimidation, and those
who were chosen by other members of the herd as “passive leaders” because of
their peaceful, cooperative practices. This second kind of leader was more liked
and trusted by the rest of the herd.

Rashid teaches riders to emulate
this same model of leadership when developing a bond with their horses. It's a
style we'd do well to emulate in our relationships with our dogs. We need them
to understand that all the things that they value in their lives are generously
granted by us. We control everything and will share richly, provided we are
shown polite, respectful behavior.

To do this, take stock of the things
that your dog considers valuable: food, petting and affection, going for walks,
playing with toys, being on the furniture, even chasing after a paper bag
blowing in the wind or a squirrel scurrying up a tree.

Require polite
behavior from your dog in order to earn these life rewards:

* Ask for a
"wait" before putting down his food or going out the door for a walk, obliging
him to hold it until you release him.

* Play games together with
rules:  When playing with a toy, don’t simply allow your dog to snatch it
from your hands.  Rather, ask for a "sit," then offer the toy with a "take
it" and have your dog relinquish the toy with a "drop it."

*
Incorporate obedience into your day.  Ask for a "watch" while on a walk and
then release him to chase a squirrel (just make sure he doesn’t get it!).
Teach your pup a "leave it," which gives you control of the environment while
also ensuring he can’t grab harmful things from the sidewalk.  Grant belly
rubs or let him up on the couch for a sit.

* Insist on four-on-the-floor
at all times.  Dogs establish leadership with one another by controlling
the use of space.  You can use your own body to control your dog’s space –
leaning toward him even slightly applies pressure to his space that can prohibit
him from breaking a "down" or a "stay." It may also deter his jumping up on
you.

* Teach your dog to loose-leash walk and hold a solid
"down/stay."

These become the difference in teaching respect and
asserting dominance. In fact, we might do best to leave the word dominance out
of our vocabulary entirely. Our relationships with our dogs would undoubtedly be
the better for it.

Dog trainer Laura Garber of
Hoboken regards training as an exercise in building relationships rather than
obedience. She believes such an approach promises greater understanding and
symbiosis within our family packs. Laura works with private clients in Hudson
County and beyond. For information, go to myWoofGang.com or contact her
directly at

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript
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Comments (1)

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Catalina
Perez said:

...
Great tips I can use! I have a
maltese poodle, and she tends to have a mind of her own (kind of like the
owner, lol). Looking forward to reading more of your articles!

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