Good Dogma
By Lisa Ellman
The concept of leadership cannot be emphasized enough. It is what dogs know and respond to. It goes back to their most primitive survival instincts.
Someone must take charge and let us know what to do, otherwise we will live in chaos and conflict. The reason there is a pack leader in so many groups of animals is so that the group can act cohesively. The leader dictates the pack’s behavior. Constant conflict among subordinates often indicates a lack of leadership.
Your dog may be “acting out” to a stimulus because there is no structure to what the right response should be. They have no idea what to do in a given situation, and that produces chaos, because you have not taught the dog an alternative behavior to focus on.
If you don’t direct your dog consistently to a structured, consistent response, then confusion sets in. Fear behavior can often be associated with your dog not knowing what to do — or what to expect — from a particular situation or stimulus.
An example that I see most often, where leadership is lacking, is door knocking/bell ringing, as in someone knocks on the door and the dog goes wacko.
The dog is acting out, and your response is just as chaotic: “No!” “Stop it!” “Come here!”
Small dogs may get picked up. Large dogs get shut in another room or put outside. Both of these responses by the human do nothing to change the dog’s behavior. The leader has not taught the dog the appropriate response.
A second example, which can be a little more complicated, is leash reactivity. You have your dog out for a walk and they see another dog coming, or barking from behind a fence, and they go berserk. Lunging, twirling, jumping, whining, etc.
This behavior can sometimes be associated with, but not entirely based on, fear or the lack of socialization. But it is the absence of a structured response, in any situation, that causes the behavior to continue.
It doesn’t matter what the alternative behavior is. It’s your choice; you’re the leader! If you want your dog to sit and stay in place when someone knocks on the door, that’s what you consistently teach it.
If you want your dog to continue walking with you when it sees another dog, that’s what you must teach them consistently.
And this leadership role applies to every person that lives with the dog, including your children. Your dog may respond to the adults, but sees kids as equals or playmates. This is about the role the dog sees the child in.
Teach your kids, ages 3 and up, to tell the dog to “Sit” or “Lie down,” before giving a treat. Teach the dog the word “Off,” so that if the dog is on the couch and your child wants to get up, there is no question about who gets to sit there.
This gives even the small humans a leadership role and earns them respect from the subordinate dog.
Keep in mind that an adult should ALWAYS be present to supervise a dog and child.
It’s also critical to seek the help of a professional trainer when attempting to change the behavior of your dog.
Leadership is about earning your dog’s respect. In return, it is your job to provide everything they need in order to be safe and survive.
Lisa Ellman has been working with a wide range of animals for over 20 years. Her passion, however, is dogs, and in 1996 she founded Good Dogma Obedience Training. With a foundation built on positive reinforcement, Good Dogma provides basic obedience training and behavior modification for the family dog and human members of the pack. Lisa’s comprehensive theory on training is a simple one: “Train the human, condition the dog.” Good Dogma is a monthly feature of Simply Clear Marketing & Media.
