Leadership for your dog is essential to a calm life together.
Nick Jones of Alpha Dog Behaviour talks about dog behaviour and leadership.Hi, I’m Nick Jones, and I run my own dog behavioural consultancy covering the West Midlands and surrounding counties. I am often asked about the subject of leadership, as it does seem to be a current ‘buzz word’ at present. So, I would like to address some of the areas you can look at with your own dog that can help if you are experiencing any difficulties.My work is at the more pressurised end of what might be termed as dog training, and people come to me when things are at a low ebb, and they have tried everything else. This is normally called behavioural work, and I come across all sorts of job descriptions, anything from ‘Dog Behaviourist’, to ‘Dog Listener’, or ‘Dog Whisperer’. I don’t claim to be any of the above, just a normal guy with a love for dogs (and people) and wishing to bring the two together in harmony. Call me what you like, but I do it every day, and have a passion for my work, and strive for excellence in all I do.So, to dogs. I recall working with a chocolate lab not so long ago, which decided to ensconce itself against the dishwasher (dirty plates and food scraps!) that was at the far end of a narrow kitchen. Not initially aware of how much he prided himself on this secure location, I approached and calmly slipped a hand under his collar to remove him…at which point he gave a low guttural growl as if to say “You move me one more inch and I’ll have you”. The look in his eyes confirmed the growl, and I decided that to move away was prudent. I soon returned with a slip lead and he walked away without aggression. We put in place some new rules to show him what was available to him in terms of movement about the home, and prevented access to the kitchen later on. He’s now doing well with a caring family.The vast majority of dogs are just great. BUT they require from you leadership, consistency within the family, and the best start possible in early life. What do I mean by these words exactly? Well, it’s impossible for me to go into depth for every aspect of dog training and problem resolution here, as it would turn into a book, but I would like to expand a little more…Leadership. I have recently placed an article about leadership on my web site that can be found here: http://www.alphadogbehaviour.co.uk/11.html . Scroll down to it and have a read. Leadership is an on-going (birth to death even) approach that will protect, guide and reassure any dog. It is not a single thing that you do to show leadership, it is a combination of setting reasonable boundaries for a dog that allows it to relax and enjoy a calm life as a part of your family. Some of the components to develop good positive leadership would include…1. Obedience training. Classes can be good, but in my experience I see too many dogs that have been through the classes and found everything too stressful. Too many barking anxious dogs, anxious owners over-correcting, and over issuing of commands. Too much food on the floor, and generally a little bit chaotic.This is not what we want our young dogs to experience in terms of relating to other dogs at an early age…stress.As I say, classes can be good, but I urge you to check them out before hand and to even stop if your dog (or you) finds it all too much. Meeting well-balanced dogs in an open-air environment free from these pressures will be far better. A few hours with a respected local trainer in your local parks and streets would be far more valuable as it’s geared towards real life situations.2. Managing your dog. By this I mean things you can do in the home in particular to ensure your dog is being watched (more the younger the dog is…a little like children) to ensure his actions are acceptable whilst in your home. A very young dog that has complete freedom to go where it likes (inside or out) is heading for trouble. As the dog matures and it gains your trust, you can then allow him more liberty. Too many owners start off the other way round, and then have to work to pull things back. I see the first two years as crucial to maintaining boundaries to the dog’s behaviour. With slower maturing breeds you may need to add twelve months to that!3. Good manners. Another area to maintain with any dog in the early years is ensuring your dog is well mannered. Again, just like children, once you have a foundation of well-mannered behaviour, you can begin to enjoy what life has to offer more as you know you can enter into almost any situation and come out the other side with your nerves in tact and your head held high. Aspects to address to ensure your dog is respectful and calm in the home and outside would cover:Calm homecomings - Reward calm behaviour, not over excitability. Sit = Hello, OTT behaviour or jumping up = turning or walk away.Feeding manners - Ensure a good brand of food, a ‘Wait’ prior to allowing the do