How to Tell Your Dog Is a "Leader"

It is very difficult for pet lovers to pull themselves together and refuse to fulfill the request of their four-legged friends, for example, to give an extra piece of meat or to allow them to bask in a warm bed with you.

On the one hand, everything is correct, because they become an integral part of the family, and on the other hand, they are animals that have their own instincts and thoughts.

If you show a dog that he is in charge, then he will stop obeying and start doing whatever comes into his head.

As a rule, most dogs do not live in enclosures, but in houses and apartments with their owners, which means that you automatically start the process of destruction in your home.

No matter how much you love your pet, you must show him that you are in charge.

Violence against dogs is prohibited.

First of all, you need to remember that raising a dog is not slapping a soft spot, which will not give anything other than causing pain to the pet. By the way, in a pack of dogs they don’t hit each other, so it’s pointless to mindlessly hit an animal. We need to come up with other, more humane ways to raise a ponytail.

Deaf dogs. How to control a dog, experience of a dog handler

The dog's life is short-lived, unfortunately. Only 12 years have passed since the East European Shepherd appeared in my house. I needed a dog to compete and participate in exhibitions. All this happened in our lives, but it has passed.

This is us in our youth!

Half a year ago I noticed that my shepherd was losing his hearing. She stopped responding when I called her. She began to talk less to the neighbors' dogs because the "wireless dog telegraph" had broken down.

Now, when I go into the gate, my guard is fast asleep. I can slam the doors loudly and shout at her, but there is no point. I stand next to my sleeping friend and wait. Through her sleep, my smell makes its way to her and then she wakes up and joyfully greets me, making guilty eyes, as if saying “I’m sorry I didn’t meet you earlier...”

Ingratiating glance

Hearing loss occurred due to the fact that the dog became old, and old age, as we know, has no cure. I tried to restore her hearing with medications, they help for a short time, and I decided that constant treatment would cause more harm to the dog’s health than just deafness.

A dog that has completed training courses understands gestures perfectly. This is what I use. I can call the dog and send him to his place if it is time for him to eat. I can show her to lie down or if she sees the leash in my hands, then this is a sign for her that there will be a long-awaited walk.

The only drawback in communication is that I can’t attract attention in time

. Only if you touch the dog, then it will try to understand what I want from it, otherwise there is no other way.

Of course, we had to give up walking in the forest, and indeed walking without a leash. One day my dog ​​came out the gate, and I had to run 300 meters after her to get her attention.

I was thinking about using an electric collar in “vibration” mode. It was possible to teach the dog to look for me with his eyes if the collar vibrates. The fact is that a dog orients itself in space first by hearing, then by looking, and only then “turns on” its sense of smell and takes a scent trail, if necessary.

But if the dog does not have 100500 percent, that after the vibration, the ligaments that need to look for me, then I can lose the deaf dog in the forest, forever.

What if the collar doesn’t work and breaks, or what if she’s too into it that she won’t notice that I’m calling her?

I decided to abandon this idea; I’m afraid of losing my deaf, but faithful and obedient friend.

Now the dog lives in the country, where there is fresh air and a lot of tasty and satisfying food. She deserved to live carefree for the rest of her life, with her ability to devotedly love our family.

"Bite" to explain something

Until you became its owner, the dog was commanded by the mother. To deal with a disobedient child, the animal world has its own way: the mother bites the puppy in the neck or simply rolls it onto its back.

A person can also use these same methods, but to imitate a bite, you need to tense your fingers and simply hit the neck with the tips, but only from above, where the skin is rougher.

If the behavior has not changed, then throw the naughty person on his back. It is possible that the pet will not understand the first time, but by the third time he will definitely realize that he is to blame.

Leadership in a dog pack

When a dog is forced to live in a pack with other dogs, he becomes a victim of his natural instincts. People often find it difficult to understand these instincts, which sometimes leads to relationship problems and even tragedies.

Instinctively, dogs that share the same living space with other dogs form a pack with a strict hierarchy. People become, in a sense, part of this pack.

Interestingly, slogans like “I am the master of this house” often work when a person is trying to control other people, but these slogans do not work with dogs. In a pack, the leader is the one who is able and has the desire to protect others, sacrificing his life for this, if necessary.

The most important task of the leader of the pack is to protect the lives of his charges, but the time comes when the leader becomes too old and weak and cannot cope with this task. Thus, the time comes to choose a new leader.

Sometimes a younger member of the pack, ready for leadership, respects the older one so much that he cannot openly challenge him, but instead actually performs the tasks of the leader, being his deputy. Often this situation suits both and over time, power automatically passes to the young dog.

The job of a pack leader. What are the functions of the leader of the pack? The leader makes sure that other dogs do not cross the boundaries of his pack's territory. To do this, the leader marks these boundaries with urine and feces, as well as overlapping the marks of other members of his pack, as if masking their smell.

The leader of the pack also establishes the rules of discipline, testing other members of the pack for obedience, which is especially necessary in crisis situations. Discipline can take the form of "exercises" where the leader, for example, takes toys away from lower-ranking pack members. If you give another toy, the leader will also take it away. Another rule of discipline might be for a subordinate member of the pack to crouch to the ground when the leader looks at him or when he growls. Observe the “subordinates” carefully and you will notice that they actually relax, obeying the leader. This makes them feel safer, more secure, and that this is the right way of things.

In nature, the leaders always eat first, so if you don't want fights for leadership in your home, feed your dogs separately.

If all members of the pack feel safe with their leader and he suits everyone, it is very rare for serious fights to happen in such a pack. Please note that the leader of the pack is not elected by vote and is not appointed by his masters. If you want to intervene in the process of establishing a hierarchy among your dogs, you are likely to make many mistakes, which can lead to serious conflicts. Leadership of the pack is survival of the fittest. A pack of dogs is not a democracy, but it is not a monarchy either.

When these rules don't work. Some pairs or groups of dogs are simply unable to choose a leader. People have developed dog breeds that are very far from natural instincts. Some dogs cannot live in peace with any other dog of the same sex. It is important to carefully investigate this trait in a new breed of dog you are considering bringing into your home that already has other dogs.

Two dogs of the opposite sex can usually live together peacefully and happily, since in such a mini-pack the male becomes the main male and the female becomes the main female. Neither of them should be completely subordinate to the other. Usually a male dog performs the function of a protector, however, this rule is not always true and depends on the breed and characteristics of a particular dog. In a wild pack, females are usually busy protecting and raising their pups while the males guard the pack's territory. These same roles are usually typical for dogs of different sexes living in pairs in your home.

If you have two same-sex dogs that you keep together, then be prepared for the fact that one of them will be forced to submit to the other. If a mutually beneficial solution is not reached between the dogs on this matter, then there will likely be a struggle for leadership, which sometimes even results in the death of one of the dogs.

It is very inhumane and dangerous to keep such dogs together, which, fighting for primacy, can injure each other or even kill their opponent. In this case, the dogs should be separated until an experienced trainer can help find a way out of the situation. In some cases, you may even need to find a new home for one of the dogs.

What can help? Training each dog individually is an important step in working toward a safe dog-to-canine relationship. Individual training will also help you strengthen the bond between you and your dog and make your relationship safer. Every dog ​​needs some one-on-one time with a person, ideally outside the home. Actions may vary depending on the needs of the dog itself. One of them may be suited to individual obedience classes, while another may be suited to simply going on errands together in the owner's car.

It is very important to separate the dogs during feeding and before giving a favorite treat. Neutering also helps dogs living in a pack become more peaceful. Daily hand grooming can significantly improve the contact between owner and dog, as well as teaching the dog to obey your commands without using a leash, which is especially useful if you need to separate two fighting dogs.

You should not leave two warring dogs together without your supervision until you are fully confident in their ability to interact peacefully. It is very useful to separate dogs if you feel that they are overly excited.

What to avoid. When you bring a new puppy into your home, you can never be sure that he will get along with your other dog. In fact, the time to sort things out can take a very long time, since the puppy will first need to grow and get stronger. All of this can be very traumatic for both dogs.

Beware of jumping to conclusions about which dog is the leader or which dog "should" be the leader. People very often make mistakes in the question of which dog is most suitable for the role of leader. In some packs, one dog takes over as leader in some situations and another in others. Human intervention in this matter may lead to an increase and intensification of fights in the pack.

You should also not leave two fighting dogs together in the hope that they will somehow sort each other out. If one of the dogs is injured, take it to another location. Fights in a pack for primacy should not end in serious injuries for its members. If this happens, something is going wrong. In this case, you should seek advice from an experienced trainer.

A dog that cannot get along with another dog of the same sex is not necessarily a danger to humans. People very often misunderstand a dog's aggression towards another same-sex dog and fear that the dog will become dangerous to them. As a result, this dog is euthanized, although it would be possible to simply separate the two warring dogs. Such a dog would make an excellent match with a same-sex dog or live in a home where it would be the only dog. Therefore, it is very important not to apply human standards to dogs.

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How to gain the authority of the owner in the eyes of the dog

When a puppy appears in the house, it is always joy. But dogs grow quickly, and a small cute lump will soon grow into a huge dog. With proper upbringing, this dog will become a loyal friend to all family members and a good guard. But what does this “proper education” of a dog mean?

Here are the basic rules that must be followed, starting from puppyhood, in order for the dog to grow up “properly raised.”

1. You cannot play with a dog (especially a large breed) in games such as tugging an object. After all, for you it’s just a game, but for the dog it’s establishing leadership. The dog believes that if it was able to take away the stick/ball/toy from you, it means it came out the winner in this situation, and you lost. And this undermines your authority in the eyes of the dog.

2. You should not give the dog the opportunity to cling to an object (be it a pillow, or a toy, etc.) and ruffle this thing. And even more so, you shouldn’t provoke it. After all, in this way the instincts of a hunter, a beast, awaken in an animal. And this can become dangerous in the future, especially if the dog lives in a family.

3. You should not give your dog raw meat with blood. This again gradually activates her deeply buried animal instincts.

4. When walking, the dog should not walk ahead of you, and especially should not drag you along about its business. You are in charge! This means you are ahead, and only you must decide where to go and where to stop. The dog should obediently follow you.

5. Don't let your dog lie on your bed. And it’s not even a matter of hygiene, but again a matter of suppressing your authority. After all, the bed accumulates the largest amount of the owner’s smell. And the dog, having climbed onto the bed, seems to lie on top of your scent, i.e. feels that you are below, you are under her. Which means she is currently in the lead again.

6. Keep your dog at a distance while you eat. In the animal world, it is customary that when the leader of the pack eats, the rest wait on the sidelines and do not approach. And if you immediately establish the rules that when you eat, the dog must keep his distance, this will increase your authority in his eyes. This way you can once again show her who is boss here.

Perhaps to some people all this will seem childishly funny. But believe me, these nuances are very important. It's these little things that make up the owner's authority. And this is the most important thing that a dog must understand, that you are the “leader of the pack.” Otherwise, if the dog feels on an equal footing with you, or, what’s even worse, considers you weaker than itself, then sad consequences cannot be avoided. Therefore, raising a dog must be approached wisely and responsibly. After all, not only your peace of mind, but also the safety of you and your loved ones will depend on this in the future.

bobot 05/09/201505/09/2015 Category Animals Dog tags Comment.

A dog is man's friend. Man is a wolf to man. Tell me who your friend is and I will tell you who you are. So tell me now, what is a dog that is another person's friend to you? That's the same! Then listen, my little Mowgli, how to live among wolves.

Prevention

• A good war is one that can be avoided. And in the case of dogs, too. If the shortest distance between points A and B is a wasteland where ownerless bitches and dogs hang out, disregard the laws of geometry and go around like a normal hero. Some particularly impudent flocks may consider part of the street or park theirs - do not argue or interfere with their territory.
• Barking is not as dangerous as remaining silent. Barking is an invitation to negotiate. It has been repeatedly noted that if you address dogs buzzing in an industrial area using good profanity, they will understand and respect you. Because for most and the best part of their lives they were communicated only in this language. Having reached a consensus with the dogs, do not lose your vigilance and retreat backwards.
• In the case of aggressive dogs, three “don’ts” are very important: do not turn your back, dogs are not noble cowboys from westerns, and willingly attack from behind. Do not wave your arms or run away. You can try to deceive the dog - pretend that you are picking up a stone from the ground. The cowardly individual retreats.
• For some reason, evil-minded animals do not like cyclists. If you know how to drive fast, increase your speed to the limit. If you don’t know how, get off and lead the bike by the bridle.
• If the owner watches a barking dog with a smile, there is a great temptation to tell him everything at once. Refrain! The most vicious and stupid animals may well be devoted pets. Having decided that the owner is in danger, they will definitely attack the offender. There is a known case when an incredibly stupid Moscow Rottweiler did not allow doctors to approach the owner who had lost consciousness. While the beast was dragged away, the unfortunate woman went to a better world. And an equally stupid boxer dog from Canada tried to save his owner who decided to go swimming. Bitten and scratched, the poor fellow barely made it to the shore. In general, it is worth remembering these cases, feeling sorry for the owners and asking them as friendly as possible to call the dog to their place before the number of paws, ears and tails decreases.

See also: The most expensive dog breeds in the world

FIGHTS WITHOUT RULES

• Does the beast approach silently, baring its teeth, or does it generally rush towards a fire? The matter is rubbish, you will have to fight back, and immediately. If there is a wall or tree nearby, hug yourself to protect your back. If not, group yourself by squeezing your knees. You can put your hands vertically in front of you: the dog grabs horizontally, but it’s difficult for him to do this vertically.
• The time has come for tough measures, no matter what all the zoophiles say. For example, slowly take off your jacket, wrap it around your hand and present it to the dog, and then push the clothes down its throat. A small bag will also work for this purpose. You can strike with your knee, or a strong blow, with your hand or a stone, to the nose, the most sensitive area. Options to strangle or kick hard in the stomach (turn away, Greenpeace people) are for the strongest.
• Dogs don’t know how to fight, so you can contrively fall on top of the whole mass, press it to the ground and try to damage the throat.
• If the enemy is clearly and initially superior, only passive, unmanly tactics are suitable: fall on your face, clench your legs, cover your neck and head with your hands, and call for help.

RESCUE FROM THE MOUTH

• It happens that another, weak and helpless person becomes the object of attack. How to rescue him from the monster’s jaws? If a dog has grabbed onto an arm or leg, do not pull the limb - this will only make the wound deeper. But the dog itself can be pulled - for example, by its hind legs: the evil creature will lose its balance and, stunned, will unclench its jaws.
• A scarf or belt is suitable for making a loop: you need to tighten it around the dog's neck as tightly as possible and gradually tighten it.
• Dogs have depressions under the jaw on the neck, on both sides of the trachea - pressing on them with your thumb and forefinger will cause considerable discomfort to the dog, and it will unclench its jaw.

See also: Fights with alligators, not crocodiles (15 photos)

Just don’t see every dog ​​except your own as a potential enemy. Among strangers and even stray dogs, although it is rare, you come across kind and smart ones.

— How to get to the Library? - Go straight through the former warehouses.

- What a horror. Only there are not enough werewolves... - And here they are. - Ugh! It is forbidden! Sit! Lie! Home! “That’s not how you talk to these dogs.” Come on, cover your ears.

- Let's go beep-beep-beep! I'm your mother beep-beep-beep! ... - What did you tell them? — The dog understands the language that people spoke in front of it.

EASTERN WISDOM

But a resident of Iran would not even look at this text: while advanced Europe is thinking about how else to fight for animal rights, in a harsh Muslim country there is a ban on the appearance of dogs in public places. Guard dogs, herding dogs and hunting dogs – no matter what, they are useful. And the rest are considered unclean, and keeping them in the house is an undesirable thing. If you go out with your dog or take him anywhere in the car, you will be fined and confiscated. Not property, dogs.

YOU GIVE IT UP

The dogs themselves punish bad owners. And with the best intentions. One Ukrainian deputy was walking his boxer (the dog, not Klitschko), without a leash or muzzle. The powers that be are allowed. A police cadet was walking towards him. The law enforcement officer did not like the look of the boxer, which he expressed quite sharply. The dog, to his credit, behaved well. But the wild deputy pulled a grenade out of his wide trousers and threw it towards the cadet. The boxer, as befits a well-trained dog, rushed for the grenade and brought it to his owner. Before he could rejoice, an explosion occurred.

See also: Behind the scenes of the film “White Bim Black Ear”

SAT ON YOUR NECK

But the South Africans, the spouses Gerda and Roger, were exemplary and responsible dog breeders. And they were very upset when their dogs ran away and started chasing hares. I feel sorry for the hares, and for random passers-by - they will suddenly attack. The couple decided to purchase electric collars for the dogs - a weak shock of electricity, and the animal is as obedient as a lamb. To begin with, they decided to test the collars on themselves - how painful it was and at what distance it worked. Roger put the device on his neck and drove the car about a kilometer away from the farm. The horn sounded to Gerda, and she pressed the button. Roger received a blow - a very noticeable one - and accidentally pressed the buzzer again. Gerda decided that the collar did not work and turned on the current again. After the husband, who was convulsing, fell with his chest on the horn and began to buzz for a very long time and piercingly, Gerda realized that something was wrong. Fortunately, everything ended well. And for dogs too - collars, shuddering nervously, Roger resolutely threw them into the trash can.

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Dog Training: Establish Leadership

In nature, dogs live in packs, and each pack has a leader - a leader. It is important for every dog ​​owner that he is the leader and that the animal recognizes this. If you don't act like a canine leader, he will quickly stop obeying you. So learn to carry yourself and act like a leader. Learn to treat your dog like a leader. Such attitudes include agreeableness, intellectual superiority, demandingness, and a domineering attitude.

Remember that by showing your leadership, you are not causing any harm to the dog. You just show her a place in the hierarchy. It is natural for an animal to try to achieve a high position in the pack, and your task is to prevent this. Your life together with your puppy will only be enjoyable if you set the rules yourself. Fortunately, beating, this old-fashioned way of suppressing hierarchical aspirations in dogs, has become a thing of the past. Dogs that are beaten become nervous and may bite out of fear. Such dogs lose trust in people. You can achieve a positive result if you regularly train and praise your dog and treat it with love.

Also, do not forget that training educates not only the dog, but also the owner. You must allow the dog to behave the way a dog should behave. If you can create a good relationship with your dog early on, then you will be able to nip problem behavior in the bud.

Leadership is when you let your dog know what he is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do, that is, you control his behavior. This way you control her access to some things. You allow her to lie or rest in certain places, you allow her to play with certain toys, with other dogs. Remember: you must be the leader, and the dog must recognize this.

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If you behave like a leader with your dog, you will save yourself from many behavior problems in the future.

Follow these rules to become a demanding yet fair leader:

1. Free cheese is only in a mousetrap. Make sure you give your dog a job, that is, make him follow commands with rewards, such as giving him lunch or a treat in the form of dog treats for a “sit” command, opening the door for him for a “down” command.
2. Teach your dog that people come through the door and up the stairs first, and then she. This will help you avoid the dog running ahead and dragging you. Before letting your dog out the door, give him the commands “sit” or “stay.”
3. If you regularly give your dog "sit" or "down" commands during training, you can teach him to control himself in a variety of environments and ignore distractions.
4. The dog should not sleep in your bedroom or on your bed. Your bedroom is your den, the leader's den. The leader dog sleeping in your “den” begins to consider itself equal to you.
5. Do not repeat your command over and over again if the dog does not understand what is wanted from it the first time.
6. When your dog demands attention, make him sit (or lie down) and only then give him a little praise. Then go back to your business and ignore the dog. If your dog pesters you, say “No!” and ignore her for a while longer. Pay attention to the dog, caress and stroke it when you think it is necessary, and not when the dog wants it.
7. Remember: you start and finish the game, not the dog. Stop playing before your dog gets tired of it. While the puppy is small, do not let him become the owner of toys. Let each family member take a toy from a playing puppy at any time, and after 10-15 seconds invite him to play with it again.
8. Avoid punishing your dog. Try to let your dog understand what you want from him. If you are a leader in your relationship with your dog, you will be able to build a stronger relationship with him. In nature, dogs live in packs, and each pack has a leader - a leader. It seems to the dog that there is exactly the same hierarchy in the family as in the pack. Therefore, do not give your dog too much freedom and harshly discipline him at the first sign of aggressive behavior. A puppy defending its bone may seem endearing, but such behavior should be stopped. Remember that after a few months it will be almost impossible to retrain the dog.