STATING WHO IS IN CHARGE

The dog was born to live in flocks and thanks to that it can learn social conduct rules inside small groups. For a company dog, the human family represents its pack. The dog should see all the family members as the leaders of the pack in order to feel secure and safe because of the mere fact that they are human. Dogs don't become leaders of a pack because of their physical strength or through aggressions, but using a very subtle language that any dog can understand and states in a very clear way which is the hierarchical order of the pack. Learning and reproducing a good part of the signs explained here would be very useful for dog owners to guarantee the order and the peace of the familiar pack. Obviously, you don't have to reproduce them all, but use them when they are necessary to teach good manners to your dog so they won't dare challenge the humans when they have something the dog wants to have but it prohibited for it.

THE HIERARCHICAL ORDER

The social structure of a pack is simple and very easy to understand; in few words, the higher the social position of the animal, they more privileges it will get. Trying to imagine what kind of thing the dog may see as privileges, it is easy to understand why some dogs think they can order the house and rule their masters.

CALLING THE Dog's ATTENTION

For a dog, the one who asks for your attention, caresses and time for playing is the leader of the pack. Many dogs are real experts on calling the attention of their masters whenever they want and, on the other hand, tend to ignore their masters on purpose. If this is your case, get back the position that is yours by paying attention to your dog only when you consider it necessary or make it obey an order as for example "sit", before beginning to take care of it. dog rain coats

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENTS

Many dogs can freely move around the house without causing problems, but if your dog is like those ones that are always obstructing the way, stop in the middle of the stairs to block them, take all the sofa or install themselves in the middle of your bed and don't let you get comfortable on it, then you should rethink the relation. It is not a bad idea to create restricted access zones that will be prohibited for the dog where you can sit and walk. You should also teach your dog to get down from the seats when it is asked or not to let the dog get on them in the first place because it seems to be that the height is a symbol of status for them and by being as high as you are could the dog can feel it has the right to challenge your authority.

BEING the Master

Some dogs use playing to control their masters. If your dog insists on playing with you very often and then runs away with the toy when it gets bored or denies giving it back to you when you want it, it is possible to get the control back without confrontations. Many dogs love pulling the toy their masters are strongly holding and the game in itself is not dangerous as long as the dog allows its master to take the toy when the game is over; however, if the dog denies to give it back to its master, changing it for another toy or for a treat is a good trick that usually helps to avoid confrontations. Another possibility is to avoid any competitive game that implies strength demonstrations and substituting it for another. For example: to play hiding a toy.

LEADING THE EXPEDITION

Dogs see walks out of the house as hunting expeditions and it is normal for them to show excitement. It is only you, as leader of the pack, who is in charge of leading the hunting journey and therefore, lead the expedition from the very first instant you leave the house or the car. Getting your dog used to let humans go first is a vital aspect of its education and it will also reinforce the master's status. If the dog tries to go through the threshold before you, close the door quickly but softly, so you won't hit the dog on the snout. If the dog gets in your way many times, it will end up getting used to it and you will end up letting the dog go first as it corresponds to the higher member of the pack.

All this measures are aimed to state the dog what its place in the hierarchy is in order to prevent yourself from having the dog to even try to dispute you the attention or any material thing. However, if the animal has already begun doing it, ask the veterinary to recommend you an expert on conduct problems able to develop a proper treatment for your dog. If you haven't gotten professional help yet, be careful and avoid confrontations. When a dog believes it is at the same level as their master, it can use its teeth to state its superiority if the master confronts it and the dog may not doubt about doing this.