Golden Retriever Mandy during off leash obedience training in Ashland, OH
Why is it important to provide leadership for your dog? Dogs are pack animals and with this social structure comes the importance of knowing who’s in charge and where each dog falls into the pack hierarchy.
In a wolf pack, the alpha (leader) makes all the decisions –when to hunt, when to leave the territory, when to eat, when to give attention to other pack members, etc. If a member challenges this structure or gets out of line, they are sometimes driven out of the pack in order to maintain the social order.
Our domestic dogs have inherited the same sense of pack mentality, so it is up to us to provide them with the same type of pack structure they understand. We can do this by symbolizing the same alpha leadership in our home and social environment.
If you have more than one dog at home, watch to see which dog is the dominate dog, or seems to be asserting themselves as the leader of the pack. For example, watch for which dog is taking the favorite sleeping spots, bumps the other dogs out of the way during times you are giving affection, or maybe growls first when they see something that alarms them. Once you know which dog is the alpha of the dog pack, you need to start controlling the alpha. Once you have the respect and control of the leader, then you become the leader of the whole pack. If you have only one dog, providing this type of leadership is still needed to ensure proper behavior from your dog.
In order to provide the type of leadership your dog needs, a good starting point is with obedience training. Through the process of teaching your dog commands like sit, down, stay, leadership naturally happens and a bond is developed through mutual respect.
An owner can also show leadership by providing and controlling every resource that a dog needs or values. For example, going in and out of doors before your dog symbolizes you are the leader, and a leader always enters and exits the territory first. Another way to communicate to your dog that you are the leader is by initiating contact. When you come into the home, don’t pet your dog when he comes up to you. Instead, wait until your dog has calmed down, lost interest and gone away from you. Then call your dog to you and give it your affection. The leader of the pack always initiates contact first.
The best way to show your dog you love them is to provide the leadership they need to be able to navigate through our world and environment without confusion. If they know their place in the pack and they understand the rules and expectations, then they can relax and feel confident in their human family.
