Teaching Your Dog Who is Alpha
Guest Author: Rachelle Wilber
Dogs are loyal companions, and they rely on humans for food, shelter and affection. It is natural to see the human in a leadership role in the dog-human relationship; however, teaching your dog who is alpha is more accurately described as a relationship of cooperation and the sharing of resources.
Social Scavengers
Dogs are scavengers, and rather than hunting in a “pack,” feral dogs will develop relationships with humans to gain resources such as shelter and food. These intrinsic behaviors can be translated to domesticated dogs who willingly join us in our homes to share companionship and resources. The human’s key role of having access to the dog’s necessary resources for survival is what defines this relationship, and it can be used for all aspects of a dog’s training and house manners.
Stop Yelling, Start Reinforcing
The average dog owner often doesn’t acknowledge a dog’s behavior unless the dog is doing something undesirable such as barking or chewing an inappropriate item. Yelling or taking the item away can be confusing for the dog in the absence of additional instructions. Showing your dog what you want him or her to do – such as chewing an appropriate toy or quietly resting on a dog bed – will help your dog understand your wishes.
Grooming and Veterinary Care
During bath time, reward your dog with high-value food so he or she will look forward to jumping in the bath tub and enjoying the grooming process. Some companies, like Roxy’s Remedies, calm and soothe dog’s skin during a bath. Most dogs are uncomfortable with water, washing or handling, and by making it a positive experience with food rewards, your dog will quickly learn to enjoy this grooming ritual. The same positive experience and association is important to develop for veterinary visits by pairing handling by a veterinarian with food, praise and toys.
Reinforcing Desired Behaviors
Paying attention to your dog’s good behavior and rewarding it will define your relationship with your dog. For example, when your dog is resting quietly in his bed, reward him with food or a toy. Your observant, well-timed reinforcements of your dog’s good behavior will ensure that he or she will be more likely to continue desirable behavior in the future.
A well-trained, happy, confident dog understands that he or she will be reinforced and rewarded for repeating desired behaviors. As the dog owner, your role is to be observant and take the opportunity to reward the dog for the types of behavior that you want to see.
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“Training and Obedience: Teaching Your Dog Who is Alpha”
Guest Writer Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook
Other articles by Rachelle Wilber:
- Famous American Pet Toy Inventions Through History
- 5 Important Items Dog Owners Always Forget About
- Infected Dog Bite: How to Properly Care for a Festering Wound
Training and Obedience: Teaching Your Dog Who is Alpha, #dogs #DogTraining Click To Tweet
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As always, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog!
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A QUESTION FOR YOU:
Who is the “alpha dog” in your family?
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Just like us humans, dogs also have different behaviors and it’s vital for us pet owner to identify that first so we could be guided on how to train them. I, myself have an alpha dog and I am so glad to come across this article online. Thanks author for sharing this, for sure you have helped lots of people with this. More power!
Thank you for your response, Laurel. Dogs and people can certainly learn from each other. 🙂 I’m glad you stopped by to visit Animal Bliss. I do hope you’ll come again. Peace
I do have an issue with my small pup when taking a bath. He hates the water. I am not sure why. I give him a bath in the kitchen sink. As he is so tiny. It seems to help. I will try with the re-enforced treat afterwards.
I’d love to have a dog small enough that I could bathe him in the kitchen sink. So cute. Thanks for your comment, Sandy.
Have you tried giving your pup a rawhide or dental stick? My family dog growing up used to hate baths as well (he was small and we would bathe him in the sink) but if we gave him a rawhide he’d let us scrub him up without a care in the world!
Giving your dog a rawhide treat while bathing him is a lovely idea (trick). Glad it worked for you.