When it comes to dog training, it’s vital that you know how to be pack leader. You must let your dog know that you’re the one who’s in charge. The pack leader determines things such as:
- Where to go on walks.
- How to behave in the various different situations you encounter.
- How to react to all the weird and wonderful things you come across when you’re out and about.
In dog packs, the pack leader is the decision maker. That means all decisions. If you let your dog make the decisions, you’re letting them assume the pack leader role. And it’s likely they’ll make mistakes and get some decisions wrong. Plus, you’ll have trouble getting them to show the behaviors you want them to.
How to be pack leader
So then, how to be pack leader? Well, your dog isn’t impressed by how big your house is or how much you earn. Or even by your flash car! They’d much rather have a nice doggy treat than any of that.
And making your dog obey the “Sit” command doesn’t achieve anything much when it comes to being pack leader. Nor does making them wait for you to go through doorways first.
Finally, using domination and fear is not the answer to the question of how to be pack leader. Teaching your dog that being pack leader is all about physical strength and violence is sure to cause problems later on. Your dog won’t see you as being worthy of being pack leader. Rather, they’ll just see you as a violent bully.
It’s important to realize that all dogs use the same methods of establishing the pack leader. This is true of all breeds everywhere in the world.
By far the most effective way of learning to use the same methods as dogs themselves is to watch an expert doing it on video. There are video based dog training websites which let you do this. The most vital areas you need to take control of are:
- The pack leader must keep completely calm and in control when your dog barks. You need to show them you’re in charge and there’s nothing for them to worry about.
- You must make sure dog doesn’t ever pull you at any point when you’re walking them. This includes even at the beginning. Learning how to corrrectly walk your dog is something you can really only learn through watching video. I’ve found this out through personal experience!
- Your dog should be able to relax. Inside of your home they should be able to completely switch off. If your dog’s always on edge and can’t relax then it means they’re acting as pack leader not you! Getting your dog to relax and switch off is linked to how you greet your dog when you get home. How you do this is very subtle and you really need to see it in action to grasp it. It’s very important you do grasp it though, as it’s the difference between you being the pack leader or your dog.
- Finally, you need to make sure you’re feeding your dog right. There’s a lot more to this than just telling your dog to sit before eating!