DOG LOVER VS DOG LEADER

It is a well known fact that dogs are very good pets. In my opinion they are miracles with paws. None can fully understand the meaning of faithful and loyal love unless he has owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes. Many among us are proud owners of dogs .We show more affection and pamper them. We in turn become great dog lovers. DO WE HANDLE THEM SKILLFULLY? We should be efficient DOG LEADERS. How to become one? Here is an eye opener:-

This is a very interesting subject and I would like to throw some light on the difference between being a dog lover and a dog leader. All the dog lovers are not dog leaders On the contrary all dog leaders may be dog lovers. The major difference being dog leaders are TO BE always in charge of their dogs and their dogs respect them as leaders. Whereas with the dog lovers their dogs are in charge of them and they rule over the humans around them.

To know more about this we need to take a step back. Dogs are pack animals and that is how they used to live and still live with the pack instinct intact. For the pack there is a pack leader and he is the one who controls the entire pack and he takes responsibility for the pack. He decides when the pack migrates, when the pack hunts and eats and when the pack rests and when the pack has play time. The pack leader is usually a strong balanced dog with an air of authority and he is always calm and assertive. He never panics in any situation and he will lead the pack from the front. The members of the pack give their leader their undivided attention and follow him at all times. This system exists in our own neighbourhood with the pack of street dogs. If you can observe a group of street dogs in your area you can easily identify the leader of the pack with my above mentioned descriptions.

The same pack instinct exists with all the domesticated dogs of today and the dogs in our homes are part of a pack system the only difference being that all the family members become part of this pack and so there is a pack leader too. If the dog owners demonstrated the leadership qualities to their dog or dogs and become dog leaders then the dogs accept the leadership and gives absolute respect to the humans in the pack and there will be great harmony in the pack. This will be called a balanced pack. In this situation the humans will not have any behaviour issues with their dogs and the dogs and the humans co- exist in a comfortable way.

Let us look into a little bit of dog psychology here – Dogs by nature look for guides and leadership in running their lives. Most of the dogs are very willing to be followers and they look for a leader. In the relationship with the humans also they look for a leader. Unfortunately the majority of us do not demonstrate the leadership qualities and in the absence of us being a leader the dog takes over the LEADERSHIP and becomes the LEADER. Dogs act either as followers or as leaders. When the dog becomes the leader of your home pack then all the family members are followers to him and he rules the house. In my opinion this is the existing situation in more than 90 % of the homes where they have dogs.

Recently I have been doing a lot of consultations for families with plenty of dog behaviour issues. In all these homes I have observed that the dog is the leader and the dog owners are at the mercy of these dogs. It is a pitiable situation. When the role reverses all the behaviour issues vanish. Behaviour issues include :- not listening, chewing, biting, jumping on people and not able to walk the dog. I teach the owners in a short time which is mostly less than an hour – how to take charge of their dogs and show their leadership qualities to their dogs and how to be a LEADER to their dogs. I am willing to help anyone who wants to become the leader to their dogs.

The big advantage we have in accomplishing this task is based on the fact that DOGS LIVE IN THE NOW at all times. Dogs don’t live in the past or future. That’s why even an older dog could be corrected effectively and they can start following new rules and regulations as set out by the leader. In many homes when I handle the supposed to be problem dogs with great ease and when I show them how I have earned their dogs respect by establishing my leadership over them and able to control their dogs behaviour those owners at times think that I am doing some magic. Of course the results I show when I become the LEADER to that particular dog changes that dogs behaviour immediately. Pack leaders give the corrections at the right time with the right amount of energy. At this juncture it is very appropriate to thank Mr Ceasar Milan the great dog psychologist of USA. I have learned a lot thro his TV programs and I have incorporated his techniques in my training programs which has helped me to resolve many behaviour issues of my clients dogs.

To summarise remember the leaders exhibit a calm and assertive personality. The followers respond with calm and submissive mode and look up to the leader for everything.

I will give you small tips here to check your leadership qualities. When you get ready to take your dog for a walk and when you open your door who steps out first ? if it is you the first one to step out then you have some leadership in you and if the dog steps out before you then it is the dog that is in charge and acting as a leader. When the dog steps ahead of you thro the door then the next thing I can visualize your dog taking you for a walk – he will be pulling you all over wherever he wants to go. Does it look very familiar for many dog lovers ??

Try this exercise which will enable you to demonstrate your leadership quality to your dog. When you get back home from work I am sure your dog will be in high excitement mode and may be running to the door to receive you ,jump all over you and may be little bit of excitement barking too. How do you react to this situation ? I guess you will be as excited as your dog and you will try to pet him and talk to him in a very excited manner and so dog gets more excited. From the dog’s point of view this is attention seeking and also showing excitement which is known as excitement dominance. To change this behaviour pattern just try the following as given by me.

When you reach home before you open your door to enter wait there for a minute and bring your mind to a calm and assertive state of mind. When you enter your home enter as a leader – avoid eye contacts with your dog. Do not talk to your dog and do not touch your dog. Just walk inside. Just ignore the dog. This is a new behaviour from you and your dog also will observe this change from you. Your dog may try to seek your attention vigorously by jumping on you or running around you or combination of this with barking. Just be calm and assertive and keep ignoring. In a couple of minutes you will see the change of behaviour from your dog. He will calm down and his excitement should have come down many notch and he may be just looking at you from a little distance and you will find him getting into calm and submissive mode. When this happens you can understand that your dog has started giving respect to your leadership and now is the time to give him attention.

This exercise should have a consistency.If regular methodical habits are not planned and he is not channelised properly it may lead to a qualmy unwanted situation .After all pratice makes everything perfect.

A saying goes like this:-The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world,the one who never ever deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous to him is his Dog. If you groom and train your dog properly and skillfully, He becomes your FRIEND,your PARTNER and your DEFENDER.You become his LOVE,his LIFE and his LEADER.He will be yours,faithful and true to the last beat of his heart.So make sure to be a DOG LEADER as well a DOG LOVER.

J.RANGARAJAN
WOODSTOCK DOG TRAINING SCHOOL