HOW TO ESTABLISH HEALTHY LEADERSHIP WITH YOUR DOG

The best way to start your relationship with your new dog is to establish boundaries. The healthiest way to acclomate a new dog in the home is to establish boundaries right off the bat and let them earn thier freedom. This is not mean! By teaching your dog the rules you can prevent problem behaviors from the start.

HOW

When you first get a dog start out with these rules to get the relationship you want. All dogs are pack animals and they all follow one leader. Let this leader be you and you will have a healthy dog, a well adjusted dog, and a dog you can trust.

1. START WITH THRESHOLDS

Dogs are place oriented creatures who learn environmentally. In order to have leadership in every environment make your dog sit at the door with it open but do not let them come in. Stay with the door open and your dog in a calm sit outside the door and then, you walk in first and have the dog follow you. Now you have become the leader in the dogs eyes, the one he can trust to lead him through this world.

2. CRATE TRAINING

Dogs need a space to feel safe, especially a new rescue dog. If you do not start out with this boundary, in my experience, dogs develop reactivity, become territorial, and lose respect for thier human. This is a very common reason dogs get returned to the shelter and is a very easy protocol to follow. Remember the crate is not mean it helps the dog feel safe. Before you let your dog out of the crate make sure they are calm no exceptions. It may take awhile the first few times. Start by opening the crate door just alittle, your dog will most likely try to run out, but shut the door again and continue this process until you can open the door all the way with your dog in a sit. Dogs react they do not reason. An excited dog is a reactive dog and leads to behavioral such as jumping, barking, and you have lost your control.

3. BOUNDARIES AROUND FOOD

When you feed your new dog I would start by feeding them in the crate the first few days. Put a leash on your dog and put the food down. Pop the leash a few times to keep the dog from going for the food right away, as soon as they are calm release them to eat. You can transfer this to your normal feeding routine outside of the kennel and continue to work on your dogs self control around food by waiting for calmness. This will keep the dog from becoming food aggresive, stealing food, and increases your leadership because the dog knows that the food comes from you not from the ground.

REMEMBER

Boundaries are not cruel they teach the dog what you expect and prevent them from behaviors you do not want in a way they understand. If you do not establish boundaries and reprimand the dog for making a mistake that is your fault. You have to show your dog the rules in order for them to follow them.

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