Does Your Dog See You as a Worthy Leader?
When you’re on a walk with your dog and you notice another dog is approaching, do you get concerned, have to stop, or even start walking in another direction in order to avoid the crazy snarling, lunging and barking?
Well, when your dog is aggressive towards other dogs it is often because they’re trying to protect you. Your dog thinks the other dog is a threat in one way or another.
When your dog is trying to protect you, it’s because they think you are not able to protect them so they have to do it themselves.
As you know, dogs evolved from wolves and it’s well documented that wolves function in packs, this is important, keep reading and you’ll see why.
Within each pack is a leader and the pack-leader(s) are the ones who run the show. They determine what is and what isn’t a threat. When the pack should relax and back down or fight.
In your dog’s mind, they live in a pack…like a family with you and whoever you may also live with. This means that if your dog is lunging at other dogs, barking at them and activing in an aggressive fashion… your dog most likely thinks they’re the pack leader and they’re trying to protect you!
So what can you do about this? Dog obedience training is great for many activties and situations, but when it comes to your dogs behavior, obedience training can be almost useless if your dog doesn’t see you as the leader of the household, aka of the “pack”. Obedience by definition is the dog being obedient to the human but its nature might still overrule the directions in order to protect itself.
Unless you’re the leader in THEIR eyes, they won’t listen to you when they are more concerned with protecting themselves because you aren’t doing it.
So before you try obedience training or sign up for expensive dog socializing classes contact us!
The Steve Reid Agency in Somers NY offers
Dog Trainers Insurance.
