By Tanya M. Ursual

From The Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) L.A.W.S., P.O. Box 156, Smiths Falls, ON, K7A 4T1:

Understanding Dog Behaviour/ Pack Leaders and Dog Hierarchy:

Andrea Forgeron, a LAWS volunteer, has written the following important information about dogs and their hierarchy. These are good tips for all dog owners to be aware of.

Most dogs are not born to be pack leaders and if put in that role it can cause the dog to have anxiety leading to many behaviour problems. Dogs are put in this role when their owners do not assume the pack leader role. It is important to understand that in nature, and in a dog’s mind, there always has to be a pack leader. If owners do not assume the role of pack leader, the dog will start to set its own rules and stop following human rules. Being a pack leader does not mean you have to be aggressive or mean with your dog and here are some tips to help you become and maintain the pack leader.

Pack Leaders stay calm and in control.

Make your dog work for things, “no free lunch” policy. An example of this would be to make your dog sit to get fed.

Always walk through doorways first. Try getting your dog to sit until you walk through the door and have your dogs wait until you invite them in or out.

Make sure you/your family eats meals first. Have your dog wait until after you have finished. It is also important not to keep a full food bowl available to your dog all day as this can lead to over-eating. Try to keep a regular schedule of feeding times and give your dog a certain amount of time to eat it, and if they are not finished and walk away be sure to remove the food bowl until the next feeding.

Do not give treats/food scraps unless they earn it – “No free lunch”. It is not a good idea to give your dog scraps from the dinner table or from the counter when you are preparing meals. This can lead to your dog begging while you are eating and your dog may start to jump on or steal from the counters if they smell something interesting to them.

Enforce the rules for the house that you and your family have agreed upon and be consistent!

It is never a good idea to play tug-of-war with your dog. If you do find yourself in a tug-of-war over an item it is vitally important that you win!

Pack leaders assume higher ground (chairs, couches, beds etc)

Pack Leaders do not beg for attention and decide when play starts and finishes.

Pack Leaders do not let their personal space be invaded.

Pack Leaders assign resting spots for the other pack members. If your dog is lying on the floor in your way, get him/her to move to let you pass instead of walking over them or changing your direction. (Do not go out of your way to disturb your sleeping dog).

If your dog is scared or displaying unwanted behaviour do not pat or try to calm them by showing affection as this can be seen as a reward by your dog and associate that behaviour with affection which will encourage it.

It is also a good idea to take some obedience classes and to ensure your dog is properly socialized. Lastly, remember to exercise your dog regularly. A tired dog is a good dog!