Training a dog is like building a house. If the foundation isn’t solid, every effort made at gaining dog obedience will yield unpredictable and oftentimes short-term results. So, how do you build a strong foundation for effective dog training? You NEED to establish yourself as the alpha dog and gain your dog’s respect.

The theory sounds simple enough. However, a MAJORITY of dog owners will unknowingly flub this crucial component and wind up with a dog that is always fighting them to gain the top spot on the pack hierarchy. It’s by far the most common dog training obstacle that sabotages the entire relationship.

That said, you don’t have to fall victim to the hardships of an unruly dog. There really is a scientific process, based on rules, that will steer you out of the funk of a rebellious pooch. This process for establishing alpha status is tied together by a system of controlling your dog’s 3 environmental outlets – food, rest and socialization.

When you restrict or control all of these three facets to your puppy’s life, he’ll soon understand that he is dependent upon you for his freedom. With this dependency comes a respect and obedience for your command. The method is simple, effective and creates a fast bond between the both of you.

Let’s talk about the first environmental control, food…

1. Food

You’re going to control his food by determining when, where and what your dog eats. This means, feeding at set times in specific amounts. A key to this discipline is NOT responding to begging. There is no and I mean NO feeding from the table or giving human food of any kind.

As much as you love your dog, during the initial phases of dog training, you must enforce a separation in the hierarchy of your status. Don’t level the playing field by making him feel entitled to eat the same food you do. This specific facet of his life (eating) is directly associated with survival. This process is going to solidify his correlation between surviving and depending on your care.

He NEEDS you to eat. This dependency will enforce his instinct to please you through obedience. You are the alpha and YOU decide when the pack eats.

And this is just the first factor. The next two are just as crucial…

2. Rest

Other than being a necessity for living, rest is also a privilege. It’s an outlet for relaxation and enjoyment. Control this variable by deciding WHERE your dog sleeps. That means no allowing him up on the couch or bed. Those are YOUR resting areas. The alpha dog decides where and when the rest of the pack sleeps. You control the pace of the pack and the level of activity. Administer this control by setting limits on where your dog may rest. This principle is something that inspired crate training. If you decide against crate training, that’s fine. However, you absolutely must create limits and rules for your dog’s resting habits.

3. Socialization

This is perhaps the BIGGEST variable that you need to control. It’s also one of the more difficult ones to enforce because it takes a lot of diligence and patience.

When your dog approaches you, you need to force obedience before rewarding him with affection. That means, when your dog nuzzles his head into your hand or lap, before petting him or speaking in a playful pitchy tone, you should issue commands to exercise his submission.

Having him sit, lay down, give paw, stay or heel are essential tricks that you should constantly train him on. The true power of these commands isn’t impressing your friends or visitors. The power lies in exercising your dog’s attention and enforcing your dominance.

When you’re first training your dog, your love should be treated as a reward or it will be taken for granted. Once you have an obedient puppy and you’re confident that this respect will not go astray, you can dispense your affection without thought. In the beginning though, you’ll want to follow this guideline for best results.

These are hard and fast rules. Many people I encounter don’t understand them at first. However, nearly EVERYONE who enforces them experiences almost immediate results (within a week usually).

Keep at it and continue your training knowing that your dog WANTS to be led. Following a pack leader is the most natural instinct your dog has. Facilitate this need by becoming the alpha dog and take the anxiety out of his actions.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.