Sun 05 Aug 2007 07:22AM PDT by Toefunny | 129 views | 2 barks

Are You The Pack Leader?

Here is a simple check list to determine who's running the show at your house.  Each question is either Yes or No.    If a majority of your answers are Yes, the dog is Alpha!!

1.  Does your dog free feed?

Control of food is very important in dog language.  Only the pack leader says what we eat, when we eat, when we start and when we stop.

2.  Is your dog allowed on the bed, laps or furniture?

Height off the floor is the number one way dogs determine status.  When we allow our dog on laps, beds and furniture, we're really lowering our social status and therefore the right to correct inappropriate behavior

3.  Does your dog try to control space by tripping you, being underfoot, pushing into your space,  lying in doorways or in direct lines of foot traffic?

Alpha dogs have the right to control space and how everyone else moves in it.

4.  Does your dog rush ahead of you out of doorways or up and down flights of stairs?

Leaders get to go first!!

5.  Does your dog come back when you call or when she's ready?

Not comming when called is about as blatent as you can get..."You're not the boss of me and I'll be there when I feel like it!"

6.  Do you need to give a command more than once for him to obey? 

This is very similar to the "not comming when called" issue.  If you know your dog understands a command and they are making a decision to ignore you, you're not the pack leader!

7.  Does your dog demand attention by pawing, whining, jumping, barking, staring, throwing toys at you, pushing their body on you until you give in?

Alpha dogs say What we're going to do, When we're going to do it and "I SAID RIGHT NOW!!"

7.  Do you or others make a big fuss over your dog first thing in the morning or when you come home?

The order in which a pack member is greeted and gets their needs met is a indicator of status.  The pack leader gets greeted first and has their needs met first!

8.  Do you play tug of war?

Tug of war is a game that allows your dog to challenge you for position.  Whom ever lets go admits submission and defeat.

9.  Does your dog jump on bark at or rush ahead of you to greet guests?

It is the right of the pack leader to greet and determine the safety of all guests.  Remember that height equals power!!  So when a dog jumps on you, it's not because they are so happy. But rather to remind you that their status is higher than yours!!