RE: [pyrnet] Question

[Michele Donald <donaldmic@shaw.ca>]

Hi Rhonda! In my "quest for knowledge" I happened upon an article called
"who's in charge here?",a lesson in becoming Alpha, written by Vicki
Rodenberg De Gruy. Now I am by no means an expert...in fact MY pup won't
even arrive here 'till next week-end, but this article just made sense. I
hope you won't think that "this newbie" thinks she knows all!  once I
decided to include a Pyr into our family there was a list of "pros and cons"
I had made. I could live with the pros and wanted to learn BEFORE I got the
puppy, how to overcome the cons. NB: I will NOT tie my PYR to a gas bbq...no
matter what!! Any way, here is the article I was talking about hope you can
find some useful info that may help!
This article was written by Vicki Rodenberg De Gruy, Chairman of the Chow
Chow Club Inc.'s Welfare Committee. Uploaded with permission from the
author, it may be reproduced for non-profit purposes with author's credit
given.
This page has been checked out  times in this library.
WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE?
A lesson in becoming Alpha

"My dog just tried to bite me! All I did was tell him to move over so I
could sit on the couch next to him."
"My dog got into the trash can and when I scolded her, she growled at me.
What's wrong with her? I thought she loved me!"
"Our dog is very affectionate most of the time but when we try to make him
do something he doesn't want to do, he snaps at us."
What do these three dogs have in common? Are they nasty or downright
vicious? No - they're "alpha". They've taken over the leadership of the
families that love them. Instead of taking orders from their people, these
dogs are giving orders! Your dog can love you very much and still try to
dominate you or other members of your family.

Dogs are social creatures and believers in social order. A dog's social
system is a "pack" with a well-defined pecking order. The leader of the pack
is the alpha, supreme boss, Top Dog. He (or she) gets the best of
everything - the best food, the best place to sleep, the best toy, etc. The
leader also gets to be first in everything - he gets to eat first, to leave
first and to get attention first. All the other dogs in the pack respect the
alpha dog's wishes. Any dog that challenges the alpha's authority gets a
swift physical reminder of just where his place in the pack really is.

Your family is your dog's "pack". Many dogs fit easily into the lower levels
of their human pack's pecking order and don't make waves. They do what
they're told and don't challenge authority. Other dogs don't fit in quite as
well. Some of them are natural born leaders and are always challenging their
human alpha's. Other dogs are social climbers - they're always looking for
ways to get a little closer to the top of the family ladder. These natural
leaders and the social climbers can become problems to an unsuspecting
family that's not aware of the dog's natural pack instincts.

Some families encourage their dogs to take over the "pack" without realizing
it. They treat their dogs as equals, not as subordinates. They give them
special privileges like being allowed to sleep on the bed or couch. They
don't train their dogs and let them get away with disobeying commands. In a
real dog pack, no one but the alpha dog would get this kind of treatment.
Alpha doesn't have anything to do with size. The tiniest Chihuahua can be a
canine Hitler. In fact, the smaller the dog, the more people tend to baby
them and cater to them - making the dog feel even more dominant and in
control of his humans.

Alpha dogs often seem to make good pets. They're confident, smarter than
average, and affectionate. They can be wonderful with children and good with
strangers. Everything seems to be great with the relationship - until
someone crosses him or makes him do something he doesn't want to do. Then,
suddenly, this wonderful dog growls or tries to bite someone and no one
understands why.

In a real dog pack, the alpha dog doesn't have to answer to anyone. No one
gives him orders or tells him what to do. The other dogs in the pack respect
his position. If another dog is foolish enough to challenge the alpha by
trying to take his bone or his favorite sleeping place, the alpha dog will
quickly put him in his place with a hard stare or a growl. If this doesn't
work, the alpha dog will enforce his leadership with his teeth. This is all
natural, instinctive behavior - in a dog's world. In a human family, though,
this behavior is unacceptable and dangerous.

Dogs need and want leaders. They have an instinctive need to fit into a
pack. They want the security of knowing their place and what's expected of
them. Most of them don't want to be alpha - they want someone else to give
the orders and make the decisions. If his humans don't provide that
leadership, the dog will take over the role himself. If you've allowed your
dog to become alpha, you're at his mercy and as a leader, he may be either a
benevolent king or a tyrant!

If you think your dog is alpha in your household, he probably is. If your
dog respects only one or two members of the family but dominates the others,
you still have a problem. The dog's place should be at the -bottom- of your
human family's pack order, not at the top or somewhere in between.

In order to reclaim your family's rightful place as leaders of the pack,
your dog needs some lessons in how to be a subordinate, not an equal. You're
going to show him what it means to be a dog again. Your dog's mother showed
him very early in life that -she- was alpha and that he had to respect her.
As a puppy, he was given a secure place in his litter's pack and because of
that security, he was free to concentrate on growing, learning, playing,
loving and just being a dog. Your dog doesn't really want the responsibility
of being alpha, having to make the decisions and defend his position at the
top. He wants a leader to follow and worship so he can have the freedom of
just being a dog again.


How to become leader of your pack
Your dog watches you constantly and reads your body language. He knows if
you're insecure, uncomfortable in a leadership role or won't enforce a
command. This behavior confuses him, makes -him- insecure and if he's a
natural leader or has a social-climbing personality, it'll encourage him to
assume the alpha position and tell -you- what to do.

"Alpha" is an attitude. It involves quiet confidence, dignity, intelligence,
an air of authority. A dog can sense this attitude almost immediately - it's
how his mother acted towards him. Watch a professional trainer or a good
obedience instructor. They stand tall and use their voices and eyes to
project the idea that they're capable of getting what they want. They're
gentle but firm, loving but tough, all at the same time. Most dogs are
immediately submissive towards this type of personality because they
recognize and respect alpha when they see it.

Practice being alpha. Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Walk tall.
Practice using a new tone of voice, one that's deep and firm. Don't ask your
dog to do something - tell him. There's a difference. He knows the
difference, too! Remember that, as alpha, you're entitled to make the rules
and give the orders. Your dog understands that instinctively.

With most dogs, just this change in your attitude and an obedience training
course will be enough to turn things around. With a dog that's already taken
over the household and has enforced his position by growling or biting and
has been allowed to get away with it, you'll need to do more than just
decide to be alpha. The dog is going to need an attitude adjustment as well.

Natural leaders and social climbers aren't going to want to give up their
alpha position. Your sudden change in behavior is going to shock and
threaten them. Your dog might act even more aggressively than before. An
alpha dog will instinctively respond to challenges to his authority. It's
his nature to want to put down revolutionary uprisings by the peasants!
Don't worry, there's a way around it.

An alpha dog already knows that he can beat you in a physical fight so
returning his aggression with violence of your own won't work. Until you've
successfully established your position as alpha, corrections like hitting,
shaking, or using the "rollover" techniques described in some books will not
work and can be downright dangerous to you. An alpha dog will respond to
these methods with violence and you could be seriously hurt.

What you need to do is use your brain! You're smarter than he is and you can
out think him. You'll also need to be stubborner than he is. What I'm about
to describe here is an effective, non-violent method of removing your dog
from alpha status and putting him back at the bottom of the family totem
pole where he belongs and where he needs to be. In order for this method to
work, your whole family has to be involved. It requires an attitude
adjustment from everyone and a new way of working with your dog.

This is serious business. A dog that bites or threatens people is a
dangerous dog, no matter how much you love him. If treating your dog like a
dog and not an equal seems harsh to you, keep in mind that our society no
longer tolerates dangerous dogs. Lawsuits from dog bites are now settling
for millions of dollars - you could lose your home and everything else you
own if your dog injures someone. You or your children could be permanently
disfigured. And your dog could lose his life. That's the bottom line.


Canine Boot Camp for Alpha Attitude Adjustment
From this day forward, you're going to teach your dog that he is a dog, not
a miniature human being in a furry suit. His mother taught him how to be a
dog once and how to take orders. Along the way, through lack of training or
misunderstood intentions, he's forgotten. With your help, he's going to
remember what he is and how he fits into the world. Before long, he's even
going to like it!

Dogs were bred to look to humans for food, companionship and guidance. An
alpha dog doesn't ask for what he wants, he demands it. He lets you know in
no uncertain terms that he wants his dinner, that he wants to go out, that
he wants to play and be petted and that he wants these things right now.
You're going to teach him that from now on, he has to earn what he gets. No
more free rides. This is going to be a shock to his system at first but
you'll be surprised how quickly he'll catch on and that he'll actually
become eager to please you.

If your dog doesn't already know the simple command SIT, teach it to him.
Reward him with praise and a tidbit. Don't go overboard with the praise. A
simple "Good boy!" in a happy voice is enough. Now, every time your dog
wants something - his dinner, a trip outside, a walk, some attention,
anything - tell him (remember don't ask him, tell him) to SIT first. When he
does, praise him with a "Good Boy!", then tell him OKAY and give him
whatever it is he wants as a reward. If he refuses to SIT, walk away and
ignore him. No SIT, no reward. If you don't think he understands the
command, work on his training some more. If he just doesn't want to obey,
ignore him - don't give him what he wants or reward him in any fashion.

Make him sit before giving him his dinner, make him sit at the door before
going outside, make him sit in front of you to be petted, make him sit
before giving him his toy. If you normally leave food out for him all the
time, stop. Go to a twice daily feeding and you decide what time of day
he'll be fed. Make him sit for his dinner. If he won't obey the command - no
dinner. Walk away and ignore him. Bring the food out later and tell him
again to SIT. If he understands the command, don't tell him more than once.
He heard you the first time. Give commands from a standing position and use
a deep, firm tone of voice.

If the dog respects certain members of the family but not others, let the
others be the ones to feed him and bring the good things to his life for
now. Show them how to make him obey the SIT command and how to walk away and
ignore him if he won't do as he's told. It's important that your whole
family follows this program. Dogs are like kids - if they can't have their
way with Mom, they'll go ask Dad. In your dog's case, if he finds a member
of the family that he can dominate, he'll continue to do so. You want your
dog to learn that he has to respect and obey everyone. Remember - his place
is at the bottom of the totem pole. Bouncing him from the top spot helps but
if he thinks he's anywhere in the middle, you're still going to have
problems.

Think - you know your dog and know what he's likely to do under most
circumstances. Stay a step ahead of him and anticipate his behavior so you
can avoid or correct it. If he gets into the trash and growls when scolded,
make the trash can inaccessible. If he likes to bolt out the door ahead of
you, put a leash on him. Make him sit and wait while you open the door and
give him permission - OKAY! - to go out. If your alpha dog doesn't like to
come when he's called (and he probably doesn't!), don't let him outside off
leash. Without a leash, you have no control over him and he knows it.


Petting and attention:
Alpha dogs are used to being fussed over. In a real dog pack, subordinate
dogs are forever touching, licking and grooming the alpha dog. It's a show
of respect and submission. For now, until his attitude has shown
improvement, cut down on the amount of cuddling your dog gets. When he wants
attention, make him SIT first, give him a few kind words and pats, then
stop. Go back to whatever it was you were doing and ignore him. If he
pesters you, tell him NO! in a firm voice and ignore him some more. Pet him
when you want to, not just because he wants you to. Also, for the time
being, don't get down on the floor or on your knees to pet your dog. That,
too, is a show of submission. Give praise, petting and rewards from a
position that's higher than the dog.

Games:
If you or anyone in your family wrestles, rough-houses or plays tug of war
with your dog, stop! These games encourage dogs to dominate people
physically and to use their teeth. In a dog pack or in a litter, these games
are more than just playing - they help to establish pack order based on
physical strength. Your dog is already probably stronger and quicker than
you are. Rough, physical games prove that to him. He doesn't need to be
reminded of it!
Find new games for him to play. Hide & seek, fetch or frisbee catching are
more appropriate. Make sure you're the one who starts and ends the game, not
the dog. Stop playing before the dog gets bored and is inclined to try to
keep the ball or frisbee.


Where does your dog sleep?
Not in your bedroom and especially not on your bed! Your bedroom is a
special place - it's your "den". An alpha dog thinks he has a right to sleep
in your den because he considers himself your equal. In fact, he may have
already taken over your bed, refusing to get off when told or growling and
snapping when anyone asks him to make room for the humans. Until your dog's
alpha problems are fully under control, the bedroom should be off-limits!
The same goes for sleeping on furniture. If you can't keep him off the couch
without a fight, deny him access to the room until his behavior and training
has improved.

Crate-training:
Dog crates have 1,000 uses and working with an alpha dog is one of them.
It's a great place for your dog to sleep at night, to eat in and just to
stay in when he needs to chill out and be reminded that he's a dog. The
crate is your dog's "den". Start crate training by feeding him his dinner in
his crate. Close the door and let him stay there for an hour afterwards. If
he throws a tantrum, ignore him. Don't let your dog out of his crate until
he's quiet and settled. At bedtime, show him an irresistable goodie, tell
him to SIT and when he does, throw the goodie into the crate. When he dives
in for the treat, tell him what a good boy he is and close the door.

Graduating from Boot Camp: What's next?
Just like in the army, boot camp is really just an introduction to a new
career and new way of doing things. A tour through boot camp isn't going to
solve your alpha dog's problems forever. It's a way to get basic respect
from a dog who's been bullying you without having to resort to physical
force.

How long should boot camp last? That depends on the dog. Some will show an
improvement right away, others may take much longer. For really tough
cookies, natural leaders that need constant reminders of their place in the
pack, Alpha Dog Boot Camp will become a way of life. Social climbers may
need periodic trips through boot camp if you get lax and accidentally let
them climb back up a notch or two in the family pack order.

How do you know if you're making a difference? If boot camp has been
successful, your dog should start looking to you for directions and
permission. He'll show an eagerness to please. Watch how your dog approaches
and greets you. Does he come to you "standing tall", with his head and ears
held high and erect? It may look impressive and proud but it means he's
still alpha and you still have problems! A dog who accepts humans as
superiors will approach you with his head slightly lowered and his ears back
or off to the sides. He'll "shrink" his whole body a little in a show of
submission. Watch how he greets all the members of the family. If he
displays this submissive posture to some of them, but not others, those are
the ones who still need to work on their own alpha posture and methods. They
should take him back through another tour of boot camp with support from the
rest of the family.


Obedience Training:
Once your dog has begun to accept this new way of life and his new position
in the family, you should take him through an obedience course with a
qualified trainer. All dogs need to be trained and alpha dogs need training
most of all! You don't have to wait until he's through with boot camp to
start this training but it's important that he respects at least one member
of the family and is willing to take direction from them.

Obedience class teaches you to train your dog. It teaches you how to be
alpha, how to enforce commands and rules, how to get respect and to keep it.
All family members who are old enough to understand and control the dog
should participate in the class.

Obedience training is a lifelong process. One obedience course does not a
trained dog make! Obedience commands need to be practiced and incorporated
into your daily life. In a dog pack, the alpha animal uses occasional
reminders to reinforce his authority. Certain commands, like DOWN/STAY, are
especially effective, nonviolent reminders of a dog's place in the family
pack order and who's really in charge here.

A well-trained obedient dog is a happy dog and a joy to live with. Dogs want
to please and need a job to do. Training gives them the opportunity to do
both. A well-trained dog has more freedom. He can go more places and do more
things with you because he knows how to behave. A well-trained dog that's
secure in his place within the family pack is comfortable and confident. He
knows what's expected of him. He knows his limits and who his leaders are.
He's free from the responsibility of running the household and making
decisions. He's free to be your loving companion and not your boss. He's
free to be a dog - what he was born to be and what he always wanted to be in
the first place!


When You Need Professional Help
If your dog has already injured you or someone else or if you are afraid of
your dog, you should consult with a qualified professional dog trainer or
behaviorist before starting Canine Boot Camp. Your dog should also have an
exam by your vet to make sure there are no physical causes for his behavior.
To find a qualified trainer or behaviorist near you, contact your
veterinarian or the American Kennel Club for a list of obedience training
clubs in your area.

This article was written by Vicki Rodenberg De Gruy, Chairman of the Chow
Chow Club Inc.'s Welfare Committee. Uploaded with permission from the
author, it may be reproduced for non-profit purposes with author's credit
given.

 Return to Library

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org [mailto:owner-pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org]On
Behalf Of Rhonda Collins
Sent: November 10, 2001 7:03 AM
To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
Subject: [pyrnet] Question


Newman about did me in last night. Don't know what got into him, but he was
full of beans. Spicy ones. I needed to brush and comb him, since I hadn't
all week, and he'd rolled in the mud 2-3 times and been squirted off each
time. He was looking pretty sorry (and frankly, so is my COUCH, where he
jumped up on it to look out the window!). As usual, every time I tried to
brush him, he would "grab" the brush with his mouth, then when that didn't
work, he started on my hands and arms. Not biting...just "holding". I have
an impromptu "muzzle" I put together from a strip of double-sided velcro
that I wrap around his muzzle when he does that, and generally the instant
I put it on, he knows I'm NOT playing, and he stops and stands still. Not
this time! He also knows that all he really has to do is wipe his nose on
the carpet and it'll pull off, so that's what he did, and he was back in
business!  ALSO usually, if I put him on a long "down", he'll settle
down...again, not last night! He just got wilder and wilder and wouldn't
mind at ALL!  Wouldn't stay down, even when I tried to HOLD him there
(ALSO, very unusual, as he generally goes down and will stay quite nicely).
I now have scratches all up and down my arms, on my legs...and several
other places I'd rather not mention!  Finally, I gave up and told him to go
to the kennel.  Naturally, instead of heading for the kennel, he ran for
the bathroom. I went into the bathroom (where he was sitting in the tub)
and pointed out and said, "Kennel, Newman!" He ran for the back door where
the doggie door is (which, luckily, I had blocked because of the mud
outside!). When he saw that the door was blocked, he finally slinked into
the kennel.

Boy was I pissed!  He has NEVER been that bad with me. Except of course
when it's time to do his nails. (Why do =I= get to do all the things to him
that he doesn't like? Huh? Sheesh!)

Anyway, I am NOT a happy camper with my Pyr Pup right now. I KNOW that in
actuality, he's just a big, fuzzy little boy...not even an adolescent yet.
Ye Gods...what AM I going to do with him when he gets to be an angry
teenager?!!!

PLEASE tell me this was a fluke. I am NOT a big person, and I worry about
being able to handle him if he continues with this behavior. Up until last
night, he usually would test me SOME, but then settle down. He never once
growled at me, even though I was pretty rough with him trying to keep him
DOWN when I told him "Down" and he wouldn't go down or stay down. I really
need to get him to obedience classes, and we've meant to go, but as I said,
up until now, it hasn't been an issue, and everyone always comments on how
remarkably well-mannered and well-trained he is for his age. <rhonda,
worried in Texas>


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