[pyrnet] Obedience and Alpha dogs

[Rhonda Collins <rhonda@castlepublishing.com>]

Michelle,

Thanks for the article. It echoes pretty much what I've read previously, 
and we've pretty much followed most of the advice. I really think the 
reason he's giving me problems is simply because I AM small. I'm only about 
5'. I'm just going to have to really become rigid with working with him. I 
think I've gotten lax the past few weeks. I did go over today and enroll in 
the obedience class...something (as I said) I'd been meaning to do for some 
time. Hopefully, if I really watch myself and not get "lazy" and let him 
get by with stuff, he'll go back to being the sweet boy he usually is. He 
was moderately good  while I had him out today...and again, I was 
complimented on how well behaved he  was for a 7-month old pup--especially 
one that big. To ME, he wasn't being all that good. He'd sit, but wouldn't 
stay, and it took me more than a time or two to make him sit...and 
sometimes a push on the rear. He's usually MUCH better about minding, even 
around distractions. So...<sigh> Mom is just going to have to watch herself 
and browbeat him a bit more. I used to make it a habit to stare him down 
once a day and make him do a long down at least 3-4 times a week, and I 
haven't done that recently. Time to get back to it.

BTW, he's now 90 lbs at  7 months. Is that pretty average?

Rhonda