Hey guys! I know its been a while since I’ve made a post, but college has been stepping up recently and since I’m a pre-med student I have to strive for perfection. Regardless I have come today with a new article regarding dogs and dominance.
While I must inform you Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are one of the most least dominant dogs in a world. Their breeding and temperament actually does not permit them to even be dominant at all, though if you ever come over a dominant Cavalier it would be considered as a personality anomaly.
So what is a dominant dog? To put it simply a dominant dog is a dog who thinks he/she is the boss of the family. While the behavior is often recognized immediately in males hence the Alpha Male, females at times can also display an Alpha Female behavior and can often be very common especially when there are two females since they both want to assume top dog position.
What I want to share with everyone today are tips to ensure your dog does not gain this Alpha behavior or actual ways to solve an already happening problem. Regardless how sweet your pup is any dominance displayed by a dog is often considered a problem by many dog behaviorists. No matter how Disciplined you believe your pup to be, a dog who thinks he/she is above the chain of command always has a chance of biting someone who is below him/her. After all to dogs biting is a way to put their subordinates in their place. It is simply a matter of getting pushed over that threshold to bite.
1. Neuter/Spay – If you have already performed this crucial step this is one of the most prescribed ways of helping solve a dogs dominance issue. If you don’t ever plan on breeding your dog (Note breeding is a costly and laborious process while many think its easy money the truth it is not, not if you want a quality pup) it is imperative that you neuter/spay your dog. Not only will you gain health benefits associated with the process, but you will also have an easier time managing your dog. When you neuter/spay your dog the hormonal levels in your dog begin to shift next to nothing. By doing this the loss of these hormones remove the fuel that drives many of a dogs dominant instincts. If you want more information regarding its benefits a simply google of spay or neuter will surely lead you to more information. Eventually I’ll have an in-depth article regarding the process myself here, but until then google is your best friend.
2. Be the front Man/Woman – While this may seem like a small matter who goes out the door first can mean a lot to a dog. When walking in and out of entryways be sure all the human members of the pack get to walk inside first and your dog follows suit. By doing this you are telling your dog that he/she is the last in line and should not try to assert himself/herself otherwise. Remember its the little things that matter, body language is an important aspect in a dogs world.
3. Don’t Lose Ground – Sometimes dogs just love taking naps in the most random places. For me, Bella loves the stairs for some reason. Well a way to assert your dominance over your dog is to simply move them out of the way when their parked. For example if I were walking up stairs and came across Bella lying in the way I would get her to move out of the way so that I could pass through. DO NOT STEP OVER YOUR PUP, do not make any accommodations for your dogs resting place if you want to assert yourself be sure to be consistent and do not allow your pup to be in the way whenever they want, at least not till they understand that you are the dominant one. Then again when they understand you are the dominant pack member they will move out of the way automatically. Remember, body language is key.
3. If Your Sure Your Dog Wont Bite – Take their bone, toy, or simply whatever is in their mouth. If your dog allows you to take the item without a big fuss they are relinquishing their item to your authority.
4. Eat Before Your Dog – An often overlooked practice, by eating before your dog you are asserting your authority. Be sure all human members get to eat before your dog, simply because in the wild the least of the pack members would always eat last.
5. Tug Of War – When playing tug of war with your dog be sure to always win and never leave the toy behind afterward. If you let your dog win your dog might think that they stronger and better than you since in the wild Tug of Wars were often a way pups would learn who was better than the other. Then again if your pup is like my pup Bella than the Tug of War might have no affect on them anymore. When I first got Bella I was sure I always won, but it has come to a point where I will let Bella win, but she knows she can never become the better of me haha.
6. Staring Contest – Just like the Tug of War when staring at your dog in the eye don’t be the first to break stares. By not breaking your stare you are showing no fear to your pup. When you start seeing your pup trying to look away at the side and looking around then back then you know you’ve won. Often if I stared down Bella she would eventually start putting down her head and if I do it long enough she will actually whine a little cry, so you know it works hah.
Remember all these tips work, but it takes consistent implementation to get its full effects. Also if you have children or other people living with you be sure to teach them some of these dominance tips that you feel are appropriate so that way they will become dominant over your dog as well thus making it easier for your dog to interact with your dog because they are often much more well behaved around their superiors. Everyone in the family must practice these tips, for the good of the pack and your dog.
