Be a Pack Leader!

 

    Here are some tried and true pack leader rules! We love Cesar Millan aka the dog whisperer, so many of these rules come straight from him. We encourage you to read his books and check out his website. Our favorite book of his is "Cesars Way". Here is the link to it on Amazon.

1. Think like a pack leader! (see below)

2. You are the first one through doorways and gates, this teaches your dog that you are leading, and he/she is following.

3. All pack members must behave and follow your rules! This means no fighting with one another, no dominating one another.

4. Walk your dog...everyday if you can! Walking with your dog not only bonds him/her to you, but it shows her the packs territory, and fulfills her desire to explore/exercise. You will see bad behaviors decrease or go away entirely when you begin to walk your dog daily! Many times they develop obsessions or bad behaviors as a way to vent their extra energy.

5. Don't allow any begging at meal time. As a pack leader, you eat first! These small behaviors continually remind your dog that you are the boss.

6. Make sure your dog is waking you up when you are ready! This may take some training. We have a Siberian huskey that is very hyperactive in the morning so we put her in the kennel after she gets a drink of water and we go back to sleep!

7. We wake up a little earlier every morning to walk the dogs, then after that comes breakfast. It is their reward for a good walk. After this, we make sure they get plenty of affection and hugs! The order of things is important: walk, food, affection.

8. When we leave the house each morning, we make sure each dog is in a calm state. No whining, barking, or overall protest. It took some training, but the huskey happily puts herself into her own kennel (because she can be a trouble maker and needs to be in there) and the Pomeranian gets to stay out. Keep insisting they are in a calm state by quietly leaving the house and instructing them to be calm. We do not make a big fuss out of leaving, so they know it's not a big deal. Again, this might take a few trys! Just do not give up! Make sure to have a calm demeanor as they can read your body language and also smell any anxious hormones you are giving off.

Becoming the pack leader you want to be can take some work and that's okay!

Our dogs have truly helped us become better people.

Your dog wants you to lead. If you don't lead, they think that they have to lead so the pack will survive. They see lack of leadership as a weakness just like out in the wild. When you lead your dog, your dog gets to relax and just be a dog. You owe him your best leadership...and you can do it!

More to come!