Letting Dogs Work It Out

When a new dog is brought into the home there is often a struggle for alpha or pack leader.  Many people are of the belief that the dogs will work this out themselves, and I'm amazed how many calls I get from people who feel this is good advice.  Usually, by the time they call me, they figured out its not a good idea.  There are the exceptions where it does work out, but usually its a recipe for disaster.  

Introducing a new dog into your home is something that should be done in a specific way and is often best done by a professional.  Allowing the dogs to work it out presents 2 problems.  

1.  The dogs are left to establish alpha, when in fact there should only be one alpha in the house and that is you.  Pack order, below alpha is NOT alpha.  It is imperative that YOU work it out and make sure any dogs that live in your house understand alpha and not "allow them to work it out."

2. The cost of vet bills can be considerably more expensive than the cost of the professional you should hire.

On a further note it is important to mention that establishing the roles in the pack is something that will effect the entire life of the dogs.  Dogs are very comfortable with roles that are clearly defined and clearly established.  However, many people allow their dogs to be aggressive toward one another in hopes that they will work it out.  The problem with this is that if one dog is aggressive toward another, the other dog has two choices, take it and submit or fight back.  If the submissive dog becomes aggressive as well, it becomes a nightmare to fix the behavior of these two dogs.  I one dog acts aggressive toward another the aggressive dog needs immediate attention.  This CAN NOT be ignored.  It will fester and possibly spread to the other dog.  If the aggression is addressed quickly, for the most part, it can be fixed.  There are exceptions to this rule, in which case two dogs just can NOT get along and need to always be kept separate, but it takes some time to figure out.  A professional trainer / behaviorist is your best bet.  Trying to figure this out is very intensive.  There are also certain things you can do to restructure your pack and followed correctly can change a dogs behavior.  

A dog reacts differently to different dogs he is introduced to.  My goal is to have my dog look to me for direction no matter what the behavior of the other dog may be.  My dog sees me as his pack leader and doesn't make a decision, he looks to me to make them for him.  This keeps him safe and strengthens the bond between us.  People who feel that their dogs should be free to "be a dog" should not own dogs unless they live on several acres where their dog does not have the risk of endangering themselves by being hit by a car, biting a child or destroying a house.  Clear and fair leadership will lead to a happy and content dog.  Freedom leads to disaster.

When a Dog is Scared - Gilly

I will write more about Gilly on my Bound Angels Blog, but I thought to share a little story about him here first.  To start with, Gilly reminded me so much of my Boots that it brought tears to my eyes meeting him.  However, different from Boots, who was a tough guy that just wanted to fight, Gilly was scared of EVERYTHING.  I can guarantee that this dog has been severely abused.  I was asked to arrange transport through BOUND ANGELS for him to Washington state.  I have to say, I was tempted to keep him, he is adorable, but has a major fear issue.  This can be a major issue if not addressed properly.  

Dealing mainly with dominant and aggressive dogs, I often meet dogs that have become that way because of human error.  Most of the time it is very unintentional.  People find a dog like Gilly and think that love and affection will cure the problem.  The hug and kiss the dog, hold him in their arms and try to "love the problem away."  This is a huge mistake.  You will not cure fear in a dog by giving it hugs and kisses.  You will create a dog that has more fear and bigger issues in the future.  What is needed is leadership.  The first thing the dog needs is space.  Hovering over the dog and babying him will only confirm his insecurities.  Dogs function better with aloofness than affection.  Be aware of what I am saying here, it is not IGNORING, but ALOOFNESS.  You will give the dog attention, but you will not smother him.  A dog that is afraid of humans will not learn to trust them by having them invade his space all day long.  He will learn to trust if he is given space to develop his personality / temperament and then given structure.  

I have recommended that Gilly be given space for a few days.  Allow him to feel comfortable and allow his personality to come out.  Let him build trust through space and respect.  Respect his space and his need to observe his new home and his new family.  Feed him, walk him, but don't smother him.  As he opens up slowly show him you are a leader of fairness and strength.  You will provide for him and shelter him.  Whoever the ass is who abused him deserves a nice share of abuse himself.  ANYONE who abuses and animal is the bottom of the barrel in my book.  There is NEVER a time to inflict any abuse on a dog.  I stress abuse here and want to differentiate abuse from correction.  All dogs need correction and structure as that is what they get in nature,  they do not get abused.  Humans abuse dogs sometimes without even knowing it.  

What Gilly deserves is a life of structure and compassion and love in which he knows that he is cared for for the rest of his days.  He is a most special little man.  I wish him well.

Give the Dog what the Dog Needs....

Probably the number one problem that I see as a trainer and rehabilitator of trouble and aggressive dogs is the emotions they receive from their owners.  As humans we put human emotions onto the dog, and this confuses the dog.  As humans we function in a human world and strive for equality.  We feel safe when we are loved and are all equal.  Dogs, do NOT ascribe to this notion.  However, we as humans, continue to try and force it upon the dogs.  If this is not cruelty, I don't know what is.  

A dog functions in a hierarchal world.  The stronger dog makes the rules, protects the weaker, decides who fights, who plays, where they go and controls their lives.  Its not a community of free love.  The dog does not function well in this environment.  They become confused and that leads to dominance struggles.  If you don't control the dog, the dog will try to control you.  They jump up, chew, bark, bite and a plethora of other issues.  Its cute in the beginning and when it becomes annoying the dog is cast out.  Also the jumping and "play biting" is cute when the dog is small, but this sets a dangerous precedent.  If you're dealing with Cockapoos, Teacup Poodles and the like its cute, if you're dealing with Pit Bulls, Chows, Shepherds, etc... its scary.  

A dog that does not have a structured life is unpredictable.  I've had several dogs lunge at me and test the barriers with me.  All this stems from the fact that they received love at a time when they needed structure, they were given freedom when they needed training.  People think that training a dog and making them do what you ask them to do is cruel and selfish.  Unfortunately these people are clueless as to what a dog needs and are selfish themselves.  EVERY dog I've ever worked with is ecstatic to start training and has a great time during training sessions and is happy afterwards.  As much as it would be cruel to slap a collar on a 3 year old child and make him walk on a leash, it is equally cruel NOT to do this to a young dog.  Walking on a leash establishes pack structure and shows the dog that you are a strong and fair leader.  You control his environment, protect him, lead him and care for him.  From this he will love you, because he respects you.  If you give him structure and guidance, he will love you.  If you give him freedom, he is not capable of loving you.

DO NOT make the assumption that because your dog is cute that he is a stuffed animal that wants to roll around on the ground and cuddle with you.   All dogs, regardless of size or breed are hard wired with strong instincts and drives.  A good trainer will use these instincts and drives to develop a structure that works for the particular dog.  I stress here that all dogs are not the same.  Each dog requires a unique approach, however ALL dogs have similar instincts.  To understand this is to understand what the dog needs, NOT what you need from your dog.  

Focus on what your dog needs from you and ask yourself if you are capable of giving that to your dog.  That is being a responsible partner for your canine friend.