Only an Able Pack Leader Will Be Accepted

Understandably, a dog has to occupy the lowest-ranked spot within its human family, but the dog will willingly acknowledge the human pack leader if he or she performs convincingly in this role.

Many dog owners still are of the opinion that the bet thing for their pet is to let it do whatever it wants. That does not give the dog the feeling of living in an intact pack, however, because it lacks a clearly drawn line. If such a dog has a very strong personality, it will one day try to become pack leader itself, so that is pack is capable of surviving.

Also completely outmoded is the opinion that during a dog’s first year of life it should be granted great latitude of action, with serious training beginning only after that first year. As you now know, wolf clubs, while they are still young, have to become integrated into the pack and accept certain rules. The same is true of dogs.

Because of their social nature, dogs prefer to constantly with their family members. Nevertheless, an adult dog should not be upset by having to spend a few hours alone from time to time.

It is not right, however, to leave a dog by itself all day, whether inside your house or outside in its kennel. That usually results in behavior problems; because being alone runs completely contrary to the dog’s nature.

The Language of Dogs

To properly understand dogs, you have to know how they communicate with us and with other members of their species. Like the wolf, they do so by means of visual, auditory, and olfactory signals.

Visual Signals make up a large part of the range of communication. Moods are signaled through facial expressions, ear position, tail attitude, and the hair on the back.. Unfortunately, many breeds have lost some of these means of communication as a result of selective breeding. For example, most greyhounds always carry their tail between their legs and thus they appear submissive at all times, even when they are not.

Olfactory signals: It is well known that dogs obtain information about others of their species by mutual sniffing. It is also certain that a dog can derive various kinds of information from the different scents that a human gives off when feeling stress or anxiety.

Auditory signals: Dogs communication with each other and with humans by means of varied sounds such as barking or growling.

EDUCATING YOUR DOG WITH LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING, KATHARINA SCHLEGL-KOFLER