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I have 7 dogs, all related, they do have a pecking order and there is a alpha just like a pack that alpha is me and a beta female.
A pack is formed by a pair having puppies. These puppies instinctively worship and respect their parents. As the puppies grow they never loose this respect and in time their puppies give respect to them. Hence, all the members of the pack know their place within it and who is their leader. We must create the same environment.
You are the alpha, be, be the alpha for your dog.
Does this mean I have to carry a rubber hose or a bat to have control?
NO.
but I do need to be firm and consistent.
DON'T GET ANGRY - it will frighten and confuse your dog but it won't respect you.
A herding dog like a gds(strong pack instincts) will test the alpha and bata consonantly.
Do not grab your dog by the neck, this behavior is used to kill prey. Wolves do not do it to each other. It stresses the dog and could provoke your dog into biting you as it becomes stressed and defensive.
use a collar & lead.
wolves and dogs hunt in a pack to bring down large prey. It involves total cooperation between all the pack members i.e. individuals willing to cooperate. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS COOPERATE WITH YOUR DOG. Be part of a pack and reap the benefits that total cooperation brings.
dogs are used to being part of a big family, with lots of dogs, doing things together. This is why separation anxiety is so common among pet dogs. Being left alone is the worst thing that can happen to a dog, and it must be acclimatised to it slowly without stress , building up during the period that it is alone. A dog needs to know that you will return, so as not to become scared.
Bottom line is much as the Op's
As the pups get older they are told off by the older pack members for taking these liberties (eg being flattened; their nose being pinned down by the older dog's mouth). In response, the adolescent will roll over to placate the situation and the incident is finished. However, it must be stressed that trying to imitate dog behavior (such as flattening, nose being pinned down, etc) SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED by humans. Dogs do not recognize us doing these canine actions as WE ARE A DIFFERENT SPECIES - they only recognize these actions if they are done by another dog.
I have 7 dogs, all related, they do have a pecking order and there is a alpha just like a pack that alpha is me and a beta female.
A pack is formed by a pair having puppies. These puppies instinctively worship and respect their parents. As the puppies grow they never loose this respect and in time their puppies give respect to them. Hence, all the members of the pack know their place within it and who is their leader. We must create the same environment.
You are the alpha, be, be the alpha for your dog.
Does this mean I have to carry a rubber hose or a bat to have control?
NO.
but I do need to be firm and consistent.
DON'T GET ANGRY - it will frighten and confuse your dog but it won't respect you.
A herding dog like a gds(strong pack instincts) will test the alpha and bata consonantly.
Do not grab your dog by the neck, this behavior is used to kill prey. Wolves do not do it to each other. It stresses the dog and could provoke your dog into biting you as it becomes stressed and defensive.
use a collar & lead.
wolves and dogs hunt in a pack to bring down large prey. It involves total cooperation between all the pack members i.e. individuals willing to cooperate. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS COOPERATE WITH YOUR DOG. Be part of a pack and reap the benefits that total cooperation brings.
dogs are used to being part of a big family, with lots of dogs, doing things together. This is why separation anxiety is so common among pet dogs. Being left alone is the worst thing that can happen to a dog, and it must be acclimatised to it slowly without stress , building up during the period that it is alone. A dog needs to know that you will return, so as not to become scared.
Bottom line is much as the Op's
As the pups get older they are told off by the older pack members for taking these liberties (eg being flattened; their nose being pinned down by the older dog's mouth). In response, the adolescent will roll over to placate the situation and the incident is finished. However, it must be stressed that trying to imitate dog behavior (such as flattening, nose being pinned down, etc) SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED by humans. Dogs do not recognize us doing these canine actions as WE ARE A DIFFERENT SPECIES - they only recognize these actions if they are done by another dog.
"Don't get angry" -- advice we don't hear often enough. A firm yet assertive "no" or "uh-uh" will do. I reserve yelling for emergencies. My husband will shout on the dogs, and I am always having to remind him to use a different tone of voice than he uses with me .
I don't agree. I think there is a pecking order. And it's not established by threats or raised voices or violence. But I do think the reason my dogs are always more responsive and respectful of me (vs my wife, my ex, my parents, etc) is my bearing, carriage, the voice I use (sometimes very soft but laced with...er, intent), etc.
Maybe it's because I worked with them more during their obedience or the fact that I don't give a command and then shrug my shoulders and walk off when it isn't obeyed.
I don't know. But when I had two big dogs, there was definitely a pecking order. Me, then Rio, then Shiner. Sometimes I wondered if Shiner was ever plotting to try to get ahead of Rio...she started off very deferential as a puppy, but as she grew older, she grew bolder. They never had a full on fight or anything, but she was definitely getting less inclined to take b.s. and was starting to edge on Rio's turf. I think she thought she could do that because Rio was getting older and was having more trouble getting around. Rio died before anything really happened.
However, it must be stressed that trying to imitate dog behavior (such as flattening, nose being pinned down, etc) SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED by humans. Dogs do not recognize us doing these canine actions as WE ARE A DIFFERENT SPECIES - they only recognize these actions if they are done by another dog.
Dogs have co-evolved with human beings for 40,000 years.
They are clued in and constantly aware of our body language.
The idea that we have to act like dogs to get their attention or make them understand is laughable.
Another idiot idea is that we can "make" one dog the alpha. We can't! No matter how much you might want your first dog to be the alpha when you get a second dog, you CAN'T. The dogs will determine it themselves.
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