Has Your Dog Got You Under His Paw?

Most self-respecting individuals like to think that they have the upper hand when it comes to the relationship between themselves and their dog.  This is sadly far from the truth.

According to Carol O’Herlihy Principal Therapist for home dog training company, Bark Busters, there are a growing breed of assertive dogs who are fast claiming dominance over their owners.

Take a moment before sitting back comfortably in your chair, confident in the knowledge that you are lord and master of your own home and answer the following questions. 

1. Does your dog let you know when it's:

• time to get up?
• time for the postman to arrive?
• time for a meal or for a treat?
• time for a walk?
• time for a family member to arrive home?
• time to go to bed?

2. Does your dog:

• ask to go outside 15 times whilst you're watching your favourite TV programme, yet settle quietly during the commercial breaks?
• become the hungriest, most forlorn, neglected dog in the universe whilst you're eating, regardless of the fact that his bowl is full?
• drop a toy in your lap and stare at you, then at the ball, then at you again?
• Push you aside, racing to get up and down the stairs or in and out of doors ahead of you?
• insist on greeting guests before you when they come to the house?
• nudge you for pats?
• roll over for tummy tickles?
• ask for treats and even show you where they are kept?

If you have answered "yes" to 2 or more of question 1 and “yes” to 3 or more of question 2, then your dog is well on the way to having you firmly under his paw!  Without being able to speak your language, your dog has you so highly trained he would love to exhibit you at Crufts.

If this is as bad as your dog gets then, apart from a slightly deflated ego, you may not have too much to worry about.  If, on the other hand, your dog has started controlling other areas of your life like deciding who:

• may/may not visit your house
• can/can't walk past your house
• you can/can't cuddle
• can/can't stroke them
• takes who for a walk
• drives the car
• sits on which chair in the lounge
• landscapes your garden (you or the dog)
• can/can't turn over in bed
• can/can't enter "their" park

Then just maybe you're in trouble and need a bit of help to establish yourself as leader of the pack. 

Before your self-esteem drops through the floor, take comfort in the fact that it is not your fault that you own a dominant dog.  “Dogs characters vary enormously and this is not simply a matter of breed” says Carol.  “Some dogs just have very dominant natures and they are far harder work to train and keep in line than other dogs” she explains.

Dealing with Dominant Dogs

Dominant dogs are often smacked by their owners explains Carol and this is basically because they drive them bonkers!  “Owners get totally frustrated that their dog fails to obey even the simplest of commands and consequently they lose their temper and smack them” she says.  Dominant dogs are the ones that pull on the lead all the time and wont come back when off the lead.  This in itself leads to further problems because it is only the most self-restrained owner who doesn’t wallop their dog when they finally catch it after hours of pursuit.  The only way to respond to your dog when he does finally come back, however hard and however many hours later this may be is to praise him.   If you take the easy option and whop him for his disobedience you will end up with a dog who comes within a hairs breadth of your hands and then skits off  again.  In the dog world the leader always leads, so it is total heaven for a dominant dog to have its owner madly chasing it all around the park.

Every dog will respond differently to its owner and what works with one dog may not work with another.  It will also depend on the human interaction with the dog, such as who goes through the door first, what is the greeting ritual after an absence, the manner in which treats are used and how the dog perceives the owner.  You need to look at the dog’s whole life including his environment, diet, pack and habits rather than just focusing on the problem.  There are many peculiarities and subtleties in a dog’s body language that can be important in resolving a problem.  People often assume dogs think as we do, but it is critical that we look at things from a dog’s perspective in order to be able to understand what makes them tick and it is this understanding which will allow us to resolve any problems with behaviour. 

For more information about Bark Busters take a look at www.barkbusters.co.uk

To contact a Bark Buster Therapist call Freephone 0808 100 4071

Bark Busters, the world’s largest, most trusted dog training company, started in Australia in 1989 and came to the United Kingdom in 1999. Since inception, over 400,000 dogs have been trained worldwide. With more than 230 offices in eight countries, Bark Busters is continuing its mission to build a global network of dog behavioural therapists to enhance responsible dog ownership and reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment, and euthanasia of companion dogs. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers a lifetime guarantee. Therapists will provide future sessions free of charge if problem behaviours recur, or if any new problems develop. For more information, call 0808 100 4071 or visit www.barkbusters.co.uk, where dog owners can complete a Dog Behavioural Quiz to rate their dogs’ behaviour.