Is your dog biting you and growing?
There is a simple reason for this. You see, dogs are pack animals and in a pack there is a specific structure. A hierarchy of dogs and at the top of that hierarchy is the ALPHA DOG. And if your dog behaves like this, it is because you have allowed him to believe that he is the alpha dog of your family’s pack.
The alpha makes the decisions for the pack. They are the boss.
When a dog is brought home from the kennel, it usually automatically assumes that you are already the alpha dog of the pack, but if it finds that there doesn’t seem to be an alpha dog in its new pack, then it will fill the void.
And the snapping and growing you’re experiencing is their way of keeping their pack at bay. There is ALWAYS an alpha dog and if you’re not up to the job, he certainly will.
Now that you understand why this is happening, the next step is to find a solution. So how do you become the legitimate pack leader you know you should be?
What you don’t need to do is bite your dog and you certainly should NEVER HIT your dog to become the alpha dog in his eyes. In this situation everything is a question of attitude.
Being the boss means that you must exude an air of confidence, dignity and intelligence, and an air of authority. A firm “NO” is seen by the dog as a growl and an exercise of authority. Simply saying “please don’t do that” in a sweet or pleasant voice means nothing to the dog.
Another thing to do is when your dog misbehaves, what you do to stop the behavior is to turn him over and hold him there while standing over him while saying “NO” firmly and in a forceful TONE of your voice. What matters when saying “No” is the tone, the volume does not count.
By turning him on his back and standing on top of him, they both place him in a submissive position while emphasizing his larger size. Both of these things will drive the message home that you are the one in control, not him.
So follow these instructions and with just a few simple steps you can return to the throne of LEAD DOG.