How To Become The Pack Leader

1. Who's The Pack Leader You Or Your Dog? Many owners whose dogs exhibit behavior problems fail to realize that they are not in charge of the pack. Canines have a pack leader mentality and this thought process exist even if your dog is the only dog in the family; because you are his or her pack. As a pack leader the dog is the decision maker and as the decision maker the dog decides what is acceptable in the pack. If you fail to realize how the pack mentality works then you are the subordinate in the pack instead of your dog being subordinate to you and your family members. 15 Ways to Become a Pack Leader By Lisa L Lane A dog who does not know who the pack leader is, is a confused dog and can exhibit many unwanted behaviors because of it. Your Great Dane is a pack animal. All dog packs have a pack leader and social hierarchy in which each individual animal knows its own place. Great Dane puppies are taught pack behavior by their mothers before they even leave the whelping box. By understanding pack behavior you can use it to help train your dog. Pack leadership always involves the strongest animal. In dogs and wolves this leadership position is generally held by an adult male in his prime with sufficient life experiences to guide the pack in the business of day-to-day survival. Your dog will need to have a pack leader or she/he will become confused which will cause her to exhibit destructive behaviors and she will take her anxiety out on those around her and her surroundings. A dog's behavior and your dogs body language is a good sign of them having a pack leader or them becoming the pack leader. A dog who knows her place in her human pack is a happy and well balanced dog. You, your family, and your Great Dane make up a pack. You or one of your family members will have to assume the alpha male or pack leader responsibilities and hopefully the hierarchy will have each human at a point above the Great Dane dog. Here are 15 tips to help you become the Pack Leader of your dog family: 1. A Pack Leader always goes first. First when going through a doorway, first when going down or up stairs, and first when walking your dog. Your dog should be behind the pack leader at all times. When walking your Great Dane you should be leading not following. Your dog should be by your side or behind you. Walks like this help release pent up energy in your dog. This is the number 1 way to communicate that you are your dogs pack leader. 2. When you come into the house or the room where you dog is you should ignore the dog for a few minutes (even if you only leave the room for a minute). 3. Your dog should always have to work for a treat. A simple obedience command should be given before any treat is given. If she does not follow the command she should not be rewarded with a treat. The dog should always take the treat gently from your hand.

2. 4. You should have set times for your Great Dane feeding, Great Dane feeding should be done on a schedule. Do not feed table scraps to your dog (especially Great Danes) Great Danes have very sensitive stomachs and if you deviate from her normal food and treats you will have a sick Dane. 5. Just like the walking and going through doorways first you should always eat first. The leader always eats first. When you give your dog food, eat a small snack first while your dog watches before feeding her. 6. You should never allow your dog to mouth or bite anyone at any time, including during play. 7. Your Great Dane should not sleep in your bed, not only because there may not be room for you but also because in the dog pack the leader sleeps in the most comfortable place. This is not to say you can not ever allow your dog on your bed. You can invite your Dane to lay in bed with you but just make her stay at the bottom of the bed and not push you out of the way. 8. If you establish eye contact with your Great Dane she should look away first. When the dog looks away first it reinforces your status as pack leader. 9. When walking your dog you should never allow your dog to "walk you". You should have a slack lease, not tight. Remember, the leader is always first and leads the way. 10. One of the basic commands your Great Dane puppies should learn is "drop it". What ever is in her/his mouth you should be able to take possession of at any time. 11. You should never play tug-of-war with your Great Dane. This is a game of power and you may lose, especially if you have a Great Dane, you may end up getting hurt. 12. When you put your dogs food dish down make her wait until you tell her "Ok" to eat. Put yourself in front of the food dish and make her sit first. If the dog does not follow your command take the food up and try again in 15 minutes. 13. All games played with your Great Dane pups should start and end with you. 14. If you have a very dominate dog who has a problem with growling you should stop them immediately and do not allow them to lie on the sofa. Remember, the leader of the pack gets the most comfortable spot. 15. The most important rule in being a pack leader is to picture yourself as big, powerful, and confident. Remember, always stay in control and not to let your emotions show while training your Great Dane dog. If you do not think you will be able to establish this role you should enroll your dog in Dog Training Classes. Your dog will be happy, balanced, and secure knowing she has a strong pack leader. If you would like more information on the Great Dane or becoming a pack leader Click Here [http://www.greatdane-dog-world.com/pack-leader]

3. Casey L Lane is an avid animal lover. She volunteers at her local animal shelter and has been know to take in strays. While waiting in her car at a local food market parking lot a women dropped her dog out of the car and drove away, well Casey picked that dog up, brought it home, and gave it the love it needed. She owns a Great Dane website called the World of Great Danes, it has a ton of pictures and several articles. She is adding content daily so check this site often. On the Kids and Danes page she has a book you can download for the kids, on the Great Dane Puppies page there is a book you can download for How to Find a Good Dog Breeder, and more free things to see and download. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lisa_L_Lane/207312 Click The Image To Download This Free Resource PDF

4. How to Be the Pack Leader of Your Dog By Danny Taylor One of the most important and effective methods of training your dog or puppy is to establish your place leader of the dog pack. We all want to love our canine companions and become their friends. However, many people mistake "friend" for "equal." You can become the dog pack leader and remain your pet's companion. In fact, this type of relationship leads to a healthy, safe, and less stressful existence for both dog and human. An actual pack of dogs operates with a strict social system. There is always an alpha and various "lesser" dogs that submit to the alpha. What human's may view as primitive is actually a long established form of survival and peacekeeping. The alpha helps protect the pack, making decisions that are in the group's best interests and maintaining order among the group's members. In return, each pack member has his or her job to do in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for all. Without dog pack leaders, the pack itself would fall apart. In a domesticated situation, the same rule applies. While your pet dog may not need to hunt and exist in an actual pack, he or she still needs the guidance of a leader. Learning how to be the pack leader with your dog is very important for this reason. Not only does it keep your beloved pet safe and content, it makes for a more efficient dog training technique. Developing your position as leader does not mean you are demanding of your dog. You do not have to bark commands and order you furry friend around to maintain your position. Rather, it is a matter of respect and boundaries. By setting up certain boundaries, you are telling your dog that he or she cannot simply do as they wish. They must follow your rules and your lead. There are three important things to remember as you attempt leader of the pack dog training. The first is consistency. Canines are creatures of habit, and this should reflect in discipline and training. Your pet should always know what to expect and what is expected of him or her. When you are consistent, the dog is far less likely to grow confused and frustrated by training. If your dog sees you as a familiar and consistent member of the family pack, he or she will be far more likely to follow your lead. Being unpredictable can make your dog nervous which can lead to a number of negative behaviors, even aggression. Respect is very important in the alpha and omega relationship. Dog pack leaders should always be firm, but fair. If your dog lacks respect for you as alpha, he or she will be far less likely to follow your lead and command. You do not want to become a "weak" leader. However, the opposite can be equally as damaging to the dog human relationship. If you are overly harsh, your dog will come to fear rather than respect you. The last part of the dog pack leadership equation is to build up a bond through interaction. Being a part of your dog's life and spending time with your pet will create more situations to reinforce the leader and follower relationship. It will also create a stronger emotional bond. The more you and your dog do together, the more you can understand and appreciate each other.

5. Leader of the pack dog training is not always an easy task. That being said, it does not have to be a difficult one either. You can enjoy the time spent with your dog. Learn ahead of time how to react to possible regression or other negative behavior so that your dog will learn to respect you and expect consistency from you. Once you have established yourself as leader and protector of the pack, you can enjoy a strong bond between human and canine. Your dog will be happy, content, and glad you are there to lead, support, and nurture him or her into a well-behaved member of the family. Danny Taylor of DogTraining-User-Reviews.com [http://www.dogtraining-user-reviews.com], specializes in helping new pooch owners get the info that they need to help train their new best friend. Danny, a professional dog trainer himself, leads his team of dog obedience trainers to constantly review new training methods, and programs in the market and make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out actual user reviews and feedback of the most popular dog training programs at DogTraining-User-Reviews [http://www.dogtraining-user-reviews.com]. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Danny_Taylor/324340 Becoming Pack Leader the Easy Way By Krista Cantrell There's something I want to show you today that has the power to solve about 90% of dog obedience problems you may be having -- whether that's the frustration of not being able to fully (that means NO accidents) house train your dog, stop him from chewing your shoes or the furniture, stop leash pulling, barking, jumping on guests (or you) and just about anything else you can name. It's a quick little trick you can do today to help your dog recognize you as pack leader instantly. Why is this important? Well, in case you aren't familiar with the way a dog's brain is wired, let me sum it up for you like this… When your dog doesn't recognize your status as pack leader, all sorts of things happen...none of them good. If your dog defies or disobeys, or does any of the things mentioned above, oftentimes all of these problem behaviors can be traced right back to the fact that he doesn't respect you -- doesn't see you as the pack leader.

6. When you fix this, lots of things happen. And this time, all of them GOOD! Now, I want you to understand that this is not an immediate cure-all for every single thing you'd like to change about your dog's behavior. But… It does all start here, with this one simple concept. So… Here's a quick little trick you can do the next time it's time to feed your dog that will start the process of having her recognize you as the leader. Now here's an important note: This is one of 7 things you can start doing immediately to finally put yourself in a leadership position with your dog. This by itself will help, but you may need more. So, it's very important to stay tuned, because we're going to cover the other 6 things you should be doing in just a second. Pack Leader Exercise: The Food Test Here's something you may or may not know about the way dogs live with each other in the pack. In the pack, the leader eats first. Always. The problem many dog owners have is that they inadvertently send a message directly to their dog's hard-wired instinct that the dog, not the owner, is pack leader. How do they do this? By feeding the dog at the same time you feed yourself, or by feeding the dog before you eat. Big mistake! Try this next time you feed your dog… Step 1: Take your dog's bowl and set it on your counter. Step 2: Now, place a human plate next to the dog's bowl. It's important that your dog see you do this, and that your plate and his bowl are right next to each other on the counter.

7. Step 3: Now, fill your dog's bowl with his food. BUT don't give it to him yet. He needs to see you eat first. That's the point of this exercise. Step 4: Put a piece of food on your plate. It could be anything -- some crackers, cookies, grapes, cheese, whatever. Step 5: Eat your food first while your dog watches you. This sends a signal right to his mind that you're the pack leader. He knows pack leaders eat first. So since you're eating first, it tells him you MUST be pack leader. Step 6: After a few minutes, when you're finished with your snack, you can then put the dog's bowl down on the floor and allow him to eat. Now, I said earlier there were six other things you NEED to do right away to get your dog to recognize you as pack leader, and here's where to find them... First, go to this becoming pack leader post on my blog. There's also a video there showing you how this technique works, and I'll tell you how to get the other 6 super-simple strategies for making this work. You might also want to check out this becoming pack leader video on YouTube for more information. I hope that helps. And please let me know how you do! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Krista_Cantrell/269842

8. Becoming Pack Leader to Your Dog is Key to Successful Dog Training By Oscar B Jones Dogs are naturally pack animals. Unfortunately as we split up a litter and bring home one puppy we tend to forget that ingrained in the genetic make-up they are pack animals by nature. Failure to recognize this fact can seriously inhibit your dog training efforts. On the other hand, if you do understand the meaning of the pack you could be on to something very important indeed with regards to succeeding with your dog's training. Each pack has leaders. The one in the position of leader holds great power and authority over the rest of that pack. The others will naturally take second place to the leader and will expect to take instructions from and be led by them. In today's world the domestic dog doesn't travel around in a pack of dogs. What it does is replaces the dog pack with those that it interacts with on a regular basis i.e. You and your family and possibly really close friends who you see a lot of. The big opportunity for you here, where training is concerned, is that if you assume the position of leader by being a leader and authoritarian your dog will naturally want to follow you instruction by default and learn from your guidance, making training so much easier. Since a dog's real social structure will always be seen through the innate canine perspective of packs and leaders, it only makes sense for trainers to take advantage of this by assigning roles for both pet and master that will make dog training especially effective. Emulating pack leadership can be done in several different ways. By doing these things you will be allowing your dog to find its rightful and natural place within the social ordering of your family unit and will then make your dog much more receptive to instructions of all kinds. However, just being a bossy person does not make you a leader. Simply trying to push your dog into something it does not want to do is not showing it leadership and will not gain you any respect whatsoever. A trainer worth paying attention to knows this and will ensure that specifics are carried out to copy the role of pack leader. The following techniques are endorsed by many an expert: Be Consistency A great leader will remain consistent at all times. Ensuring that the rules laid down are adhered to and those that are suppose to follow them then know where the boundaries lie between right and wrong. Earn Respect - You Will Not Just Be Given It A good leader earns respect because of the way they go about things. A leader who shows that they are firm, not a pushover, but fair, will be respected and admired a lot more and therefore others will want to follow. Be firm but do not expect unrealistic things from your dog to soon and never try to enforce anything through physical punishment.

9. A good pack leader will utilize positive reinforcement training techniques that have been proven to gain respect and therefore are followed. When you become your dog's pack leader you want to be there because you are respected by your dog and appreciated by it. You do not want to be in that position down to fear and/or humiliation as this can induce fear aggression which is not healthy. Keep Interacting With Your Dog Pack leaders keep interacting with their pack which ensures that the ranking remains within their social hierarchy. Your dog will watch you for eye contact. Keeping contact through the eyes whilst training will allow your dog to keep you as their leader. It is also desirable to sometimes demand your dog's attention while walking, playing or during more intense training sessions. By commanding your dog to heel and to look at you, for instance, you will further reinforce your position as pack leader. By creating the leader follower mentality you make training a lot easier to administer and much more effective. This will enable you to avoid a host of problems encountered by others who do not set this up properly. Additional, you will create a situation where your dog naturally wants to look up at you and expects you to lead it. This makes for a much more contented dog and a more relaxed atmosphere all round. Becoming an effective pack leader is a key element to be included in any holistic training program. For a complimentary 34 page report on dog training visit my website at The Dog Advice Zone [http://www.thedogadvicezone.com] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oscar_B_Jones/173497