There are some basic tenants to dog psychology and we are going to take a look at them here. Understanding your dog’s pysche can take some time an effort on your part, but will be well worth it when you are engaging in training him.
When we learn to understand why a dog behaves and acts the way that he does , then we are essentially learning dog psychology. The way the dog-a descendant of the wolf- has adapted to human social organization is truly fascinating.
Dogs have learned to live with and obey humans through successful training. When you and your dog build a trusting bond, there is a cooperation that is established: the dog behaves well and he will be rewarded.
To understand dog psychology we need to understand how wolves live.In the wild wolves live in packs of two or more. They use a strictly defined dictatorship system of males and females.
The leader or “alpha leader” of this system is almost always the biggest male in the pack.With the utmost respect and almost eagerly the other wolves follow this alpha leader.
Wolves were able to adapt domestically with man thousands of years ago because of the similar social organization and instinctive mental or pyschological structure. When it comes to dividing duties like feeding, some wolves track the animal, one stands guard, and one makes the attack.The alpha leader allows the other members of the pack to finish his “leftovers” when he has fed first and is satisfied.
As part of your household your dog views the members of the family as the pack.To figure out who the alpha leader is and exactly how he fits into this new system, your dog will be watching everyone closely.
Who the leader is in the house will depend on their physical size and the tone of their voice; your dog will watch for these clues.Throughout the day your dog will also watch how everyone interacts with one another.
Someone in the household, either yourself or another responsible adult in the household, will have to establish themself as the alpha leader.The sooner this is established, the fewer behavioral problems you will see.
You need not only establish yourself or someone else as the alpha, but you must also have a clear understanding that your dog is at the bottom of your family’s hierarchal system.
If your dog sees that no hierarchal system is in place, he will create one and put himself in charge. This is when a lot of dogs can become overly dominant and destructive. Including your children-your dog should be subordinate to everyone in the household-and that should be obvious to your dog.
Because of their small size and their dependency on adults, it is sometimes difficult for a dog to understand that he is lower ranked than children. For this reason, dogs can sometimes become very aggressive towards children, and they might even bite on occasion.
Your dog will realize he is subordinate to every other family member through disciplined training.Good quality dog training resources can help you with this process.
Remember, training does take time and effort, but it is definately worth it!
All the best with the process of training your dog.
Darcy Austin is editor in chief of Dog Obedience University, a comprehensive resource on dog obedience training.
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