i

www.kingdomofpets.com
 Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Tip No.1 The Adolescent Dog 2

Tip No.2 Don’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie 2

Tip No.3 Dog’s and Doorway’s 2

Tip No.4 Mealtimes 2

Tip No.5 Morsels 3

Tip No.6 Greeting Your Dog 3

Tip No.7 Outside 3

Tip No.8 Obey 4

Tip No.9 Physical Correction 4

Tip No.10 Obedience Training 5

Tip No.11 Walking On A Leash 5

Tip No.12 Body Language 6

Tip No.13 Don’t be Slack 6

If you are viewing this document on your computer screen then use your mouse
to click on the chapter or section heading below to be go straight to that chapter
or section!

Did you know that you can have this document read to you? When you have this
document opened in Acrobat Reader, select “View” and then “Read out loud”.
Of course you will need a headset connected to your computer to be able to
listen to the voice (the standard voice is a little “robotic” on Acrobat Reader, but
you can get different voices with Acrobat Reader upgrades).

i
www.kingdomofpets.com
© Copyright 2004 - 2009 by Daniel Stevens and Libros Media Ltd. All rights
reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microfilm,

xerography, or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval
system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of Libros Media
Ltd; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by

Libros Media Ltd

Level 2 – 107 Cashel Street, Christchurch, 8001, New Zealand

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information

with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that
the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional
advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
competent professional should be sought.

– From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the

American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and associations

ii
www.kingdomofpets.com
Introduction
As discussed in Secrets to Dog Training – STOP Your Dog’s Behavior Problems,
dogs are essentially pack animals that have retained some of their pack instincts
despite thousands of years of domestication. One of these retained instincts
involves the concept of a pack leader.

With every pack there is a pack leader, usually a male although not always, who
is obeyed by everyone. The pack leader is also known as the alpha dog and
he makes the decisions for the pack. In the wild the alpha dog will be in prime
physical condition compared to the rest of the pack as he (or she) will get to eat
first and eat the best portions of any food that the pack may have caught.

The alpha dog will also get to sleep at the highest vantage point so that he
can keep a lookout over the packs territory and the surrounding area, although
alerting the pack to danger and being aggressive to strangers is a role that all
dogs fulfill (through barking, etc).

It is very important that you install yourself as the alpha dog right from the start
of your relationship and that you continue to enforce this position through using
the techniques outlined in this book. Some of these tips may seem relatively
subtle but they will mean a lot to your dog.

Make sure that the entire family is aware of them so that your dog will not be
tempted to get above his station. If you do not enforce your (and your families)
position as being superior in the pack to your dog then there is a good chance
that your dog will try and raise his place in the ranking system. This is a totally
natural thing for him to want to do but you must not let it happen.

While not wanting to be a kill-joy

about controlling your dog, if a dog
is given leeway to do certain things
by one person and not by another
then he will get confused as to what
the appropriate response is. Your
dog would prefer to see the world
as black and white rather than
shades of grey.

1
www.kingdomofpets.com
Tip No.1 The Adolescent Dog
Most dogs go through an adolescent period when they reach 6 months old and
this usually lasts until they are 14 months of age. However, the exact age of
adolescence does vary between breeds and individual dogs.

During adolescence, their bodies start to

produce hormones that can make them react
in seemingly odd or uncharacteristic ways.
It is at this stage that they are most likely to
try and raise their position in the hierarchy.
You must be extra vigilant during your dog’s
adolescence so that you prevent his hormonally
changed behavior from becoming a permanent
problem.

Tip No.2 Don’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

If you come across your dog while he is sleeping on the floor then you can
reinforce your position as alpha dog by making him move so that you can pass
by. Back in the days when dogs were living in the wild as pack animals any dog
that was superior to the sleeping dog would have the right to do this.

I am not saying that you should go out of your way to disturb your sleeping dog
but if you want to maintain your alpha position and he is sleeping in a doorway
or walkway then you should take the opportunity to enforce these values.

Tip No.3 Dog’s and Doorway’s

When you and your dog are walking side by side you should never let him go
through a doorway first. The superior dog (that’s you!) always has the right of
way and should use that right of way at all times. It is a good idea to make him
sit or wait while you walk through first. Again this is an extension of pack animal
behavior that you are trying to reinforce as in the wild the alpha dog leads the
way and everyone else follows.

Tip No.4 Mealtimes

At meal times you should ensure that your dog, or dogs, eat after all the humans
have. Make sure that all of the other family members eat first and then feed
him. In the wild the pack leader will eat first (and the best parts of the meal) with
the dogs further down the chain eating after him.
2
www.kingdomofpets.com
Tip No.5 Morsels
It is very important that you do not feed your dog tidbits and morsels of food
without him earning the privilege. If you do feed him scraps, etc, you will just
encourage poor behavior, such as your dog pestering people while they are at
the dinner table. Obviously this also means that you should not feed your dog
tidbits from the table as if you it can become a difficult habit to break.

Another reason for not feeding your dog morsels is if you want to use food as
a training aid. You will seriously devalue the status of food in your dog’s eyes
if you give him tidbits whenever you or he wants. If you keep the morsels and
tidbits only for training purposes then you will get a much better response out
of your dog.

Tip No.6 Greeting Your Dog

Ideally, you want to have your relationship with your dog
on your terms. A good way of reinforcing this is to not greet
your dog straightaway when you arrive home, instead
make him go to his kennel, basket or another room.

Make sure that you have greeted all of the humans in

the household first, have put the groceries away and are
relaxing in your favorite chair. Then, and only then, call
him to you.

Tip No.7 Outside

Similarly to the last tip, if he
wants to go outside or knows
that it is time to go for a walk,
make him wait or even go to
his kennel or basket for a few
minutes before taking him.

Let him out on your terms not

his. The obvious exception to
this is if you are house training
your dog or puppy then you
should follow the guidelines for
house training.

3
www.kingdomofpets.com
Tip No.8 Obey
Your dog should obey any command that you give him
within two or three seconds, if he does not obey you then
he is either ignoring you, which means that your position
as alpha dog is under threat, or he does not understand
what the command means and requires further training.

If he responds to your command in some situations

and not others then it is likely that he is plain ignoring
you when he does not respond. To prevent this from
happening use the “Alarm-No-Command” method. This
method has three steps that you take when your dog
does not respond as you wish.

1. Use something to alarm your dog, such as a squirt from a water pistol or
shaking a pebble filled can. Make sure that you do this while he is in the
act of misbehaving or ignoring you.
2. At the same time say a loud “No!” or “Bad” or utter a sharp growling sound
like “Aaahhh”. Use a stern voice so that the dog recognizes the difference
in tone from your normal voice. It is important that the voice correction is
sincere and that the delivery is consistent so that the dog associates the
harsh word or words with stopping the behavior.
3. Then redirect your dog with the command.
Remember from Secrets to Dog Training that when you issue a command it is
helpful to be in a position to make sure that your dog physically does what you
ask.

Tip No.9 Physical Correction

Sometimes it is necessary to 1) correct an
inappropriate behavior and 2) send a clear
message that it is inappropriate with the hope of
discouraging it in the future.

SCENARIO THREE: “Dog Gone Sandwich”

Suppose you have just made yourself the best

roast beef sandwich you have ever made in your
sandwich-making career. The phone rings, and
you leave your amazing sandwich on the kitchen
counter.

4
www.kingdomofpets.com
Your adolescent puppy takes the opportunity to stroll into the kitchen, stand up
on her hind legs, and eat your lunch. You come back and catch your dog in the
act.

Your first response should be a verbal command that interrupts the behavior, a
loud “AHH” or a clap or both.

But there’s also a very firm, effective and totally humane technique you should
have at your disposal:

• Give a "Sit" command.

• Take a moment to calm down. Your dog's body language may already
be suggesting fear or retreat, which is likely a response to your tense
and possibly angry body language. Although you need to send a clear
message at this point, you also need to remain in control. Making your
dog fear you and avoid you because you are angry does not accomplish
this goal.

• Put your hand around her snout. DON'T squeeze it. Just hold it firmly
enough so she can't squirm away. Make eye contact. Tell her in a stern
voice "That's a very bad dog" (or whatever works for you). Apply only as
much pressure as necessary for her to be still. You may try holding on to
the collar with your other hand. Never shake your dog by the snout.

• Send your dog away to another room and ignore her for at least 15
minutes.

There is an escalated version of this mode of discipline. I reserve it for the worst
behaviors, such as when a dog shows aggression inappropriately to humans or
dogs, or moves to start a fight with another dog:

• Follow the same steps as above, but before you take hold of the dog's
snout, roll her over on to her back. This can be achieved by taking hold of
the rear leg farthest from you and the collar, and forcing the dog on to her
side. Then roll her on to her back, grab hold of the snout, and put on the
hard word.

You don't have to do this quickly or with great force. Calmly and deliberately is
the idea.

The Principle

It is important to understand the logic behind this form of discipline. Dogs use

5
www.kingdomofpets.com
their mouths not only to express themselves but also to protect themselves.
When you take control of their mouth, they are vulnerable, and you are forcing
them to submit to you. In addition, dogs are very vulnerable when they are on
their back. Not only is their mobility removed, but their genitals are exposed,
and their instincts make them extremely uncomfortable in this position.

If you couple this behavior with a message of negative reinforcement, you are
not only saying “You have done something wrong,” you are also reinforcing
your message from the position of dominance. You are giving them a reason to
listen to you.

Note: this is not exclusively a way to discipline your dog. It is also a way to
establish trust by doing it in a more playful context repeatedly during the puppy
stage. Through repetition, a puppy will get to the point where they will “freeze”
as soon as your hand goes around their mouth.

When they go through adolescence, they may resist again in a more overt way,
and this is their way of testing the boundaries all over again.

Again remember to be calm and self-assured; acting in anger or frustration will

defeat the whole exercise, and could worsen behavior problems.

Tip No.10 Obedience Training

If your dog’s obedience skills are razor sharp then you greatly decrease your
chances of having dominance problems. Make sure that you keep at it and
at the very least throw in a few commands whenever you take your dog for a
walk.

Teach your dog all of the commands listed below as a minimum. They are
particularly good for reinforcing your position as the person to be listened to.

► Sit and Stay

► Down and Stay

► Heel

► Wait

Once you have taught your dog these commands, make sure you use them
on a regular basis. This way your authority is regularly reinforced with each
command that you give.

It is also a good idea to keep training sessions relatively short so that you do not
overload your dog with information. Quality training is the key. In a similar vein

6
www.kingdomofpets.com
make sure that there are as few distractions as possible when commencing
training sessions as you want the focus to be on you and not other dog’s or
people.

Tip No.11 Walking On A Leash

Never let your dog pull on the leash when you are walking him. It is very
important that you determine where you are going and not your dog. The first
stage of teaching that pulling on the leash is not the appropriate behavior is
listed below. You will notice that it is basically the same as the initial Heel
command taught in Secrets to Dog Training – STOP Your Dog’s Behavior
Problems, under DOG 203.

Use this and the further progressions of the Heel command to teach your dog
that you are the boss and not him.

1. You will need to have the check collar or gentle leader and leash on your
dog.
2. Stand next to and to the right of your dog so that you are both facing in the
same direction and the dog is sitting on your left.
3. Start walking forward slowly in a straight line, leading with your left leg. As
soon as your dog takes off and starts pulling on the leash stand still and
pull the leash back towards you. Do not drag the dog back towards you.
All you need to do is halt his progress.
4. Wait until the dog stops, praise him and then continue walking. No
command needs to be given at this stage as you are just trying to teach
him good manners. The full Heel command is the next progression.
5. If you apply this method for ten minutes at a time and for three or four
times per day then within four or five days you should easily be ready to
move on to the next Heel phase as described in Secrets to Dog Training.

Tip No.12 Body Language

Make sure that you send your dog the right messages through your body
language. By that I mean do not inadvertently encourage poor behavior through
your reaction to your dog’s bad behavior. For example, if your dog is jumping
all over you and you react by pushing him off and yelling at him then it is quite
likely that the behavior will continue as he has your attention and finds it fun.

7
www.kingdomofpets.com
Tip No.13 Don’t be Slack
If you notice your dog doing something that could be regarded as poor behavior
it is important that you deal with the situation straightaway. We probably all
know people who have, slowly but surely, allowed their dog’s more and more
latitude with their behavior. A lot of the worst cases that the Secrets to Dog
Training team comes across have developed for this very reason.

A common and good example is allowing dog’s to climb onto furniture. As soon
as you slacken off and let your dog onto furniture uninvited he will become
confused as to why you are telling him off for something that was OK last
time.

Tip No.14 Submissive Dog’s

There is a time where showing your dog “who is boss” or in other words asserting
you and your family as the alpha dog can be detrimental. This is when your dog
lacks confidence and is submissive towards you to the point where the dog may
become aggressive.

A nervous or submissive dog may roll over on his back when you approach
him, may not look you directly in the eye, or even shake and urinate. This is
probably because you have been too forceful with him before, or perhaps it
is simply his temperament. In any case this is when “showing the dog who is
boss” is not recommended. In fact, it can only exaggerate the problem, leading
the dog to attack in fear or urinate in submission.

The solution is to build the dog’s confidence by treating him more as an equal.
You can

□ Have him eat at the same time as the family,

□ Greet him as soon as you arrive home but not necessarily approach him

□ In some cases you could even allow him to join you on the sofa.

This is only for the truly timid submissive dog, at any other time treating your
dog as an equal to you in the hierarchy is counter-productive for training.

When you do approach your dog and he rolls over on his back;

□ Do not look him in the eye, crouch down to his level and just talk to him.

□ Do not reach your hands out towards him, just stay crouching next to him
and talk gently.

8
www.kingdomofpets.com
□ Then back away slowly if he does not approach you for a pat, try again
next time.

Patience is required with any nervous or submissive dog. Eventually though

with the right training there is no reason to say that you will not gain your dog’s
trust.

The End

9
www.kingdomofpets.com