Why an excited Dog is NOT cute
Dogs that greet their owners in this way are trying to communicate. But rather than professing undying love, they are trying to tell you that they are lonely and bored and that their needs as a dog are not being met. The excitement that you see is your dog’s way of burning off the excess energy that has been building throughout the day.
People shouldn’t be disappointed by this revelation. This just means that dogs don’t use emotions like people do.
Remember, they’re dogs. To love a dog means you must treat him like an animal, which means fulfilling him as Nature intended him to be fulfilled.
Now, let’s get back to our barking dog. So-called nuisance barking, which is often ongoing and not in response to a particular stimulus like a jogger running by the house, is your dog’s way of sending you a distress signal.
Somewhere his needs as an animal are not being met. Is his world anchored by a pack leader who projects calm-assertive energy? Are you walking with him every day, which exercises his body and his mind? Is he living a balanced life?
If nuisance barking is a problem, consider these issues to find a solution. It’s the best way to show real love for your dog.
If your dog jumps on you when you arrive home, she's the pack leader.
How can you tell if your dog is the pack leader?
It’s simple: If she jumps on you when you arrive home, she is the pack leader. If she jumps on your guests, she is making sure that these new arrivals also know she is in charge.
What can you do to stop this unwanted behavior? Most importantly, you need to establish yourself as pack leader. When a dog doesn’t have a clear pack leader who projects calm- assertive energy, she tries to fill the vacant role, usually to disastrous results (for the owner and for the dog).
Set Some Rules For You and Your Dog
Don’t shower your dog with affection when you walk through the door. This kind of attention is wonderful for a human child, but not for a dog. Remember dogs are animals, and the kindest thing you can do is to treat your dog like a dog by communicating in a way he’ll understand.
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The dog's mom, the ultimate pack leader, would never tolerate inappropriate activity.
If she sees something she doesn't like, she stops the activity by moving the puppy out of the way in her calm-assertive manner.
The puppy learns an important boundary from the lesson, and her firm and unambiguous leadership balances the puppy's submissive role in the pack. |
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When your guests arrive, ask your dog to sit patiently. Your dog will follow your commands when he respects you as his pack leader. Remember, the animal pack leader doesn’t negotiate to get what he or she wants. The pack leader leads by projecting a calm-assertive energy, the language dogs use to communicate. |
The most important thing to remember is that you can’t be a leader only some of the time. Leadership is forever; inconsistency triggers confusion and anxiety in a dog. Animal pack leaders never waver from their leadership role, and neither should you.
Walking exercises your dog's body and stimulates your dog’s mind.
Dog moms teach their puppies a lot during their first few days and weeks of life. They set rules, boundaries and limitations and serve as the first pack leader of the puppy’s life. They also walk with their puppies, which is an important primal activity for dogs.
In their natural habitat, dogs earn food and water by walking and they get to experience the world. If a dog does not walk, she does not eat. You can see how this activity exists deep within a dog’s DNA, but too few dog owners recognize its importance.
Walking also exercises your dog’s body and stimulates her mind. It also provides a good opportunity for you to establish yourself as pack leader.
Walk the Walk
I walk about ten dogs at a time, sometimes off-leash if I’m in a safe area. People are amazed by this, but it’s simple: the dogs see me as their pack leader. This is why they follow me wherever I go.
Walking in front of a dog allows you to be seen as the pack leader because position matters to a dog. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, he’s the pack leader. Master the walk, and your dog will relate to you as the pack leader and accept his submissive role within the pack. |
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Remember, most dogs are born into the submissive role and like it just fine. The problem starts when naturally submissive dogs try to fill what they see as a vacant pack leader role. Since Nature never intended them to take on this role, bad or unwanted behavior ensues as they act out or try to normalize their world.
During the walk you may feel the highest level of connection with your dog. My clients are often surprised by this because they think dogs only crave love and affection and treats. Not so. Dogs crave rules, boundaries and limitations from their pack leader. They also crave walking, a primal activity that they live to enjoy.
Dogs become aggressive out of frustration and dominance.
Any breed can cause trouble, but the bigger breeds can create bigger damage. This is where I find a lot of what I call my red-zone cases.
Its important to recognize the power of a strong breed like the pit bull and the Mastiffs. These dogs are very powerful and can destroy anything in an instant.
Remember that these dogs don’t dream of being in the news when they grow up. Dogs don’t premeditate bad acts like people do. Bad things happen when powerful breeds (or mixes of powerful breeds) live with humans who like the breed but don’t understand the animal in the dog.
In a larger breed, frustration will intensify what the animal can do. Many people consider the look or popularity of a breed before thinking about whether the dog works for their lifestyle. This is a recipe for disaster.
Wanted: Leadership
To control a powerful breed you need to become the dog’s pack leader and establish rules, boundaries and limitations. You need to fulfill the dog as Nature intended him to be fulfilled.
Dogs become aggressive out of frustration and dominance. The frustration comes from a lack of exercise, and the dominance comes from a lack of calm-assertive leadership.
I work with owners of many red-zone dogs. First I work with the owners to establish them as pack leaders and to understand the animal in their dog.
I also explain to the owners the importance of exercise. Physical activity burns the dog’s excess energy and maintains his healthy state of mind. This is important because, in order to talk to the mind, you need to remove the energy from the body.
If you live with an aggressive dog, I urge you to find a professional dog trainer to work with you and your dog. Many so-called aggressive dogs can be rehabilitated with time and dedication, and we owe it to our dogs to try.
It is important to understand that red-zone dogs are usually frustrated dogs.
Emily, a pit bull, is a classic red-zone case. She pulled her owner on walks and growled, barked at people, especially those people walking other dogs.
Emily’s owner would drag along after her and yell at her to be quiet. Not surprisingly, this tactic didn’t work.
It is important to understand that red-zone dogs are usually frustrated dogs. To control a powerful breed, you need to master the position of pack leader. The sheer size and strength of a powerful breed will quickly transform any frustrated and dominant animal into a red-zone case. You must get control of the situation before it escalates out of control. |
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I explained to the owner how he must become Emily’s pack leader and set rules, boundaries and limitations. It was clear that Emily held the dominant position in my client’s household. I spoke to Emily’s owner about the importance of recognizing the animal in the dog and fulfilling the dog as Nature intended her to be fulfilled.
Next I turned my attention to Emily. Out came my roller blades to give Emily a good, tiring workout. I suspected she wasn’t receiving adequate exercise for her breed and energy level. This was probably the cause of a lot of Emily’s frustration.
Remember, in order to talk to the mind, you need to remove the energy from the body. Emily loved our fast tours through the neighborhood, and she easily kept up with me. She started to ignore distractions along the way and focus on where we were going. With her excess energy gone, I was able to get her to follow commands.
The results of our workouts helped Emily’s owner recognize the importance of exercise in maintaining a dog’s healthy state of mind. Most dogs require daily walks, but please don’t think of exercise as one-amount-fits-all. Exercise needs vary depending on the dog’s breed, her energy level, and her size.
Emily now receives ample exercise, and her owner has established himself as her pack leader. His calm-assertive leadership means Emily doesn’t need to fill that unnatural role. Balance has returned to Emily’s life, and she and her owner are the better for it.
References:
Cesar Millan Inc
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