Old Dog...New Tricks

One of my new year's resolutions was to be a better pet owner. 


When I first got Oliver, 3 years ago, I was a dedicated mommy. I took him to the vet to get his shots regularly and enrolled him in a puppy obedience training course. During that time, I wasn't working, so until he was about 6 months old, I was home with him all the time. We worked on sit/stay, come, down, and leave it on a regular basis. He learned how to walk on a leash the proper way. 


But that ladies and gentlemen of the world, was 3 years ago...and a lot has happened in that time. Oliver no longer demands as much attention and is finally house trained and knows, in general, what behaviors are acceptable and are not. Because of my fluctuating financial status over the last 2 years, I have slipped in making sure that his medical needs are attended to...I decided it was time to do better. So, today, we made the first trip to the vet since 2010. 


Courtesy Pedicure: $0.00
Full Physical Exam/Office Visit: $38.75
Corona Virus Vaccine: $19.50
Rabies Vaccine: $16.20
Fecal Exam: $16.80
Heartworm/Lyme/E.Canis Test: 32.60
HeartGuard Plus: 6.97


Grand Total? $130.52


*Sigh* Ouch. Well, you know that old quote, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."


So now that he's all squared away in the medical department, we are now addressing the behavioral aspect. The top issue is that he thinks he is the Alpha dog in the house. Well...he thinks that because, in reality, he is. I can blame no one but myself because I've enabled his behavior. 


My problem, and many other dog owner's problems, is that we tend to humanize our dogs. Treating them as our babies because it fulfills us emotionally, all the while forgetting that this dog is a creature with instinctual needs that must be met. 


Dogs are pack animals. That is their God given nature, and in a pack there is only 1 leader...the Alpha. He leads and the pack follows. When we first began training Oliver, we used Cesar's Way. Cesar Millan is a famous dog psychologist, also known as the Dog Whisperer. Cesar's way is based upon the notion that the human, must be the pack leader, or else your little precious poochie will be running the house before you know it. 


You may be asking, "well, how do I know if my dog is exhibiting dominating behavior?"


Here are some signs:
Stubbornness
Pushing a toy into you or your hand in order to get you to play with them
Sitting in high places and looking down on everything
Barking or whining at humans
High pitched screams in protest of something the dog does not wish to do
Persistence about walking in front of a human when on a leash
Persistence about going through doorways first
Not listening to known commands
Standing proud on a human lap


You may be thinking, "Oh, those are just cute little quirks dogs have." Uh, would you be saying that if you have a big rottweiler, and he pulls you down the street every time he's on the leash? The fact is that we have to stop relating to our dogs on a human level. They are NOT people! Don't mistake me, I'm not saying that in order to establish dominance that you have to be mean to your dog. What I am saying, however, is that just as a dog in the wild has respect for their pack Alpha, they should also have the same respect for you. Firmness, consistency, confidence, patience, and love are the keys to having a dog who is a happy member(not leader) of your family pack. 


If you're interested in learning more about dog psychology and learning how to better manage your dog's behavior, below are some links you might find helpful.


It's never to late for an old dog to learn some new tricks!

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/dominatebehaviorsdogs.htm

http://www.cesarsway.com/