Dominant Dog Behaviour

Dominant dog Behaviour

As people, we’ve all come across other people who demonstrate dominant behaviour. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just the way they are. The same can be said for dogs. Some dogs are just naturally inclined to be more dominant in nature than others. This type of behaviour can be influenced by other factors, such as how a dog is raised, but right from the time a puppy in just a couple of weeks old, dominant dog behaviour traits can be spotted by the experienced eye.

Just as in people, dominant dog behaviour isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but left unmanaged, things can get out of control. It’s also vital to understand that there is a big difference between a dominant dog and an aggressive dog. When a dog is aggressive, he want to cause harm to other people or animals for various reasons. This whole topic is rather complex and a bit beyond the scope of this article. More information on handling dog aggression can be found here. A dominant dog wants to be top dog and the leader of the pack.

Dominant dogs aren’t automatically dangerous, but it is important to be able to recognize these traits, understand why they are happening and do something to quell them. It’s vital for the safety and stability of all concerned that your dog knows and accepts that you are the leader of this pack and that he is the follower. If you are at all unsure about whether the behaviour your dog is showing is that of aggression or dominance, it’s important to get the advice of an expert dog trainer or vet who can see what’s going on in real life in order to prevent any accidents.

In any pack of dogs, there is a social structure just like with any group of living things. The social structure in the dog world is based hierarchy. Basically, every member of the pack has a different rung of the ladder, with the leader at the top.

In your house, unless you are the leader, followed by all the other people in the house, and the dog or dogs coming in after the people, there will be constant tussles for dominance over the more submissive members. Some people, just like dogs, have no need or desire to be dominant, and people in particular may not recognize dominant behaviour or realize that they themselves are showing submissive behaviour. Rest assured, however, the dog will spot every weak spot and take advantage of it.

The size of the dog has nothing to do with the dominance of the dog; whether large or small, dominant dogs will be found in every breed. The dominant dog behaviour will be shown in different degrees also. Some dogs, for example will be leaders of other animals in the house, but will submit to you with no questions asked. Other determined characters, particularly if you don’t spot what’s going on, will keep vying for power until they feel that you are now the submissive one.

It’s true to say that many dog owners don’t actually realize that dominant dog behaviour is actually going on. Most of this dominant dog behaviour is not violent in any way and therefore goes on under the radar. Many dog owners are living with a dominant dog and don’t even know it. It would be very useful for you to learn the traits of dominant dog behaviour. This will let you spot the signs that you may already be being dominated by your fluffy little pooch, but also help you to correct the balance and ensure that your dog is submissive to you and other family members.

Dominant Dog Behaviour Traits

The dog will try to prevent you from stroking or petting the top of his head.
The dog will try to push through a doorway in front of you.
The dog will try to barge past you on the way to get outside first.
When playing, the dog will growl or bark at you.
The dog will not let go of food or toys when you instruct him to do so.
The dog will try to move you out of the way when you are sitting or lying with him.
If the dog wants something that you have, such as his toys or a treat or biscuit for example, he will bark until you give it to him.
The dog will jump up on the furniture before you let him.
The dog will not obey your basic commands such as no, sit or get down.
The dog will try to initiate play instead of obeying your commands.
The dog will mark your things, such as shoes, clothing etc.
The dog will mouth you, i.e. put his teeth on you. This is not biting, but even during play, this is dominant dog behaviour.

This is not an exhaustive list of dominant dog behaviours. It is important to note that these are not aggressive dog behaviours. If your dog shows these traits, he could be dominant; this doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but it does need management.

Time To Tackle Dominant Dog Behaviour

The only way to tackle this is by taking action. Your dog will not wake up one morning and decide that it’s your turn to be the boss. You have to take control back from your dog. He must learn that you are the leader and he is now the follower. The steps you need to take are not ones of strength or brute force, in fact you should never put the dog in a position where he feels that aggression is the only option. There is always an answer to a sticky problem, and if you don’t know it, please get advice from an expert. There is no sense in backing yourself or your dog into a corner with no escape.

Firstly, in order to begin taking back control of your dominant dog, he needs to undergo some basic obedience training. Obedience training is a good idea for all dogs, but vital for those that demonstrate dominant dog behaviour. In addition to the basic obedience training, below are some tips that will help re-address the balance and tip it towards you being the pack leader.

Please make sure that you never apply any of these tips with anger towards your dog. Everything should be done in a calm, steady and non-confrontational way.

Dominant Dog Behaviour Re-Balancers

Before you feed your dog, you must eat something first. He must see that you’re eating first.

If you play games with your dog, particularly in games where there is a clear winner, such as tug-of-war, you must be the final winner.

Don’t pet or fuss your dog, unless he has done something to earn that attention; such as obey your command.

Re-arrange his favourite place; such as his chair or his bed. Make sure you sit or stand in it many times for a couple of minutes at a time over that first week.

Only allow your dog on the furniture when you give him permission. Also, make sure the dog will get off when you tell him to. If he won’t, don’t just say, oh well, he’s quiet now. You must get up and gently but firmly pull him off. Be sure not to use roughness.

If your dog sleeps in your bed, move him onto the floor or to a dog bed in the same room, or alternatively remove him from the room completely.

Make sure you remember that dominance is very different from aggression. These pointers will only work with a dominant dog and not an aggressive one. If you have any doubts over whether your dog is aggressive or dominant, you must get expert help to prevent any risk of harm to people or other animals.

With consistent and persistent training, a dog that shows dominant dog behaviour will very quickly start to accept that his time as top dog is now over. It’s one thing regaining leadership over your dog, but in order to make sure you keep hold of the title, you will need to continue with these methods from here on in.

Try not to view this leadership battle as a negative thing. Your dog will very soon start to feel more secure knowing that someone else is in control and he will feel safe and stable in his new role within the family unit.

There is a load more really good information about dog behaviour and training in the complete A-Z manual for the responsible dog owner called Secrets To Dog Training. You can get a free report on de-bunking some of the dog training myths around from here. Also, you can get a free 6 day mini dog training course sent straight to your email inbox from here. Enjoy!