Trying to become pack leader

[JohnS]

Thx everyone for ur feedback. Heres where I'm at with Jonesy. I caught her diggin up the mulch in the back yard. I told her no and she jumped up on me and started nipping and biting. I laid her on her back laid across her and my fingers on her throat. She submitted after some wiggling around but when I let her up she jumped on me again and started biting again. After the third time she stopped. Now was she just tired? Was this the right time to try it?

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Absolutely! Whenever she is showing the behavior you want to discourage..this is the time to do it. Hold her down until you feel her body totally relax. Of course she will continue to test you..but it won't take long and she'll put two and two together. It's not so much the jumping up here..but the nipping and biting. It's a progression to aggression that you are trying to control! As you feel more in charge doing this, she will sense your confidence. Keep it up..don't let her bite..nip or growl at any member of YOUR pack..2 legs or 4!!

@2BullyMama...@cal-Jenn..@Davidh

 

[Davidh]

So true, just keepit up and you may hold her a little longer, it will work. Just be consistent.

 

[cali~jenn]

Good job. Have you tried hand feeding? It is the easiest way to show who is in charge.

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[RaRett]

Good Job John ! Hold her in that position until you 'Think' ok that should be good, THEN count to 30 - then let her go - From my reading its better to hold them a little longer, than shorter in that situation Thanks for Keeping us updated !

 

[cali~jenn]

Good Job John ! Hold her in that position until you 'Think' ok that should be good, THEN count to 30 - then let her go - From my reading its better to hold them a little longer, than shorter in that situation Thanks for Keeping us updated !

Yes i agree. Depending in the offense I'd how i judge the length. When miila was biting me or attacking the other 2 she got held a good 3 minutes after she submitted.

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[Texkota]

This method is great, it will take several times but you will get there, this is the method I used on my Brittany Spaniel. When I first started it was very similar to your experience, now if he's acting up all I have to do is put two fingers between his shoulder blades and he automatically rolls over and submits.

 

[AubreysMom]

This is how I am training Aubie because nothing else seemed to work. I have to say that this absolutely does. I can tell a huge difference in her behavior, especially with me. My boyfriend hasn't yet mastered the "calm and assertive" part of this, so he doesn't do it as often. However, I fought back and forth with her one night when she just was in wild puppy mode. It took about 8 times, but she finally submitted and was fine. Now, she knows and she respects me way more than she does him. It's amazing how this one technique made her behavior 20 times better in such a short time.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Being the calm and assertive pack leader in everyday situations will also help. Look up "NILF" or "Nothing In Life is Free" via Google. Here's a version I like -- but there are many, of course.

NILF

Instead of force, humans can ignore certain behaviors and have the dog work for privileges to teach the dog that humans are in charge.


NOTE: This is not a substitution for behavioral work and should only be used on dogs in good health and of stable temperament with no major behavioral issues. If you have any questions regarding your dog’s behavior, seek professional advice before beginning a NILIF program. But for the average dog, this program is valuable.


Do you do things like leave food down all day for your dog? Give in and play when he jumps on you and then get frustrated when he jumps on you just before you go out for dinner? Do you allow your dog to get away with undesired habits like barking for attention or acting up when it is time to go for walks? Does your dog run roughshod over you? Not good. It is time to get serious and begin NILIF’ing.

Many undesired behaviors are learned out of demanding attention. For example, dog jumps on you, you pat him, dog is more likely to jump for attention the next time he wants it from you. Other dogs may poke, bark in your face, etc. The key is the dog is in control of the situation when he gets the attention he demands. Not good. He is also developing undesired behaviors, not because he is bad, but because you are reinforcing them. It is time to stop this. Since the dog is doing this for attention, you are going to deny him that attention. Walk away. Totally ignore the dog. You can give him as much attention as you want as long as it is by your rules and not his. Now, encourage your dog to come to you and sit. If all four feet remain on the floor, he can get attention. If he starts that undesired barking or jumping or mouthing, walk away. Be consistent and be fair. Maintain your composure and level of being in charge. Dogs that are confused about who is in control are more likely to act out.

When first beginning a NILIF program the dog may get a bit confused. “Hey, this always worked in the past!” Chances are he will now try in earnest to get your attention. He will burst, explode and the behavior will get worse—or as I call it—The Storm Before the Calm. Hold your ground and do not give in. Giving in at any time is going to encourage the undesired behavior to continue. “See, I finally broke you down!”

Think of it as a toddler throwing tantrums and always getting what he wants. First time child sees something he wants and starts to fuss, mom gives in. She has just started the cycle of “If I fuss, I will get it.” Next time mom ignored the fussing, the child escalates a bit. Mom gives in and child realizes “Gee, I got her to break down.” The next time, the child will work even harder to get mom to give in if she does not crack immediately. The more mom breaks down, the more the child will throw that tantrum. If mom puts her foot down and ignores the tantrum, the child will escalate it trying to get his own way again. She may have to endure hours of screaming, kicking feet, tears, wailing, throwing things, even the child gagging and possibly even vomiting as he works up that frenzy. Eventually, the child will stop. The tantrum just does not work anymore. Yelling, or even pushing the child away is not what he is looking for, but it is something and a sign that mom is breaking. You need to totally turn off to the tantrum and endure it. As long as a child is not hurting himself, others, or breaking things, tantrums can often be allowed to run their course with children. This is very similar with dogs. For some dogs, attention is attention, be it positive or negative. Use the denial of any attention instead. Endure the extinction period and things will improve if everyone in the house is consistent. Again, you can give all the attention you want to the dog as long as it is by YOUR RULES and not his!

You as the human have the power, but you are also empowering the dog to learn self-control. Again, do you just give in to your dog? Does he get food and play for free and there is no “currency” he has to pay with to get it? Change that. You have the power; you are in control, not him. Simple things like making him “work” or “pay” for things can help reestablish who is in charge. Insist the dog sits before he gets to eat. If he sits automatically, regain control by having him lay down.




If he takes a few bites and walks away, dinner is over until the next meal (feed your dog two meals a day). You control the food. He does not decide when mealtimes are, you do. Does your dog get up on your bed or furniture when he feels like it? Change that. He has to now wait until he is given a command to come up. Before play and during play, stop the dog and have him work, teach him tricks like “shake,” “play dead” and “take a bow.” If he does this, he can continue to play with you. If not, the game is over. The dog is given power in his own right. If he does what you ask, he gets what he wants. He is in control to an extent.

But you are determining the outcome and what has to be done in order for that to occur. Sort of like a paycheck. You do what you are supposed to and when you are supposed to, your pay continues, your job continues. Failure to do this and your job may very well end, as does that paycheck!

With your dog no longer in charge of the house, you will have to make more of an effort to engage in play and socialize. But it is worth it. NILIF does not mean denial of attention or play, it just means that the balance of power has shifted and the human is back in charge.

www.WestWindDogTraining.com

This may be reprinted in its entirety for educational purposes only.

© 2002 WWDT

 

[thesspa]

Thank you for the article!!! Great and informative read

 

[LoveMyBully82]

Thank you for posting this article! I do this with Jackson, but my husband doesn't, so I feel that he may be confused. I always make him "work" for things, but my husband just gives him whatever (attention, food, treats, etc...) and thinks there's nothing wrong with it. When I tell him to make Jackson "work" he says OK and does it that one time...its in one ear and out the other!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Thank you for posting this article! I do this with Jackson, but my husband doesn't, so I feel that he may be confused. I always make him "work" for things, but my husband just gives him whatever (attention, food, treats, etc...) and thinks there's nothing wrong with it. When I tell him to make Jackson "work" he says OK and does it that one time...its in one ear and out the other!

You can share with your husband that dog's WANT a "job" of some kind and will be happier for having one. Dogs easily pick up on the concept of "do this and you get a reward". That reward doesn't have to be a cookie though. It can be anything; a toy, food, water, an activity. Before we leave for our daily walk, both Bea and Bo MUST submit to the activity of getting all or part of the daily maintenance ritual required for English Bulldogs (nose rope, wrinkle wipe, ear clean, under the tail clean for Bo --- all that stuff). Bea knows that once the unpleasant task of cleaning her tail pocket is over, she gets the leash on and we get to go to the park! She loves the park so this is the perfect reward for something she's not a huge fan of.

[MENTION=4305]Vince00[/MENTION] - copying Vince as he has done amazing things with his pup and obedience.

 

[LoveMyBully82]

Thanks. I will share this information with him. We really do need to get on the same page!

 

[Vince00]

@Vince00 - copying Vince as he has done amazing things with his pup and obedience.

Thanks for the referral Vicaroo love to help where I can.

I have taken a very interested and authorative approach as I continue to train my bulldog knowing that if left to get out of hand it can be a mistake and a regret. I bowed to not let that happen so take everything 'very' serious when training and correct anything I can immediatly when it happens. We have the few issues know and again mostly because 'everyone' in the household is not following the same guidelines so I have to overcorrect and fix where they have made mistakes. (IE. Someone let Kain up on the table one day and he successfully found food, guess what... Now he wants to jump on the table when he can get away with it. Absoultly NOT going to happen!

So what would I do if Kain jumped up and bit and didn't follow my guidelines is all I can offer take it for what it's worth as I'm not a dog trainer so can only offer what I would do with the knowledge I learnt here, dog whisper, and books from Ceasar Milan etc.

First off - Always stay calm and assertive, this may be hard if he bit you and your scared or not 100% in to the correction with all your body energy he will pick up on this and use it against you. You have to be 100% relaxed! Remember the issue that happened in the dogs mind will be forgot in 2 min's and be your best friend again so you have to live and forget, don't live in the past on previous issues, every event is a new beginning to start over with your dog. STAY CALM, assertive, and in charge.

I would immediately submit him as mentioned above and gain that instant correction, keep in mind you have to know where you stand on this as it could be dangerous, it sounds like you have already succeeded so that is great!

As [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] mentioned above it is equally important to 'earn' his trust at all times not just when you demand it. This has to be demanded for EVERYONE in the family so these practices absolutely have to happen for consistency by everyone all the time not just certain parts of the day.

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency is your key to success.

Some things you can do that will help immediately let him know who is in charge :

1. When you walk outside make him Sit and you walk through first, when the door opens that does NOT mean he can follow, you invite him to come through on YOUR terms when YOU are ready. When you come back into the house, repeat the same method as above and be sure he sits and waits until you give him the OK to come in.

2. When feeding time, establish a process for him to get his food, as the great post above about nothing in life is free taking him for a walk before meal time so he 'works' for his food is a great suggestion.

During feeding time this is what I do :

- Pick up both dishes (one for my Yorkie and one for Kain my bulldog)
- Wash and clean the dishes while he sits at his spot we agreed on for meal time
- Put food in both dishes
- Place the dish for my Yorkie on the floor to start eating (Kain is NOT allowed to go near or even think about being part of it)
- I grab his dish and put a bit of water in it so it's moist and then shake it in front of him, at this point I made him SIT and WAIT, since then i've added an additional step where he has to go in a DOWN position
- I then place his food down on his dish rack
- Look at him, wait approx 10 sec's or so and then allow him with 'OK'

Happy to report the latest addition of DOWN is done with a simple point to the floor and most times he does it on his own knowing it is meal time and that is what he is supposed to do.

Also, if food aggression or any issues with him accepting other family members make THEM feed him so he knows his spot on the chain of command. Everyone of my kids including my 10 year old can repeat the above process with zero issues.

3. Correcting around the house, I'm assuming there is other items around the house that could also be better. If you raise the bar on all things and follow through with the consistency this will REALLY help in showing him who is boss.

Example, while going for a walk - If he pulls ahead stop and make him sit before continuing, If he drags behind walk faster so he meats your pace, if he pulls ahead again change directions... go 'off' the normal trail so he has to pay attention to you, find a area with fence posts and dodge in and out around every other post, make him follow you if he thinks he knows where your going turn and do it backwards etc etc.

If I can think of other items I will add back but the biggest thing is forget about what he may have done in the past that offended you, everyday is a clean slate, stay calm and assertive at all times as should everyone involved in his training.

With consistency you will see results very quickly in the same week. Keep him busy and make him part of your daily routine and he will realize something has changed and he will follow lead.

I hope some of these work for you and I don't come across like I have the answers as that is not my intent. Sometimes I feel like a drill sargent and get critized by my wife that he never has fun but now we look back and are SOOO happy we did what we did with everything from kennel training to house training.

Oh on training, we used clicker training from the time he was young, you can see a video if you search for Vince0099 on youtube, there is also a feeding video there as I described above that needs updating now.

Good Luck!
Vince

[MENTION=5353]JohnS[/MENTION] [MENTION=3114]LoveMyBully82[/MENTION]

 

[Vicaroo1000]

[MENTION=4305]Vince00[/MENTION] - thank you. This is GOOD STUFF. I think folks underestimate the huge VALUE in the "energy" thing / being calm and assertive. I am "mommy first" to my dogs and that soft energy does undermine me. It's been a hard lesson for me to learn and Bo would have benefited GREATLY from being given the same, exact calm/assertive that Bea got in the beginning (as a pup). I used to cut him breaks. "He's a rescue", I told myself. Well, BO DOESN'T KNOW THAT OR CARE! hahahahaha Consequently, Bea is the much better behaved dog with 100% reverence for my authority around here. Bo thinks that he has options sometimes. That is 100% MY FAULT. It's not the dog -- it's the human that is leading him/her.