Why Training Your Dog to Obey Isn't Cruel

If you are like many dog owners, and I'm guilty too, we spoil our dogs. That's especially true with smaller dogs. It may be because they are cute or we can dress them in adorable coats or collars. But whatever the reason, we may be doing our dogs and ourselves a disservice.

I don't mean, don't buy adorable clothes, I mean we need to respect the true nature of our pets. I learned this the hard way. When I spoiled my lhasa apso, I wasn't asking for Shaunessey to behave. I never realized how confusing and upsetting this was for him.

Lhasa apsos are a very stubborn temperamental breed of dog. They are affectionate, intelligent and good at following directions. I unfortunately did not give the proper directions to Shaunessey.

Dogs are pack animals. In nature this means they live in a group system with one dog being the alpha dog and the rest followers. When a dog comes to live in your home, you need to establish yourself as the alpha or leader for the pack. This sounds silly to many of us.

We want our dogs to love us. What we fail to understand is dogs don't have the same feelings as people. Dogs respect the alpha dog of their pack. The alpha dog determines the rules and the behavior of the group. The limits and boundaries established by the alpha dog leads to secure feelings and respect from the follower dogs. As the owner and alpha dog, you are able to control and manage your dog's behavior.

If you fail to manage your dog's behavior, your dog following his or her instincts must take over as leader or alpha dog in your home. As a pet owner you're probably familiar with many of the common dog behavior problems: excessive barking, accidents inside the house, whining, not following instructions, running away and generally acting bad.

By not accepting the role of alpha dog or leader for your dog you can also cause separation anxiety in your dog. How does this happen? Well, in pack behavior the leader can leave, but not the followers. If your dog has taken over as alpha dog in your home and you leave to do an errand or go to work, your dog can be so upset he or she will often destroy your home.

Shaunnessey unfortunately took over in our home as alpha dog because I failed to establish myself as the alpha dog or leader. This made for some very messy homecomings. Wastebaskets were overturned, pillows pulled off sofas, and other acts of misbehavior were common. It became more and more of a problem as time went on.

It took a dog trainer several months to help me regain control of Shaunnessey's behavior. With training I was able to establish rules for Shaunnessey to follow. Was it easy? No, it was very difficult. I felt mean, cruel and horrible.

The trainer gave me a very useful book. I would strongly recommend this book, "Teach Your Dog 100 English Words" for all dog owners by renowned dog trainer Michelle Welton.

In hindsight there were some signs I did not recognize. When Shaunnessey was always leaning on me or touching me, it was not a sign of love. It was Shaunnessey nudging me as the alpha dog. In the world of dogs, space means respect. Shaunnessey was establishing his domination over me as the alpha dog.

Michelle's book is available online and can be immediately downloaded. Michelle's skill and experience in dog training is well documented. This book is available online immediately for download. The cost is under $20 at this time.

When Shaunnessey started to follow directions the training seemed to pay off. I could go to work without wondering or worrying how the house would look on my return. Shaunnessey would go for a walk and I wouldn't think of his jerking on the leash or running away. The training was good for both of us.