Ways to Assert Yourself as a Pack Leader

Assert yourself as pack leader to encourage your dog to trust and respect you. In the wild a pack of wolves will look to an alpha dog for leadership and protection. If your dog does not see you as the leader of the pack or family, it will attempt to take on this role itself, which can have disastrous consequences. A dog that sees itself as the pack leader can become aggressive and difficult to control. Ensure your dog stays balanced by practicing the recommended techniques.

  1. Food and Affection

    • Make your dog sit and wait before giving food or affection. Feed the dog after the family has eaten as pack leaders always eat first. Tell all members of the family that it is not appropriate to feed the dog scraps from the table during meal times.

    Walk Correctly

    • Position yourself slightly in front of your dog when taking it on its daily walk. Wait for your dog to become calm before you set off on the walk. Always step out of the house before the dog and ensure the dog is the last member of the family to enter the house after an outing. Avoid keeping tension on the leash as this will encourage the dog to pull forward, instead hold it down by your side but give a quick sideways tug if the dog attempts to pull or walk in front.

    Higher Positions

    • Do not allow your dog to jump up on furniture or sleep on your bed as these are positions of dominance that should be reserved for the pack leaders. If you own a small dog do not pick it up unless it is in a calm state. Ignore the dog if it is barking at you because it wants to be held. If your dog barks or snaps at others while you are holding it, put it down on the floor immediately and say "no" in a firm tone.

    Calm and Assertive

    • Maintain a calm, confident state of mind when you are around the dog, as it will see anxiety or anger as weak energy. Take a moment to calm yourself before entering the home after a stressful day at work. Take a deep breath, hold it for a moment and then release. Imagine any stress or fear melting out of you. Enter the house feeling calm and assertive.

    Training

    • Take your dog to obedience training classes because this can help to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. Training will also encourage the dog to look to you for direction in different situations.