Dogs view the pack as a hierarchy, and therefore need to know where they fit within the pack. Some dogs are dominant in nature; some are submissive. Dominant dogs may be pushy, and demand your attention by barking at you, or nudging you for attention. Submissive dogs, on the other hand, are more likely to follow your lead and look to you for guidance. Regardless of temperament, every dog benefits from consistency, structure, boundaries, and benevolent leadership.

Dogs are more comfortable when they have confident, kind, and consistent leadership
from all family members. Leaders control access to all things wonderful: food, treats,
balls, toys, affection, and walks. Teaching your dog to work for the things he or she
enjoys is much like teaching a child to “Say Please.”

When you implement this “work to earn” protocol, you’re asking for polite behavior,
and teaching your dog to defer to your guidance. You’re also teaching impulse
control, and helping your dog understand that “good things come to those who wait.”

Good leaders are calm, confident, and fair. The following methods will teach your dog good manners, add structure and stability to his life, and establish you in the leadership role.

1. Teach your dog to “Sit” and “Watch” before going out or coming in any door.
Leaders exit doors and gates first. Bumping into your legs and rushing past you are
rude and dangerous. Once through the door, turn to your dog and tell him “Okay!”

2. Cue your dog to “Sit” or “Down” and “Watch” to earn everything of value; this
includes meals, treats, games, and petting. Games should be initiated and ended by
the handler, not the dog. Do not play tug of war, or any other game that pits the dog’s
strength against you unless your dog will easily and willingly release the object.
Retrieving and hide and seek are great alternatives.

3. Leaders control all social interactions. Leaders decide when to initiate and end play
(toys get put away after playtime). A leader also decides when to give others
attention. It is best to walk away from, or completely ignore nudging, whining,
pawing, or barking for attention. Leaders also control whom the pack meets. Dogs
don’t decide when to greet other dogs/humans. We do!

4. When feeding, place the food down and leave it for about 5 minutes. Cue your
dog to “Sit,” place the bowl on the floor, tell him to “Watch,” and then release him
with an Okay!” If he gets up prior to being released, pick up the food bowl and try
again. Pick up the food after approximately five minutes, and don’t leave it there for
him to eat at a later time.

5. Dogs should not control any spaces in your home. Be careful not to step over the
dog in the house. If he is in the way, he must move. Slowly and gently shuffle your
feet into him and say “Excuse” or “Scoot.” You may also want to barricade access to
stairs since some dogs like to sit on the landing and “survey” their domain.

6. You should be able to touch your dog’s body (tail, paws, back, ears, etc) without
him fidgeting or becoming upset (growling or nipping). Dogs should learn to stand
still for regular grooming sessions, including toenail cutting, brushing, and teeth
cleaning. If your dog shows signs of distress, you can use counter conditioning to
help him enjoy the grooming process.

7. In a dog’s mind, height determines hierarchy. There should be no getting up on
furniture without you. Being on furniture or beds is a privilege. If you do allow your
dog up, then he must wait to be invited up (after a sit). If your dog is allowed to sleep
in your bedroom, he or she should not be on the bed unless there are ZERO serious
behavior concerns, (marking, aggression, separation anxiety). If you allow your dog
to sleep in your room, then provide a crate or comfy bed on the floor. Ideally, dogs
should sleep in a crate away from your sleeping area at night. This is especially true
for dogs that don’t obey or that have problems with separation anxiety.

8. Give your dog several brief, enjoyable obedience sessions daily (5-10 minutes
long). Use positive reinforcement, verbal praise, and keep the session moving.
Introduce fun new tricks and games from time to time in order to keep things fresh
and interesting for your dog. Obedience training is a great way to develop a lifelong
bond based on trust and mutual respect.

9. Practice brief “Down-Stays” frequently—the more the better. This exercise helps
to ground and calm dogs; it also conveys the message that you are leader. The
“down” comes in especially useful during times that your dog is out-of-control or not
paying attention to you. For especially trying dogs, you may need to cue a short 30-
second “down” as many as 10 times per day (initially). If your dog has trouble staying
in position, you can step on the leash until you are ready to release him with “Okay!”

10. Try not to repeat your vocal cues. Every time you do this, you communicate to your
dog that it is okay to ignore you. Naturally, your dog will believe that it is okay to
wait for a second, third, or fourth cue before obeying. Instead, say the cue word once.
If your dog does not respond within two seconds, gently maneuver him or her into
position. Do not say “good” or treat. Rewards must be earned!

11. Commands should be given with in a firm, but calm tone of voice. Try not to raise
your voice at the end of a cue word. If you sound like you are asking, rather than
telling, the answer is likely to be “no.” Likewise, interruptions should be given in a
firm tone of voice, and praise should be offered with a pleasant, higher pitched, happy
tone of voice.

12. Refrain from always giving “free” attention. From time to time, have your dog
“earn” your attention, praise, and affection. This can be as simple as cueing your dog
to “come” to you, and “sit.” Once he comes, you can give him lots of warm verbal
praise, attention, and affection. He will value you and your attention even more when
he must earn it occasionally.

Implement the “Say Please” or “Benevolent Leadership” program as soon as you bring your dog home. Cue your dog to “Sit” or “Down” as a way to “Say Please” for anything he values. By requiring your dog to wait politely for food, toys, balls, attention, walks, you establish yourself as leader of the pack, which means your dog will look to you for guidance. And that, in turn, makes for a more relaxed dog.

The more consistent you and other family members are about implementing the
“rules,” the more quickly your dog will master them. With a little time and patience,
you’ll have a calmer, happier, and more obedient dog. Happy training!