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10 Ways To Become the Alpha Dog In Your Home

By Hope Hammond

10 Ways To Become the Alpha Dog In Your Home

Photo by Show 131/ CC

Courtesy: Phebe77 at Pixabay.com

Are you worried that your pets are slowly taking over? Does your dog bark and behave badly in spite of your commands? Well, you might need to work on being more alpha dog and less underdog. Here are ten ways you can help reestablish a more respectful relationship with your furry friend.

#1 Be in Control of Resources

As the human in the relationship, you are naturally the one who has access to most of the resources. You buy groceries at the store. Turn on the tap for water. You can also open the door to go out. So, you are already in an alpha or 'parent' position with your dog.
However, keeping control of certain resources in the home can help your dog with manners, such as waiting quietly for their food. You should also minimize the amount of human food they have access to and don't feed pets at the table. It's bad for their health and encourages begging.
Side Note: Avoid trying to keep your pet away from food that has already been served in an effort to be more dominant. This can lead to 'resource guarding', a bad habit of growling, barking, and guarding. It may even result in a bite if you try to push your pet away from his dish.

#2 Maintain a Calm, Confidence

Alphas are confident because they know that they are the leader of the pack. There is no need to be aggressive or angry. So, whenever dealing with your pet, especially when giving commands, be calm and collected. Speak with a firm voice and make eye contact. This helps your pet know that you mean business.

#3 Go First

Make a habit of going out the door first when you leave the house. You can also do other things this way, such as making your food and then putting down the dog's dish at mealtime. Being first establishes your position and ensures that the dog is paying attention to your actions. Also waiting to give your dog his food until you are eating keeps him from begging at the table as much.

#4 Establish the Areas You Want to be Dog-Free

Many pet owners have fought with pets over chairs or beds, and even had dogs scratching at the bathroom door! Your furry friends just want to be with you, on a comfortable bed, and don't mind sleeping in a dog pile.
However, it's perfectly normal to want some space for yourself. Start establishing pet-free areas now. If your dog is in them, confidently order them off or out. It may take some repetition, but eventually, they will understand that you don't want them in those areas.

#5 Ignore Bad Behavior

When dogs beg, nip, bark, or generally behave badly, sometimes, the best thing to do is ignore it. This is most effective when you are trying to do something that has the dog's interest, such as getting ready for a nice long walk. If you would like your pet to calmer while you put on the leash, just stand and wait until they calm down. Don't yell, talk to them, or even try to grab them. Just be still until they are still.

#6 Create a Fixed Routine

Animals thrive when they have a fixed schedule. It helps to soothe anxiousness as they know what to expect from day to day. Try to establish a routine for daily walks, meals, and even bedtime. Regularly scheduled walks can also do much to improve efforts at housetraining.

#7 Nip Rough Housing in the Bud Early

It may be cute when puppies bark, crawl all over you, and nip at your fingers. Unfortunately, these can become bad habits in an adult dog. Playing with your pet is a wonderful way to bond and use up some of that excess energy. The problem occurs when your dog starts to bite too hard or jump up on you. Get this under control, so your pet doesn't accidentally hurt someone. Give teething puppies a chew toy to cut their teeth on. Stop playing and ignore a puppy or an adult dog until they calm back down again.

#8 Leash Train Your Pet

Some dogs want to take off as soon as they get outside. However, they are usually attached to a lead and end up pulling you along too! Build good habits with regular leash training. This includes making sure your pet knows that they can't drag you along.
How can you do this? One method is to set up a practice walk with a treat or toy at a short to medium distance. Start walking towards the goal, as soon as your pet pulls, turn around and go back to the starting point. Repeat this practice until your dog picks up on the idea that the leash must remain loose. It can take a lot of practice as this isn't a natural way for dogs to walk. So, be patient.

#9 Keep Up With Training Sessions

Of course, it's useful to keep up with all of your dog's training. Make it a habit for yourself too. Say once a week pick an area that you want to focus on with your pet. Then, set aside some time for a short training session with your pet's favorite treats.

#10 Don't Worry Over It

More and more people are starting to realize that a relationship with your dog doesn't have to be maintained by strict social roles. Dogs aren't always vying for dominance or looking to take over the pack. Sometimes, they only want to have good food, a comfy sleeping spot, and someone warm to snuggle. If you're still working on training or give in every now and then with a snack, it's okay. You haven't irreparably harmed your position in the pack. Your dog will still look up to you for guidance on how to behave.
If you are still having trouble with an untrained dog, it may be time to start some obedience training! The RAPT (Reinforce-Alpha-Positive-Training) method is designed to help lost pet owners find their way into a better relationship with their dogs.

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How To Teach Your Dog To Come

By Hope Hammond

How To Teach Your Dog To Come

Photo by Show 131/ CC

Courtesy: 2843603 At: Pixabay

Taking your pet out for a walk or a visit to the dog park without the leash is a wonderful way to spend time together. Your dog has a chance to roam. You can even play challenging games, like Frisbee. However, there are also times when your best friend manages to slip away from you and get into trouble off-leash. A little obedience training can go far in protecting your pet.

Why Should You Teach the Come Command?

There are so many dangers of being off-leash in the human world. Dogs could accidentally run into traffic and get hit by a car. They could get picked up by another person, who may not have their best interests at heart. Your pet could even get lost and hurt out there...Where you can't help.
The come command is a great way to encourage your dog to return when he or she gets away from you. It's even useful in non-hazardous, but still immediate situations. For instance, you may be looking for your dog in the house and just want to know he or she is okay. Or you could be ready to go on an outing with your pet and want to the dog to come to the front door in a calm manner.
Of course, before you can do any of that you have to start the process of training your dog to come when called.

Training Your Dog To Come

You'll find many different obedience training techniques for this command. But, the most effective ones use positive reinforcement. The key is to get your dog to associate returning to you with good things.
Here's how to get started.

  1. Purchase a long training leash to use for your practice sessions. Some leashes can be up to 20 feet long, or more. This allows you to teach your dog the command at a distance without actually taking the leash off.
  2. Select a high-value treat to give when your dog successfully responds to the obedience training. This could be something that your dog really likes, such as cheese, chicken, beef, or even package treats. Dice the treat into small pieces. You'll be practicing the command over and over again and don't want to give a big treat every single time your pet responds.
  3. Start with the dog just a few feet away from you. Put the leash on and take up the slack so that the dog can wander a little bit, but not far.
  4. Wait until your pet gets distracted by something and wanders away. Call out your dog's name. Keep calling until your pet turns and looks at you. Say, "good," or "yes," and give your pet a small treat as a reward. Repeat this a few times.
  5. Increase the distance your dog can roam by letting some slack out on the training leash. Allow your dog to get distracted again, and call out his name with the word "come". When your dog responds and comes over to you, reward with a treat.
  6. Keep this up, while gradually increasing the distance, until your pet has a good understanding of the command. Eventually, you may want to practice with your dog off the leash in a safe, pet-friendly area.

A Cautionary Note

No dog is too old to learn this trick. As long as you have a strong enough reward available for your pet, even older dogs can learn to come when called. Although, it's best to reserve this command for emergencies or hazardous situations. You don't want your dog to associate it with anything negative, such as going to the vet or getting a bath right afterward.
It's also important to remember that this command won't work all the time, even after you know your dog has the command down. Your dog is a living, breathing, thinking creature with his or her own desires. So, there may always be something so exciting and distracting that your dog won't come back when called.
With regular practice of the command and continued positive reinforcement, the chances of that happening are greatly reduced. So, it still serves as a great item to have in your pet owner's toolbox.

Ways To Maintain the Obedience Training

This is not a command that you can teach to your pet once and forget about until you need it. To make sure the come command is strong, you'll need to test it with your dog at random times. One way to keep your dog interested is by turning it into a game, which only furthers the positive association with this command. Here are a few variations to try out.

Hide and Seek

Have a friend or family member distract your dog while you go hide somewhere in the house. To start, it could just be the next room, but feel free to get creative later on. Once your pupper is good and distracted you can call out his or her name with the come command. Be sure to reward your pet when they do find you with treats, playtime, or plenty of affection.

Distraction Busters

It's also a good idea to build up your dog's tolerance to distractions. Make up a list of things that distract your dog when outside and set up a targeted practice session. For instance, if your dog is always going after the mailman, have a friend pretend to be the mailman putting some letters in the mailbox or through the door slot.
Then, start calling your dog with the come command to get them to come back to you. Practicing with distractions can be time-consuming. So, you'll want to go slowly and start with the least distracting things or people before building up to the biggest distractions.

Ping-Pong Game

If you are trying to train a puppy, this is a fun game to help them learn to come to you when their name is called. You'll also need a friend for this one.
Start by holding your pet back while your friend calls the dog by name in a positive and energetic way. Your friend may even offer a little treat or have a toy that the puppy likes to entice him or her. When the puppy is completely focused on your friend, let go and, hopefully, he or she will run to your friend for playtime. Afterward, switch roles, with your friend holding the puppy back while you call to him or her by name. The puppy should start to associate your calls with your desire for them to come to you, and will also start to recognize their own name through the repetition of it.
Your dog is a smart and vibrant animal. It deserves a full range of obedience training to better interact with you and the rest of the world. If you're looking for better ways to interact with your pet, consider teaching your dog how to socialize through the Reinforce-Alpha-Positive-Training (RAPT) method today.

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4 Ways To Stop Your Itchy Dog From Scratching and Biting Their Skin!

By Hope Hammond

4 Ways To Stop Your Itchy Dog From Scratching and Biting Their Skin!

Photo by Show 131/ CC

Photo by: Katrina_S Pixabay.com

No one wants to watch their itchy dog suffering from and scratching at their skin. All too often it leads to them tearing out their fur and biting the patchy skin until it turns red and raw. These 'hotspots' can take weeks or even months to heal.
Thankfully, there are ways for you to make life a little easier for your pet. But first, you'll need to identify what is making the dog so irritated.

Seasonal Allergies = Dermatitis

Every summer, my dog, Lucy, would develop hotspots and start scratching and biting like crazy at her hindquarters. She suffered terribly from seasonal allergies and the fleas loved her. She was one of the many dogs with allergies to pollen, grass, mold, ragweed, and even trees.
If your dog develops any of the following symptoms in spring, summer, or fall, it's likely that he or she suffers from allergies to:

  • Biting Or Scratching Excessively
  • Rubbing Against Vertical Surfaces and Corners
  • Inflamed Skin
  • Soreness To the Touch
  • Hair Loss
  • Odor Discharge From the Ears
  • Shaking Their Head

Food Allergies Can Show on the Skin

Another issue that causes itching could be food allergies. Although, dogs don't develop these as often. According to Web MD, some of the foods that dogs are most likely to be allergic to include:

  • Pork, Beef, Chicken, Fish, Rabbit, or Lamb
  • Dairy and Egg Products
  • Wheat
  • Soy

If your itchy dog is sensitive to what they're eating, you'll most likely see them licking at their bottom, hind end, or their feet. They may also have other symptoms, such as inflammation, gas, or diarrhea.

Fleas and Ticks Having a Feast

If your itchy dog starts biting in summer or spring, it may not be allergies but a parasite feasting on them. Fleas and ticks can hop up on your furry friend during their daily walk and settle in for the long-term.
Signs of fleas are fairly obvious. You need only sepa is rate their fur to look for the small black specks that are roughly the size of a pinhead. On the other hand, ticks get larger the longer they are attached. They can start out the size of a pinhead and increase to the size of a marble when engorged. If it's a tick, your dog likely limits scratching and biting to one area of their body.

Anxiety Needs an Outlet!

Dogs can also develop anxiety and even express obsessive compulsive-like symptoms. They may have an initial itch or seasonal allergies, but the biting becomes something that they do to relieve anxiety over time. They can even develop these symptoms out of boredom.
You may notice your dog returning to the habit when they become visibly upset, bark a lot, or if you have to leave them alone for long periods of time.

Ways To Stop an Itchy Dog From Scratching!

Now that you know what the cause of an itchy dogy is, let's take a look at some tips and tricks to help stop the scratching and biting.

  1. Address Seasonal and Food Allergies

The simplest way to stop your dog from scratching at allergy affected skin is to start medication. Your veterinarian should be able to recommend several oral and topical treatments that relieve seasonal allergies. If food allergies are the problem, your vet will likely recommend a special diet that doesn't include the trigger ingredient. After a few weeks on the new diet, symptoms should improve.
Also, give your pet frequent baths to remove pollen or mold from their coat. This can keep their reaction down some.

  1. Give Your Dog a Nice Chew Toy or Bone

Anxiety prone and bored dogs just need something to do! If you can get your pet in the habit of using chew toys or chewing on bones, their urge to bite themselves may have a more appropriate outlet. Take your dog to a pet store that allows animals and let them pick out the toy or bone that they like best.
If your dog is food focused, you may also be able to use some KONG chew toys. These are natural rubber objects with small holes that you can place food inside. Your dog works to get the food out of the toy, which can distract him or her from biting and scratching. On a side note, try putting peanut butter inside the toys and freezing them so that the peanut butter is harder to get out. It will make the food part of the toy last a bit longer.

  1. Keep an Itchy Dog Distracted

Beyond toys, you have the power to help keep your itchy dog distracted from biting

Itchy dog at the park
Photo by Show 131/ CC
and scratching. If the issue is related to anxiety or boredom, a lot of that can be worked off via a long walk or a trip to the park a few times a week. Teach your dog new tricks or play catch to help keep their mind challenged.
If there is some separation anxiety going on, you may be able to keep your dog distracted with a food filled chew toy, like the KONG toy, while you're gone. Only put out the toy right before you leave and make sure to put it away when you get home. This is a kind of counter-conditioning that helps the dog associate being alone with receiving a special treat. However, it only works if the dog is still willing to eat when you are gone.

  1. Apply a Bitter Spray to the Area

Sometimes, bitter sprays help keep an itchy dog from biting their skin. This is a useful option for those who are suffering from anxiety, compulsive, or allergy related issues. There is a wide array of options on the market, be sure to speak with your veterinarian before purchasing one. Some are designed for use on furniture and flooring, and others may irritate broken skin.
When you first buy the spray, put a small amount of it on a piece of cloth or a cotton wipe and put it in your dog's mouth. This will help them associate the smell and look of the spray with an unpleasant taste. Don't try to force the dog to keep it in its mouth. Allow them to spit it back out again. In fact, that is the ideal reaction.
If an itchy dog doesn't like the spray, then you should make sure to apply it to the areas of the skin that they tend to bite or scratch according to the instructions on the container.
Scratching and biting are just a few of the many bad habits your dog can pick up. Teach your dog better coping mechanisms and new skills with the techniques available in a free set of Reinforce-Alpha-Positive-Training (RAPT) videos!
 

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