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Dogs are not mechanical creatures, however, nor are they humans. Their brains do not work in the same way humans do. They lack human emotion and reasoning, but this is replaced with their own unique abilities that we would not trade for the world. That is what makes animals so special; they differ from humans. Taking the time to learn how they think and what makes them tick will help you successfully communicate with your dog. Give your dog what HE needs, rather than only taking what YOU need from your dog. Those who do for others are in general, happier than those whose only focus is on themselves.
If you had a snake as a pet, you would more likely see the snake as the animal it is and try and give it what it instinctually needed, for example, a hut to hide under. But for some reason, people humanize their dogs, perceive them to have human tenancies, and in doing so, the dog suffers because he does not get his instincts met.
Dogs do not reason, they react. Dogs never premeditate their actions. Meaning, they never think, "I am going to go and bite that mailman today." When a dog is a biter, it is 99% the humans fault for not communicating with the dog properly. There are certain things our fellow canines need to be satisfied and happy, and when they don't get it they react accordingly.
Dogs and animals in general have a universal language, which is, they read one another's energy/emotions. Humans are one of the only species who cannot do this to the extent that other animals can. So, your dog knows you are displeased when you walk into the room because he can feel your anger, not because he knows that chewing up that couch or peeing on the floor was wrong. The only way to make a dog truly understand something is wrong or bad is to catch him the moment he does the deed, or the split second before the deed.
Dogs are pack creatures, and because the alpha member of the pack is shunning him doesn't mean he knows why, just that he recognizes the fact that you're displeased. The slinking behavior is a generalized plea for forgiveness for crossing over boundaries or limitations the pack places on it's subordinates (lower members of the pack), not an acknowledgment of a specific wrongdoing.
Here is an example, if your dog chews something up and in the past you have yelled or corrected him after he has chewed, lets say the trash, your dog now thinks it is bad for that trash to be on the floor. However, if your correction did not come at the right time, your dog may not understand that the act of chewing the trash is also bad. Only that it's bad to have trash on the floor. SO, dog chews trash, sees trash on floor and suddenly... it's BAD and he slinks away or shows signs that he knows you are going to be upset. Yet, he chews the trash again because he does not know CHEWING the trash is bad. Your dog knows you are mad, but unless you caught him in the act, he does not know why. Tip: Don't use his name when correcting him. His name should only be used for positive things.
In order for dogs to successfully live among humans, the humans must be the pack leaders. In the wild, pack leaders do not give affection to lower members of the pack. What they do give are rules the pack must follow, limits to what they can and cannot do and boundaries the pack must not cross. This social structure makes the dog feel safe and secure. When dogs live with humans they experience a human trait called affection. Affection is not a natural part of a dog's world. It's something humans have introduced to the animal. Affection is wonderful and dogs thrive on this human characteristic. However, too many times we give our dogs only affectionate love (the human characteristic) and we over look the most important canine instincts. The things that keep the pack solid and the members secure; the consistent, firm, confident discipline. When a dog is lacking in the latter, they loose their direction, become unstable, confused, insecure and unhappy. The lower dogs look to the pack leader for guidance and direction. Their instincts tell them that without a strong, consistent pack leader, they will not survive. Therefore, it is instinct for a dog to try to take over if they do not see you as a consistent strong leader.
Note: do not confuse excitement in a dog for happiness. Another way we humanize a dog's behavior. A dog who runs around very excited is more lacking in mental and physical exercise and in most cases leadership as well. Dogs cannot speak words, so they are unable to tell us what they really need.
Dogs also need to be taken on daily walks. As the famous dog psychologist, Cesar Millan says, "By nature, birds fly, fish swim, and dogs walk." For a dog, walking is a migration instinct. Packs walk to find food. The leader leads the way, the lower members happily follow. Taking a dog for a walk is not only for exercise, but for the mental fulfillment of your dogs instincts. Running around your backyard, playing with another dog, chasing a ball, or taking your dog to the dog park is not going to satisfy this instinct.
The biggest mistake dog owners make is that they forget dogs are animals. We humanize dogs, as it pleases the human inside us to do so. Too many times we humans use dogs to satisfy our own needs, and overlook the fact that our fellow canines, what we call man's best friend, have their own needs. They do not think about what the "animal" in their dog needs. Dogs help people, and it's high time people start helping the dogs by taking a step back and seeing it is an animal. Learning what the animal needs and giving it to them. Then, and only then, can we also be our dogs best friend.
"We adopted Miss Piggy as a puppy from a breeder. I drove four hours one way, extremely sick to get this dog for my husband for his birthday. We have been married ten years and he has always wanted a bulldog. I found her and knew we had to have her. Every bulldog we'd ever seen was white or brindle. She is red. Miss Piggy is ten months old. She is the alpha in our house, all the dogs listen to her. She is the boss and is extremely stubborn. She loves everyone. Her best friend is Gabe our blue nine month old pit bull. They are about the same age and were raised together. I am currently reading Cesar's book, 'Be a Pack Leader.' I definitely need this with this girl. She knows she's the boss of even the people. She uses her weight to knock things out of her way. She is a spoiled princess. I know we caused it. It took us so long to get a bulldog. We spoiled her rotten. She has had so many health issues already. She has had two cherry eye surgeries on the same eye, and needs another one. She has skin issues as well. She is hard to get a pic of, she is always running around playing with a ball. She is such a joy to have in our home. There is nothing like slobbery bulldog kisses. I love to smoosy her wrinkles. She loves to have her belly rubbed and her butt scratched. She loves to play fetch and chasing balls around the house. She is just a big bundle of love."
"Ferris is a pure-breed Jack Russell Terrier and Charlie is a terrier mix. They are both rescue dogs. Ferris is a perfect example of a Jack Russell Terrier. He is spirited, loving, and extremely intelligent. Charlie has a few immune system problems and has a chronic skin condition. They are the ying-and-yang of dogs. Ferris gets plenty of exercise. I walk him and I am working on teaching him to run along side me while on my bike. Charlie is getting used to being a dog. He was in a cage for over two years at a no-kill animal shelter. He did well crate training and learning to walk on a leash...or to walk at all. Caesar Millan's show has been really helpful. I used to let Ferris do whatever he wanted. I have learned to be a pack leader for both my sanity and his." |
