How to teach your dog you are alpha
There are many ways to teach your dog that you are the alpha. One of the most common challenges new dog owners face is their pup's unwillingness to obey commands or listen to any form of discipline. This is not a sign of dominance, but rather demonstrates insecurity and anxiety on behalf of the pup. With proper instruction, patience, and playtime, you will be able to teach your pet that you are in charge without it feeling intimidated by you.
This article will discuss one way in particular: using food deprivation as a training technique.
First, make sure your pet is always well-fed. In fact, you should feed it its normal amount of food as a reward for good behavior throughout the day even if it doesn't listen to the command right away. This way, it will realize that obedience can result in a full belly and treats.
Beginning training with food deprivation is key. This means that you should withhold the dog's dinner for at least two hours before giving it a command or direction to guide it. Your pet will be famished and hungry, so the next time it hears one of your commands, its ears will perk up and pay attention. Although withholding food may seem unfair to you as the owner, it is completely necessary and even fun for the dog.
Use a calm tone of voice when commanding your pet to sit or lie down, but be sure to use an authoritative one too. If you are enthusiastic about training your four-legged friend, then this step will come easily. You can also be creative with the commands it learns, such as having a certain phrase trigger a trick.
Once you have given the command and your pet complies, reward it with a small portion of its dinner or treats. If the food is withheld all day until training time, this will be an exciting treat. Repeat these steps throughout the dog's natural waking hours so that it associates obedience with receiving food.
Finally, end your training sessions on a positive note by rewarding the dog with its dinner. This will avoid any feelings of aggression or anxiety because it does not feel as if you are withholding the food indefinitely. You should still withhold all treats during sleep hours unless you wake up in the middle of the night and it responds to your command in a timely manner.
As you can see, teaching your dog that you are its alpha and pack leader is very simple and straightforward with this method. All dogs crave structure and direction, so they will be happy to follow your lead if you show them with food how good behavior results in tasty treats. With proper training, your dog will eagerly come to you for direction and begin imitating the commands it hears.
Do not fear that withholding its food will make your pet angry or aggressive; instead, use this technique as a way to communicate with each other better. Dogs are instinctively wired to follow whatever pack leader they live with, so simply play by example and become that leader. Good luck with your training!
