Dominant Dog Behavior

In dogs, the trait of dominance is predominantly attributed to two factors - how the dog is raised and its genetics. You need to understand that dominance is not the same as aggression. While a dog with dominant behavior will show an urge to orchestrate things on his own, an aggressive dog will attack other animals and human beings with no reason whatsoever.

Signs of Dominance

Identifying a dominant dog is not much difficult, especially if you are well versed with the basic traits that a dominant dog tends to showcase. Such traits can be noticed in a dog at very young age, sometimes as young 2 weeks. Given below are some of the most prominent signs of a dominant dog which will help you find out whether your pet dog is dominant or not.

• The dog will make his way through the door before you, and even shove you aside if needed.
• When you attempt to sit on the furniture, the dog will hop onto it before you make your way to it.
• He will display utter reluctance to make way for you to move around or sit on the furniture.
• When you are sitting or standing, he will put his front feet on you and try to paw you.
• Unlike a friendly dog, a dominant dog will deter you from petting on the top of his head or body.
• He will display overenthusiastic behavior and jump on you to reach the plate of food before it is kept within his reach.
• He will not hesitate to bark at you or growl on you when playing or when you are giving some order.
• He will show utter reluctance and refuse to let go of food and toys.
• He will frequently attempt to mouth you, while playing as well as while you resting.
• The dog will mark the house by urinating inside the house, especially on your belongings.

Even though this list of behavioral traits in dominant dog include most of the characteristic traits of a dominant pet, there are other underlying factors which also have to be taken into consideration. In many cases, a dog might show any one of these traits once in a while, but that doesn't qualify for dominant behavior. You will have to observe the behavior of your pet dog for a significant period before opting for various measures to correct it.

How to Correct Dominant Dog Behavior?

A dominant dog is likely to remain dominant forever, unless you inculcate some discipline in him. Some simple measures of dog obedience training can help you in instilling the much-needed discipline in your pet dog. You should always eat before you feed your dog and, at the same time, make sure that your dog knows that you are eating first. Follow a proper feeding schedule, instead of opting for free feeding. You need to also to make sure that the dog is sitting when you offer the food. Do not allow your dog to sit on the furniture or bed without your permission. If the dog continues to try sitting on the bed, it's better off to keep him outside the bedroom. Avoid playing games such as tug of war or wrestling, wherein there is one clear cut winner, and if at all you indulge in such activity, make sure that you win it. Do not reward or pet your dog without any positive reason for doing so. Ideally you should pet your dog only when he obeys your commands. One thing to keep in your mind is that whatever you do, you need to do it in a calm manner, with a non-confrontational approach.

If the dog continues to showcase such dominant dog aggression even after going through this obedience training, you can opt for a penalty. This may include something like keeping your dog away from the family for some time or not giving food at the scheduled time. Make sure that you are not too harsh, but at the same time make sure that you send across the signal properly. You won't notice any obvious changes in your pet the very next day - you will have to be patient with the behavioral correction part. Consistency in dog training will ensure that your pet dog will shed these dominant behavioral traits over the period, and acknowledge that you are the master.