Why is it that some people have friendly and social dogs and other people seem to have dogs that constantly react to every passerby? The answer is not always genetics, breeding or past experiences, although they can have some say in it. In fact, the biggest effect on our dogs behaviour is the social position that owners put them in, and here’s why.

Owners treat their dogs like humans and not like dogs – from the time the domestication process from wolf to dog began thousands of years ago we have had an intimate relationship with man’s best friend. Since then dogs have been bred to work alongside of us and do lots of different jobs, from guarding, hunting, retrieving to even keeping us warm, and that’s why we have a multiplicity of different looking breeds today. It is only over the last 100 or so years that dogs have generally left the working arena and have took up the role as pets, the extra addition to the family. The shift from one position to another could not be starker for the dog, the only thing is the innate mind set and instinctual thinking has not made that leap yet. For a dog to feel satisfied and be happy they must be allowed to do what it was they were originally bred for, in part at least, and that is to have quality time off lead whilst engaging with their owners in the form of following various commands as well as play. That way our dog will pay more attention to us and naturally be more obedient.

Dogs live in a hierarchy in their own mind – unlike you your dog has the mind that perceives its world in the way a wild animal does in order for it to survive. That means it acts on its natural instincts to follow someone who presents themselves as a leader figure because that way they are more likely to be safe, to eat and to survive. The thing is we know that we are providing all of these things for our dogs and have got their back covered in that way, but our dog does not know that and instinctively continue to look for a leader. If they feel that they have no sound leadership in their life they naturally take on the role as Alpha themselves, and that can lead to an insecure dog with behavioural issues.

Dogs make terrible leaders in the human world – because dogs and humans do not think alike a dog can never ever be good leader in the human world. For example, they do not understand the postman is just dropping off the mail, the person walking past the house isn’t a threat, or the window cleaner is doing just that. If the dog assumes the position as the one in charge, the Alpha, it is because the owner has not set down rules for them to follow and enforced them. That makes the dog appear as both neurotic and naughty, as they attempt to guard themselves, the owner and the household from every danger, a job which they do really badly when not taught how to do so. Rules and leadership are essential for dogs to feel secure.

For further information on how to overcome this type of problem, or any other, please get in touch on 07926 911825 to arrange your free 15-minute consultation. You can also reach me by filling out the Online Contact Form.