It’s A Dog’s Life—

Dogs That Do Not Live Up To Owner’s Expectations

By Mary Jane Anderson

For a dog owner, basic dog obedience is learning to work with their dogs to correct behavior problems, big or small. When people decide to have a dog, they have already preconceived what they want from their dog, whether they have been reminded of a family pet they fondly remember or their other dog that died or even the well-behaved friend’s dog.

Too many times, however, the dog they purchased does not stand up to their expectations. A common complaint is, “This dog is driving me nuts! None of my other dogs ever caused me so much trouble.” The common question is “Why?” The answer lies in the fact that each dog is unique with its own personality. There are no dogs or humans that are identical. Sure, there are similarities, but each dog is an individual and must be treated as such.

This is why when training our dog to do specific tasks, each dog will handle it differently. Some dogs are more inclined to accept your control without much difficulty (submissive dog) while there is the other dog that will resist our authority (dominate dog).

Dogs are animals, dogs do what animals do — not what humans do. Dogs must be educated by their masters to behave in a society of humans, which means Good Manners. There are two important rules that must be followed when you have a dog.

First, you must realistically set the rules of the house for the dog or puppy to follow. The only way to accomplish this is to present yourself as the leader of the pack. In the pack of dogs, similar to their ancestors, there must be a leader to follow the owner. The “Alpha” male or “Alpha” female rules the pack, determining acceptable or unacceptable behavior in the society. Dogs are always looking for an opportunity to advance their social status in the same way as humans looking for a higher ranking position in business.

The Alpha dog keeps an orderly life in the pack as well as being a peacemaker. He or she knows how to disciple a troublemaker and does not bully through body language; speaking with great authority without any signs of aggressiveness, the Alpha controls the day-to-day activities of the pack.

Dogs, whether a puppy 6 weeks old or a second-hand dog 6 years old, are ingrained in canine social order. In a family structure, which the dog quickly analyzes, the dog looks for the Alpha of the pack. And the dog will take the opportunity to advance to leadership if there is not a clear, defined leader in the house. Such a dog, small or big, will become a menace, bossing all the people around at his or her beck and call. The dog will have the best seat in the house as well as giving you possibly a small portion of the bed at night.

Remember, there is no magical formula to produce a well-behaved dog in today’s society. Many dogs are bought for companionship and love but unfortunately, the needed personal time and effort to produce a well-balanced dog in mind and body are too often begotten. Unfortunately, the old belief that dogs only need food, water, and allowed to run free for exercise will prove fatal for the dog of today. Therefore, personal time is needed to produce a well-balanced dog that the owner is proud of and is a wonderful companion.