“How do I become the Pack Leader?” is one of the most frequent questions I get asked. 

You can't  leave it up to your dog because there's always the chance that your dog will get it wrong and make a big mistake!

You need to understand that the following means nothing to a dog in order to become the pack leader….

They don't care what car you drive, how much money you earn, what language you speak! or the size of the house they live in...

Understand that your dog would happily swap all of that for a nice snack!

Being a pack leader is more than just asking your dog to sit before they eat their dinner! 

Lastly - Using physical strength to train your dog or trying to dominate your dog is certainly not the way to become the pack leader in fact this can back fire badly on you later on if you teach your dog that physical strength is what it is all about. You may be able to force your dog into submission, however, this will not convince your dog that you are worthy of being the pack leader... the only thing that this kind of training will do is convince your dog that you are a bully.

Read on if you'd like to know how to become the pack leader the gentle and respectful way...

 Regardless of breed or size, all dogs worldwide establish who is the pack leader the same way. The best way to learn how to put it into practice is to watch it being done on video and you can do this through watching on of the on line dog training videos  The important areas to take control in are the following:

The pack leader must be in control and totally calm when your dog barks and alerts you to danger. Including anything that your dog may perceive as dangerous and causes your dog to bark at in and around your property

To be the pack leader on a walk, your dog should not pull you at any stage throughout the walk, especially not at the beginning.

Learning to walk your dog properly is best seen on video, this is the best way to really learn the technique, watch and use the same method on your next walk.

Being a real pack leader means that  your dog should be able to relax and switch off completely when inside the house.

If your dog is nearly always on guard and unable to relax then he is performing the duty of a pack leader! And he'll be a very anxious dog.

Your dog should be able to relax switch off, but that is directly connected to how you meet and greet your dog after your return home.

You'll notice the subtle difference when you see it on video, between being the pack leader or the follower.

Lastly, Feed time... There is a lot more to feeding your dog correctly that will establish who is the pack leader than just asking your dog to sit!

If your dog is “not food motivated” then you may be in for a surprise!

I've found a site that shows you, on video -  exactly how to become the pack leader and how absolutely important it is to changing any behavioral issues your dog may have.

If you'd like to know more and get a better understanding about what makes you the Pack Leader and other topics, see the videos that explain everything, they're easy to follow. 

Take a look at The Online Dog Trainer here... http://Koolco1.doggyd4n.hop.clickbank.net

Can you relate to this? You're out for a walk with your dog, you're relaxed and enjoying your walk, when you see another dog coming towards you... 

...your heart starts to race, because you know how your lovely but very dominant dog is going to react, with aggression, pulling and barking like mad, it's embarrassing and frightening at the same time.

You don't know how the other dog will react, or the owner!

Even though both dogs are on a leash, if the other dog gets too close it will set your dog off, you know you're going to be in for another unpleasant encounter.

Your dog starts barking and snarling, pulling you off your feet.

You try to find an escape route, but it's too late, your dog is in full Dominant dog mode.

You've tried everything from tugging on the lead, yelling at the dog, you even tired a different harness collar and lead, distracting them with treats but nothing worked.

It turns a beautiful relaxing walk into a nightmare! and you don't get a chance to chat to people on your walk because your dog is so anti social.

Where did it all go wrong?  You've almost given up hope.

The thing that dog owners and trainers need to understand is that if the dog has been getting the wrong message at home, it's too late when you see another dog coming down the street to turn it around.

Here's the thing... dogs are not as complicated as humans, they don't care about the size of the T.V. or a faster car, or a luxurious holiday, they may be intelligent but they are also simple animals, dogs are all about SURVIVAL Full Stop. This means protecting their property and the pack, especially when they are outside the home.

If you think about this, they are pack animals and they only understand leaders and followers, as leaders they decide what is dangerous and take the initiative to protect the pack.

So your dog thinks it's the pack leader and sees another strange dog approaching, they will show their pack leaders skills by walking right up to the other dog, head up, chest out, tail up, growling and barking in an attempt to get the other dog to back down.

And that's when all hell breaks loose.

But don't blame the dog, what started this was you giving them the message that they were the pack leader in the first place!

That they were in charge in your home...

This is where I found Doggy Dan's training method so helpful.

He really understands how your dog thinks and he's able to help you to show your dog that YOU are the pack leader. And the on line site shows you how simple this is to do.

Dan even offers YOU a 3 Day $1 trial of the site that you can take advantage of. The really nice part is that everything he does is done in such a kind and gentle way. He simply uses 5 Golden Rules.

 Click Here to Get Started

Wait till you see how Doggy Dan's pack act around other dogs they don't overplay their role because they all know that he is the pack leader and so they can relax..  Now every dog is different, some can be more dominant than others, some will be more submissive.

But as long as YOU are the pack leader, it won't matter what type your dog is, that's the secret. Once this is established, you'll find training will be so much easier.

You'll find you'll only need a gentle word of warning, a slight pull of their lead or a food treat distraction will work really well.

It's not to say that the training techniques you are using at present aren't good, but with no strong foundation, they just won't work for you.

In Summary: Once the other dog shows up, you're dog is not going to take any notice of you because they have bigger things to worry about. Like protecting their pack (which is you)

So, YOU need to become the pack leader to turn  it around. Doggy Dan has given me some great training tricks to pass on to you, if you follow these you'll have a calmer dog when the other dog approaches.

Check them out...

But remember, the foundation of YOU as pack leader HAS to be in place first.

• Food distractions:  If you dog loves food, this approach can work well, the key though is to use the food as a distraction, not a reward!
• Don't reward the dog after it has lunged towards the other dog.
• Use food they wouldn't normally have as often, such as cheese or chicken, don't use their normal biscuits.
• Take it slowly:  ​Remember it takes time, so be patient, you can't expect miracles overnight. Unless you've just put the pack leader rules in place!
• Going slow can build their confidence, if you push forward too fast, that's when things can go wrong.
•  Master the walk:  You need to make sure that you've mastered the walk before you meet the other dog, you may need to look at a different collar, other than a flat collar, the chest harness is easier to control some dogs with.
• Stay focused on what you want: Don't get sucked in to following our dog's behaviour, remember you need to continue to show them exactly  how you want them to behave
• Be ready to step in:  Stay focused on the best results but ready to gently tug or guide your dog away  to correct them.

Remember to relax immediately afterwards, dogs sense your tension.

The thing I love about this method is that it works with your dogs instincts. For instance, we know that it is natural in the dog world for one dog to be above the other in a pack, you can't change that in a dog's behaviour.

But if you position yourself as the top dog in the pack, they will be less  likely to become overly protective, tense, aggressive and dominant and take things too far.

Take a look at look at this great video of two dogs playing at being dominant and submissive.

​

If you're ready to take control back from your dog and become the gentle and kind pack leader they are looking for then get your 3 day $1 trial and take a look around this amazing site, I think you'll LOOVE Doggy Dan's method of Training.

​ Click Here To Get Started Today:

​P.S. Remember that leaving it till the other dog is approaching is too late, get help for your dog now and sort out the problem so you can turn things around, your dog is just waiting for you to give him the right message.

That can often result in injuries to other pets and humans...

What is the cause of this behavior?

Well, it can often be found in dogs who've been rescued and have suffered neglect, or it can often show up in dogs that haven't had the proper training foundation in place.

Keep reading to learn what you can do to make sure your dog doesn't develop this dangerous behavior.

What Is Food Aggression?

Food aggression is simply the dog aggressively lashing out toward a human or another animal when food is present.

Other characteristics of food aggression can include the following:

Growling if you or another animal gets too close to your dog’s food bowl.

Stalking you for food.

Lashing out at humans or other dogs and biting, or attacking if they come between the dog and their food.

Guarding their food - even when they are not eating it.

Dogs with Food Aggression will show various levels of behavioral issues - from growling to biting but all should be taken very seriously.

What Causes Dogs To Have Food Aggression?

As previously mentioned, rescue dogs can often suffer from this behavioural problem... due to the past neglect they have suffered.

The reason: dogs who have been neglected have to fight to survive.

It's sad, but you can't blame the dog for this, if a "fight or die " instinct has been triggered, the dog will do almost anything to make sure they don't lose out on their next meal.

I'm sure the same would apply to humans, if your family was starving and food suddenly appeared on the street, and there were other humans trying to take it away from your family, you would try your best to keep it.

But, there is another little understood but very common reason why a dog might become aggressive towards his food and that is because he thinks he is in charge, he thinks he is the leader of the pack.

The more your dog thinks he is the boss, the more he will think that he controls his food as well. Quite often he will want to eat before anyone else, including you!

This goes back to wild dog packs, and it still exists in wolf packs to this day.

​The strongest wolves would be the boss, saying who will eat what and when they will eat. They will usually eat first and feed their young first.

Think about when humans eat at the dinner table, if they have guests they always serve the "visitors" first, because our table manners dictate that the visitor is important and should be fed first.

But dogs think differently to us, the dog with Food Aggression won't like anyone getting in the way of him and his food.

How to Fix Dangerous Food Aggression Behaviors

If you have small children or other pets, you must address the serious issue of Food aggression in your home... I'm going to give you a few techniques to teach your dog to relax at meal time and so that they don't feel the need to vigorously protect their meals.

Technique Number 1- Stick to a Feeding Schedule

Having a routine is very important to dogs especially if they have just been rescued and have suffered neglect.

Dogs are incredibly smart, so they are able to tune in on patterns.

Dogs generally know what time to go out in the morning, what time their walk will be during the day, what time their owners go to work and come home.

It’s almost like a sixth sense.

So it's no surprise that they key into their feed times, if they are fed on the same schedule each day.

For this reason you must be consistent!  - Pick a time every day to feed and stick to it.

In sticking to a routine it will help your dog relax and have less anxiety at meal time.

Here's a good example. I once worked at a doggy day-care centre, where there was a huge pack of dogs of all breeds.

One of the dogs that I loved very much, called Demo, arrived one day really out of sorts, no one knew why.

He was very grumpy, his energy was low, he got into a fight in the afternoon. I asked his owners what was wrong with him when they came to collect him and they said, "Oh, we forgot to feed him this morning".

I am positive this was a contributing factor! In our family, when we are hungry and become angry we call it “hangry.” And I believe it’s the same with dogs…A dog with a full belly is a happy dog!

Technique Number 2 – Supplement Your Dog’s Diet throughout the Day

Monitoring your dogs diet every day is very important so that they don't gain excess weight, having said that, if your dog has stress-or anxiety-related food aggression issues, it might help to supplement his meals, so that he knows he will be continually fed.

There is a simple logic here...

Keep your dog’s belly full so he doesn’t stress about food. Your dog will learn to look to you for food and will associate you with food in a positive way at the same time.

The healthy way to do this is to break your dog’s normal-sized breakfast and dinner into 4-6 smaller meals.

There's a trick you can use if you use dry food is to soak it overnight so it swells to a much larger volume. This gives your dog the perception that there is a lot more food being offered and they feel fuller.

Following this regime will mean you can feed your dog several times per day without overfeeding them. You can also include rewards that you give them throughout the day during training.

Once your dog understands you’ll provide food for him every day and  gets comfortable  with that you can cut back on the number of mini meals and get back on to a normal feeding regime.

Technique Number 3 – Training the sit and wait command

When Training your dog or puppy to sit and wait for their food  it calms their mind and their body.

Take a look at this short video showing you how you can do this with younger puppies. It’s taken from inside ‘Project Moses’ the video diary of my puppy Moses when he was 14 weeks of age.

Technique Number 4 – Don't leave their food down

This is one of the biggest mistakes that I see people doing, they leave the dogs food down. This is not a good idea for a number of reasons.

1. It's not healthy to leave the food down, especially in the warmer weather when it can attract flies and other unwanted animals and  pests, plus it smells awful!

2. A dogs digestive system is not designed to graze all day long, like cows.  Dogs are animals who eat much larger meals quickly a couple of times each day. (Pups can often eat up to 4 or 5 times a day when very young)

3. The dog will get the wrong message if the food is left down all day, this tells them that they are in charge, not you. This creates a dog who makes his own decisions, is less likely to listen to you and may even ignore you.

So If your dog is not eating the food, pick it up.

Technique Number 5 – Establish yourself as the provider

This final technique is the most important—establishing yourself as the provider and the one in charge.

This part is crucial because dogs who think they are in charge are always going to try to control the food and they will be unpredictable…

This can be very dangerous, especially when other dogs or young children are around when it's feeding time, dogs with food aggression issues simply think that they are the "Pack Leaders" they think they are the ones in charge!

A dog with this mindset, is more likely to get cranky and lash out if they think someone is trying to steal their meal.

Here's the good news…

It’s not hard to establish yourself as the leader in a kind, gentle way. All you need is a little time and patience.

I've found one of the easiest ways to reassure your dog that you are the provider is to always eat your meals first before you feed your dog.

When you finish your meal, eat the last bit over their bowl, to show them that you always eat first. In your dog's eyes, this means YOU are the one in charge and they will understand and get the message.  

Your dog will soon understand that you are the provider then everything else falls into place…

Sticking with this routine, will change the whole relationship with your dog for the better. It’s something I’ve helped tens of thousands of people establish with their dogs and it’s what I am totally passionate about.

If you’re interested in finding out more, check out The Dog Calming Code.

In this program, you'll get step-by-step instructions on how to establish yourself as the "Pack Leader", the one in charge or the decision maker. The knock on effect of this is that your dog will relax and focus on you so much more and you'll end up with a more responsive dog who is easier to train!

Next: Steps to Helping Resolve Your Dog’s Food Aggression Issues

To re-cap - Food aggression is a very serious issue that can result in serious injury to other dogs and people.

Is your dog exhibiting signs of food aggression? If so you need to be sure to...

1. Put a comprehensive training program in place—like The Dog Calming Code.
2. Keep kids and other pets away from your dog while he eats.
3. Ensure your dog feels safe while eating meals.

If you'd like to know how to make your dog feel safe while eating, I've put together a FREE guide on 3 ways you can help your dog feel safe during mealtimes.

↓Download the FREE guide here!

​Best wishes as you work with your pup.

Cheers,

~Doggy Dan

​Believe me this mistake is far too serious and too common to ignore.

I'm going to share an email I received yesterday with you because it's just too important and typical of what happens when people get a puppy and aren't aware of this... plus this will save you a lot of heartache and money wasted...

All around the world, thousands and thousands of people are getting new puppies every day and enrolling them in puppy school, or a puppy training class, thinking they are doing the right thing.

They could even progress to dog obedience later on thinking that they are going to end up with an obedient well trained dog that is safe and under their control.

They've spent hundreds of dollars and hours of their time in hope of achieving that...

Would you be shocked to know that they have wasted their money and that sending them to Puppy School or Dog Obedience doesn't mean they will achieve this? 

What they will learn at obedience school is how to teach their dogs to follow commands in a sterile environment. Yes they will get some socialisation if done correctly, but what is often overlooked is the really important information.

The number one, most important thing for them to learn first is that YOU are the Pack Leader, this is crucial to prevent serious issues as your puppy grows up.

Understanding how to become and remain the Pack Leader and PREVENT serious issues as your puppy grows up is fundamental.

This will ensure that your training will work while they are puppies and continue to work as they grow up.

Now back to the email I received...

​from a lovely lady who unfortunately spend hundreds of dollars and many hours at puppy training, and is now seeking help, it's a classic example of what happens every single day. She has spent close to $500 and she is left with several serious issues which she now needs help with.

Her dog is growling, barking, nipping her to get attention, is fixated, can't relax and follows her everywhere so that she doesn't get any peace.

 So what is the point of puppy  pre-school and puppy training if all they learn is sit and stay?

Here is the email she sent in...

Hi There,

For my 30th birthday last year I got a little puppy who, for the most part, has been well behaved.

She has done a couple of puppy schools and training classes where she did very well and showed she was a quick learner.

However, over the last few months (she is now 1 and a quarter) her behavior has been getting worse.

Here is a list of her issues at the moment: - Barking & growling.

She is constantly growling out the windows at nothing in particular, anything can set her off - birds, the neighbors chickens, people next door, trees moving, rustling in the bush, dogs down on the beach, kids toys on the lawn next door and imaginary things.

Once she starts barking she seems to get fixated on it. This is her biggest problem and it is so frustrating not only to us but I am sure to the neighbors as well.

As well as barking at things outside, when she wants attention she will growl/bark/nip at me (only does this with mainly me, sometimes other family members. Is very cuddly at the park with other people). -

She is unable to occupy herself and is constantly following me around.

She does not seem to know how to relax and chill out. - Because of her barking, we can't leave her outside by herself, as she will just bark non-stop.

She has a sweet personality but the barking and attention seeking is very draining and I would like to be able to enjoy having her around again and I am sure she would be happier if she were more independent and relaxed.

Do you think you would be able to suggest someone to come and help us get our lovely little girl back?” Thanks Christine W and Poppy

Very sad, when you think that it could have all been prevented and saved her all the stress, time and money if she had only known about Dan's training in the first place.

No one explained to the puppies owner the importance of becoming the Pack Leader because as always this is the real cause of the problems.

Nipping, Barking, following the owner around, not settling, are all symptoms of a dog that thinks that it has to be the Pack Leader to protect the property.

And the dog will follow you around to protect you, much the same as a mum will follow her children to protect them.

It all comes down to YOU becoming the Pack Leader so that your puppy can switch off and relax because you are now in charge.

Puppy training to follow commands is fun and so it should be, your puppy needs to learn these skills but it shouldn't be the only thing you focus on.

Gaining you dogs respect is vital, you really need to understand that, so that they will listen to your commands even when they are fully grown. Keeping  them safe when it really matters.

One of the best sites I have found to learn these skills to help your dog is Doggy Dan's Video Website - The On line Dog Trainer...

Watch Dan raising his very cute puppy, Moses, from 8 weeks of age right through to 8 months and beyond, it's full of training hints.

 On his site he covers  all dog training and dog behavioural problems.

AND right now, Dan offers a 3 Day $1 trial of the site that you can take advantage of.

Go and take a look for yourself, you will really enjoy his method of training, it's not hard at all and he cover the REALLY important topics on raising a puppy effectively.

It's a video diary of an amazing puppy who has turned out to be a fantastic dog.

Follow his lead, (pardon the pun) don't wait until you have problems with your dog, save yourself the stress and the cost of having to re-train when problems develop later on.

It's true that prevention is better than cure!

Sign up for  Doggy Dan's 3 Day $1 Trial of the Online Dog Trainer. You'll LOOVE it!

It's the complete dog and puppy training website where you can get it right the first time around.

CLICK HERE: To get access straight away! 

Wondering how to raise the "Perfect" Dog?

Get all the answers here... Doggy Dan's On Line Dog Training.

Watch the movie below for FREE tips!

Turn Your Puppy Into The Perfect Dog.

How do you raise the perfect dog?

We all want the perfect dog, but it's a bit like saying, is there a perfect human?

I guess you know the answer is No...

However, I must say there are some really good people out there and some awesome dogs too.

So... What's the trick you ask?

Here's my best advice... before you start stressing out about puppy school and learning the usual tricks like high fives, commando crawls and roly polies, ask you self this honest question...

Do you want your dream dog to be a performing monkey? that's on show for visitors when they come, so they can comment on how cool that is? How clever your dog is, asking you how you trained him to do that?

We spend so much time on simple commands while we forget the important stuff, so the next time your visitors come you may be warning them of things like, " Don't go near him when he's eating", or "Don't pat him on the head", or "Watch the children don't go near his toys"!

Isn't this insane? We get so busy teaching them commands like "sit" and "stay" and we forget about the really important things, we often don't think about these things until it's too late.

The reason for this is that most dog trainers are stuck doing what everyone else is doing, training commands like, "sit", "down" and "stay". They don't think any further than that, they are just following what everyone else is doing - like sheep. And no one is questioning it.

I want you to think about this, dogs are not euthanized because they didn't sit properly or they were too slow to pick up the "down" or "stay" command.

No, of course not, people don't really care about that stuff, and sadly that's all that's taught at puppy school, but the fact is that more dogs are put down because of Aggression, barking, challenging and growling at visitors, aggressive behaviour to owners, visitors and children.

  It's so sad, when they could have been helped.

Nothing is more frightening and dangerous than a dog that is out of control. A dog that pulls on the leash and who ignores you when they are off leash. This is so dangerous  not just for your dog but for cars, and other dogs or people who get in their way.

here are very few trainers out there who can show you how to prevent this, I suspect it's because they don't understand it themselves.

Here's  a list of the Five things people see as the "Perfect Dog"

1. Calm around all dogs and other animals

2. Friendly to all people including children

3. Obedient and Relaxed around the home

4. Excels at coming when called at the park

5. Perfect when walking  in public on the leash

Hhmmm… I can hear you saying…. You’ve got a point there!  So how on earth do we achieve it?

Well I've got good news...  it's not complicated.

Well I should say,  it's not complicated or tricky anymore...

Thanks to Doggy Dan’s The Online Dog Trainer video website 

You'll see when you watch Dan's videos, he even offers a 3 Day $1 trial of the site

I suggest you take advantage of it so you can see for yourself the most amazing collection of videos showing you exactly how to achieve this kind of 'perfect' dog.

Doggy Dan will show you through the video diary of 8 week old puppy Moses, guiding you through every stage of achieving all the things I've just mentioned.

 You'll see the entire year of filming where Doggy Dan shows you his puppy growing  and the series of lessons each week that need to be learned at that particular stage of the puppy's life.

You will be able to copy the lessons in the video so that you can train your puppy at exactly the right time, to ensure problems don't manifest later on.

And don't worry, the site caters for all types of problems that you may encounter even when your dog is fully grown.

You'll see In-depth sections on health, food, behaviour and training . Doggy Dan’s site is truly Awesome with over 250 videos inside.

You'll learn exactly how to achieve those 5 important behaviours I mentioned earlier... and much, much more!  

Remember :  If you keep doing the same things, you'll keep getting the same results. Your dog is worth the effort, you'll be so proud of them and  you'll have a happy dog for life.

Simply take the 3 day $1 trial inside the Doggy Dan's site.

Click here to Access Today​

Training a new pup isn't easy if you don't have the right guide lines to follow, it's essential to train them properly if you want peace in your home, not to mention shoes without teeth marks.

Puppies are like babies, they teethe and they like to put things in their mouth and chew them, especially if the items has your scent on it.

Many a good pair of Jimmy Choo shoes have become Jimmy Chewed shoes. Sorry, that's my silly sense of humour! 

Anything within the puppy's reach can be a target to be chewed. Even when you buy them good doggie chew toys!

They just LOVE the smell of your shoes and that's why they prefer them to a chew toy.

If you do have to leave your pup at home while you work, you could always crate them, there are many choices now, even clear plastic crates that they can see through but can't jump out of, they look more attractive than the normal wire crates in your home and you can take out or add on sections depending on the space your pup needs.

I am going to be featuring some great training tools from Experts in the Dog Training Niche, you can choose if you'd like to watch the training on Videos, or read a book and all in the comfort of your own home. 

On line Dog Training is excellent, because you can go over each section at your own pace. So stay tuned for my recommendations in my next blog.

In the meantime, hide your shoes!  🙂