Is the dog on top trying to dominate the dog on the bottom?

I have been hearing an exorbitant amount of behavior either being excused away, or explained as Dominant. “Dominant”, “Alpha”, & “Passive” are a few of the “catch phrase” words you will rarely hear me use. I think they are: over-used, mis-used, & their true scientific definitions thoroughly mis-understood by the fast majority of the human population.

Back to the picture: Q. Is the dog on top trying to dominate the dog on the bottom? A.  **NO** this is a picture of a playful pup going “Ker-Plop” on a playmate. Soft facial expression, loosey-goosey body language, dog NOT looking at other dog, curved tail held in-line with the spine all put this picture into the “Play” Category. Be wary of any advise you are given that includes “It’s because your dog is trying to dominate you” or “that means you have a dominant dog”

“…we have to stop letting fluffy on the back of the couch because he is trying to dominate us.” said the owners of a toy breed who was under a year of age. Anybody have a dog who HATES looking out the window? Hides from windows? Me neither. You have a young inquisitive dog, who the only way to see outside is to stand on something! What young, healthy, athletic dogs DON’T climb & jump on things if only to jump back off & do it again?! Why should your dog spend the rest of it’s life with such an ugly (untrue) label.

“…we have a puppy under 4mo of age who is always biting our feet & trying to dominate us.” Ever watch 2 dogs play? Do they have opposable thumbs? No, dogs play with their mouths so it is NATURAL that they would try to play with us in the same manner that they play with their own species. Appropriate? No. Should you shape that desire to play to something more PC? Absolutely. Dominant or Aggressive?  No.

“…never let your dog out the door first to show you are dominant over them.” I have an interior door & a storm door at my house entrance, & *technically* my dogs go out first 70-90% of the time as I release them through as I stand between both doors holding them both open (& closing them after me). Are my dogs allowed to go through ANY entrance WITHOUT permission? No. I require all my dogs to wait for their Release Word before going through a door (it saves me the drama of The Escape Game) And when you are taking your dog for a walk, leash manners are hard enough—make it easier by STARTING with a loose leash accomplished by making your dog wait before going through the door.

Because here’s the thing about Leadership. Naturally confident & self-assured people don’t run around telling people “I’m a Leader! I’m a Leader! I’m a Leader!” Typically people (& dogs) who are spending all their time “proving” how big & bad & tough & important they are (schoolyard bullies) are ACTUALLY very insecure about themselves!! 9 times out of 10 when you have housemates fighting the one picking all the fights is the opposite of dominant. Confident dogs AVOID conflict, and they have no need or desire to run around “flexing” to everyone. So let it go! If you don’t want your dog on the back of the couch, let’s talk about teaching some alternative behaviors. Don’t like you puppy nipping hands & feet? Let’s teach them appropriate ways to play with us. Let’s STOP all this Dominance Theory talk, because (to quote my HS teacher) “That’s BOGUS!!”

Saw this on a a friend’s fitness page, I think the point they were trying to convey is be responsible & accountable to yourself. It took me several minutes before I even *noticed* the dog was walking herself with her own tail……all I could stare at was that TIGHT LEASH!!  And I kept wondering “How is dragging the person along a picture of self control??  Wouldn’t self control be a nice loose leash because you are walking at the pace of the handler even if you can easily walk faster??”

And thinking that you have to pull that leash tight no matter how closer or far your dog is from you is the cycle that SO MANY people get sucked into!! Which results in the dog thinking the only way to make the walk “go” is when there is pulling-pressure on the collar. And humans get so accustomed to the constant pressure on the leash in their hand that they become oblivious to it… … … even TIGHTENING up the leash on their end when their dog is doing it right!

Case in point this picture: the hand-tail could be holding the *handle* of the leash instead of holding mid-leash (that would make the leash loose) & the hand-tail could also be held lower & closer to the dog’s back instead of trying to wave in a high flag position.  Many people also get caught up in “Heel Position”.  Having the dog in close to your leg, where their shoulder lines up with the seam of your pants is a competitive obedience exercise, it takes lots of time & energy to train and maintain it and IS NOT how anybody wants to walk on a lazy Sunday.  Think supermodels do the catwalk in the grocery store?  Think the band high-steps to & from class?  Absolutely not.  What everybody wants is a dog that walks at YOUR pace, with a nice easy loose leash without trying to pull your arm out of your socket.

OK OK, I get it, the color scheme of the picture would make the leash harder to see if it was in a nice easy loop hanging DOWN from the dog collar, you kind of need to draw attention to the leash & that the tail is holding it because it’s the whole point of the illustration. But this is a dog that is PULLING her own tail. And no matter how fast her legs go she will continue to pull her own tail. She is practicing how to pull on a leash. Leash pulling is dangerous for little dogs because it’s a lot of pressure on their small necks, esophagus, & backs. Leash pulling is dangerous to big dogs because they are big enough to get away & get hit by a car or pull someone down or into traffic.  Plus it’s No Fun to walk a dog that’s trying to drag you around.  And we want walks to be fun because everyone could use a little more regular exercise!

Once your new puppy is around 5-6mo they should become more aware of their potty urges; at the same time they are also entering the Teen Stage & are becoming more easily distracted.  I still recommend using a timed schedule in combination with utilization of a crate when you aren’t able to actively supervise to prevent accidents in the house.  This is also the time to start giving your pup some opportunities to alert to their potty needs.  

If you have been consistent in getting your dog out & preventing accidents, then by the time your dog celebrates their first birthday you should be seeing consistent results.  for those who desire to go crate-free (and tossing out the crate-system is NOT what the Big Moose recommends) around 12-18 months is when you can slowly start making the transition with your end goal date closer to 18-24 month.

For those of you still struggling with accidents in the house after 9mo of age, or who adopted an adult dog that still struggles with holding it to go outside  I would recommend using a leash IN the house as an “umbilical cord” to force you to be more aware of your dog & what they are up to.  Often times people with small dogs who can easily sneak behind the couch to relive themselves, or dogs who started in a pet shop environment where the only place they had to relive themselves was also where they slept & ate and the staff cleaned up after often take longer to potty train. I also recommend following your dog outside to supervise that all business gets done where you want it done—often dogs get too “busy” barking at the squirrels or neighbor cat & “forget” what they are supposed to be doing, then they come back inside where there are no distractions & “remember” they still have to “go”.  Thirdly I recommend starting an Elimination Journal.  Yup, just as it sounds start writing down EVERY time your dog does anything:  was it normal?  was it loose?  did they do it inside or outside?  There is also an app for that complete with alarms! Try it Out:  Potty App

Have a new puppy in the house?  Many people have unrealistic expectations about potty training expectations.  Puppies under the age of 5mo are not able to “alert” to the bathroom urges, so much the same as parents of human babies, it becomes the responsibility of the adult to be proactive & provide puppies the opportunity to potty in appropriate place(s) to minimalism in-house accidents.  Dogs are den-dwelling so tend to avoid soiling in the same areas they sleep in.   You can capitalize on this by utilizing a crate to confine your dog when you are unable to directly supervise them.  Crate training also prevents your dog from getting into something that can injure or kill them, but that is another blog topic for another time.  You want to chose a crate that is just big enough for your pup to stand & turn around, but not so big that they can perceive that one 1/2 of the crate is for sleeping, & the other 1/2 is the toilet.  Have a large breed puppy?  Instead of investing in multiple crates you can make your large crate feel smaller by putting in a plastic container or metal popcorn tin in the back of the crate to make the crate feel smaller until your pup grows into their crate.  Some large wire crates also come with dividers for this exact reason.

But how often does your pup need to go out?  The general rule of thumb is:

Age in Months + 2 = hrs between potty breaks         so if you have a 2mo puppy 2+2=4hr       A 4mo puppy would be 4+2+6     They will be able to go a little longer over night, and a lot LESS after meals & big drinks of water.  I usually count on 20min after meals & water drinks, closer to 30min as your dog is 6-9mo.

The timer should be your new best friend.  It’s easy to get distracted & lose track of the time you intended to take your furry friend out.  Setting a timer will help keep you on track on getting your puppy out BEFORE an accident occurs.  Daily routine should include a potty break IMMEDIATELY after coming out of their crate:  in the morning, post-nap, when they have been confined for a period of time.  After your pup has done their business outside THEN you can allow some supervised playtime in the house *again setting your timer so you can offer another potty break in 20-30min*

Have an accident in the house?  Roll up your newspaper & swat YOURSELF for not being more diligent:  were they offered time outside BEFORE indoor playtime?  did you supervise your pup when they were outside to visually confirm they DID everything they were supposed to? did they get a big drink when they came back in? were they fed recently? did you set your timer? were you ACTIVELY supervising your pup (Meaning Eyes-on-Pup)? were you paying attention to subtle signs of a bathroom urge like ground-sniffing & circling with a humped back?   Step 2 is put your dog outside to make sure the job is done in the APPROPRIATE place then back to their crate until you are able to supervise.  Step 3 thoroughly clean the area to remove all smells as dogs tend to urinate & defecate in the same area every time.

Have an apple device?  There’s now an app for that!  Find Out More  A new potty training app complete with a timer & journal to keep track of what is done when, which is GREAT as I always recommend to someone struggling with accidents in the house start an “Elimination Journal” to keep track of EVERYTHING done & times as often you can find a pattern.

Planning on getting a dog this year?  Whether it’s your first dog or your 40th there are some question you should honestly answer for yourself before choosing a breed, or a mix of breeds, because NOT all breeds are good fit for everyone!

Choosing a breed of dog by how it looks alone is a BAD idea!  Just because Matt Damon or George Clooney (or whomever your favorite famous hottie is) is on your Elevator List doesn’t mean you could actually stand to live in close quarters with them for 15+ years.  And depending on the breed, dogs live between 12-20yrs.  Here are some of the questions I think narrow down the field the fastest.  Q. Do you have kids?  Or do you have kids that frequently visit?  Not all breeds have the temperament or patience for kids.  And while some breeds who aren’t recommended for life with kids can be trained to be civil, some breeds require A LOT more minute-by-minute supervision & maintenance to achieve the same results.  So how hard do you want to have to work to make sure everyone gets along?  Some breeds are more fragile than others, so the bustle of kids may put them at high risk for being injured.  So again, how much do you want to have to actively supervise?   Or would your rather have a sturdier dog that doesn’t need special precautions.  Q.  What do you like to do for fun?  If reading on the couch is your favorite pastime then a high energy dog that gets bored easily may not be the best match. Q. What is your exercise style?  If you are active & want a dog to run or bike with you: short-legged, heavily boned, or low energy characteristics aren’t going to make you happy.  If you enjoy a leisurely stroll int he evening a high-energy dog will only stress you out.  Q. Any interest in participating in dog sports?  If you want to dabble in dog sports a more work-minded dog will be a better choice.  If you would rather not spend every weekend at dog shows you may want to steer away from breeds that bored easily.  Q. What are your basic obedience expectations?  If you want a dog that can be taught to be reliable off-leash you may want to steer away from the Hound Group entirely, especially the Scent Hounds.  If you are ok with your dog needing to be fenced or leashed 24/7/365 and have no strong feelings about fast obedience responses then the hounds may be a good group for you.

Other factors to consider:  Q. How much do you travel?  Will you want your dog to come with?  It’s an expense to board every time you are out of town, but will that Great Dane fit in your car?  Q. Where do you live?  Many giant breeds are actually well-suited for apartment life as they tend to have less exercise requirements as their toy-counterparts, assuming you can make a space for their crate.  Many medium & smaller dogs size-wise “fit” better in a smaller domicile, but again refer back to your answer to “What is your exercise style?”  Q. How do you feel about dog hair that is NOT on the dog? **NO dog is hypo-allergenic** But the longer the hair the less you will find on your couch & clothes.  The shorter the hair the more you will find on your clothes & in your house. The flip side to that coin is that the longer the hair the more frequent the grooming appointments, & curly haired breeds (Bichon, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog) ALL need to be groomed every 4-8wks.  So along with dog hair NOT on the dog how do you feel about having to comb your dog’s hair on the regular to keep it matt-free?  Q. What is the weather like where you live?  If you live in the northern states where there is plenty of: snow, ice, wind, & temps below zero a dog with a short coat is going to have a harder time, & you will need to take extra precautions to keep them safe & warm.  If you live in the south & the weather is: hot & humid dogs bred for the snow are going to struggle to not overheat, as will breeds “with no nose” as the flat-faced dogs aren’t as efficient cooling themselves off with panting.

Have a “Short List” of breeds you think you would like?  Contact a local rescue group.  Go to a dog show.  The people there would be happy to talk to you about their breed.  Most are advocates, because even thought they love their breed, they know it’s not for everyone & they don’t want to see dogs in homes where it’s not a good match only to end up in a shelter or without a home.  There are pros & cons to every dog, it’s about finding a dog that the “cons” fit into your life-style so that it doesn’t feel like an inconvenience.