As we have told you on several occasions, dogs are pack animals. So you have to put in a lot of effort if you want your dog to respect you.
In this article, we explain why you need to strive and achieve this goal.
Why does your dog have to respect you?
Dogs are descended from wolves , which have always lived in packs. Dogs do the same and therefore, as with any pack, they need a leader. If this is lacking, their spirit of survival leads them to live independently, trampling whoever they find in front of them.
Dogs need a leader . Someone who makes them understand who is in charge and which path they must follow. Remember that animals act by instinct, which will lead them to dominate everyone, including you, if you don’t make your dog respect you.
What if your dog doesn’t respect you?
Your pet’s behavior will not be the right one and will assume attitudes of disobedience and aggression (even towards you).
He will want to draw attention . He can do this by destroying objects, attacking family members, or with a desperate bark that will annoy the neighbors and others around him.
How to make your dog respect you
At this point, the question arises: how to make your dog respect you? As we always tell you, forget about the punishments, the beatings and the shouts, as these will not help you achieve your goal.
The positive reinforcement is always the best way to teach your dog to any behavior, including compliance. For this reason, we recommend several steps to make your dog respect you.
- Do not allow your dog to sleep on furniture in the house such as the sofa or bed. Not even in areas that are crucial to living in a house, such as those passing through or at the door. By allowing this, whenever we want to go to the place where the animal is or sit in “its space”, he will believe he has rights, because we will have to ask for permission and this will make him believe he is the leader.
- Don’t let him decide when to play or not . You have to be the one to set his times and decide when a game starts and ends. Not even during games allow them to bite or push.
- Never go to him to cuddle him , even if he gets on his stomach and is fun. Remember that you are in charge and, if he wants caresses, that he comes looking for you or comes to your call.
- He must always eat after other family members . This will help him understand that he too is subject to rules that you have established.
- He must not pass in front of us entering or exiting a door . We come before him, and he must know.
- He must obey the rules established in the house . He must know where he can or cannot go up, what his kennel and food will be and if he has somewhere in the house, on the terrace or in the garden, to do his business or to play.
- Help him to be very sociable with your friends and neighbors . We cannot allow the dog to believe that he is the leader in external situations, as this can lead him to want to fill that role even at home.
- Teach him the basic orders . It is important, for your dog to respect you, that you always show him what you want from him and, to do so, you must start with basic orders.
- Exercise. A dog that does not exercise will be nervous and stressed and it will be more difficult to get his respect.
- If when you get home he jumps on you and is too excited, ignore him. He must understand that, before receiving caresses, he must calm down.
Follow these tips, but remember not to deprive your pet of the love and affection it deserves. In this way you will be able to foster a good coexistence based on mutual respect and love.
