A dog that does not know who is the leader of the pack is a confused dog and can exhibit many unwanted behaviors because of him. Your Great Dane is a herd of animals. All packs of dogs have a pack leader and a social hierarchy in which each individual animal knows its own place.
Great Dane puppies are taught herd behavior by their mothers even before they leave the birthing box. By understanding pack behavior, you can use it to help train your dog.
The leadership package always involves the strongest animal. In dogs and wolves, this leadership position is usually filled by an adult male in his prime with enough life experiences to guide the pack in the business of daily survival. Your dog will need to have a pack leader or he will become confused, which will cause him to exhibit destructive behaviors and take out his anxiety on those around him and his environment. A dog’s behavior and your dog’s body language is a good sign that they have a pack leader or that they are becoming the pack leader. A dog that knows its place in its human pack is a happy, well-balanced dog.
You, your family, and your Great Dane are one package. You or one of your family members will have to take on the responsibilities of the alpha male or pack leader and hopefully the hierarchy will have each human one notch above the Great Dane dog.
Here are 15 tips to help you become the leader of your dog family’s pack:
- A pack leader always goes first. First when going through a door, first when going down or up stairs and first when walking your dog. Your dog must be behind the pack leader at all times. When walking your Great Dane, you should lead, not follow. Your dog should be at your side or behind you. Walks like this help release pent-up energy in your dog. This is the number 1 way to communicate that you are the leader of the pack of dogs.
- When you enter the house or room where your dog is, you should ignore the dog for a few minutes (even if he only leaves the room for a minute).
- Your dog should always have to work to receive a treat. A simple command of obedience must be given before any gift is given. If you don’t follow the order, you shouldn’t be rewarded with a treat. The dog should always take the treat gently from your hand.
- You should have set times for your Great Dane feeding, Great Dane feeding should be done on a schedule. Do not feed your dog table scraps (especially Great Danes) Great Danes have very sensitive stomachs and if you deviate from their normal food and treats you will have a sick Dane.
- Just like walking through doors first, you should always eat first. The leader always eats first. When feeding your dog, first eat a small snack while your dog watches before feeding.
- You should never allow your dog to bite or bite anyone at any time, even during play.
- Your Great Dane should not sleep in your bed, not only because there may not be space for you, but also because in the pack of dogs the leader sleeps in the most comfortable place. This is not to say that you can never allow your dog to climb onto your bed. You can invite your Dane to lie on the bed with you, but make him stay at the foot of the bed and don’t push you aside.
- If you make eye contact with your Great Dane, you should first look away. When the dog looks away first, it reinforces his status as leader of the pack.
- When walking your dog, you should never allow your dog to “walk” you. You should have a loose, not tight lease. Remember, the leader is always first and leads the way.
- One of the basic commands your Great Dane puppies should learn is “let go”. You should be able to take possession of what’s in your mouth at any time.
- You should never play tug of war with your Great Dane. This is a power game and you can lose, especially if you have a Great Dane you could end up hurt.
- When you put down your dog’s food bowl, make him wait until you say “Okay” to eat. Get in front of the food plate and make her sit first. If the dog doesn’t follow your orders, take the food and try again in 15 minutes.
- All the games you play with your Great Dane puppies must start and end with you.
- If you have a very dominant dog that has a problem with growling, you should stop him immediately and not allow him to lie down on the couch. Remember, the group leader gets the most comfortable place.
- The most important rule of thumb for being a pack leader is to imagine yourself as big, powerful, and confident.
Remember, always stay in control and don’t let your emotions play out while training your Great Dane. If you think you will not be able to establish this role, you should enroll your dog in dog training classes. Your dog will be happy, balanced, and confident knowing he has a strong pack leader.
If you want to learn more about the Great Dane or become a pack leader, click here [http://www.greatdane-dog-world.com/pack-leader].