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Misconceptions of the Mythical Alpha Dog

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People are fond of extrapolating popular, but misunderstood and bowdlerized accounts of wolf-behavior to dog-human interactions and training methods. The assumption is that the dog is out to dominate us and as a result, far too much training advice is unfeeling and adversarial with a sickening reliance on physical domination. So many pop-psychology training books have been written as if people are wolves, rather than humans with supposedly superior brainpower. If only the fall-out from this absurd view were not so unpleasant, the whole premise would be utterly laughable. People seem to be hung up on the questions, “But WHY did he do it?” “Why does he act that way? Why don’t we simply teach dogs how we would like them to act. If we find a dog’s behavior to be inappropriate or unacceptable, we must take a little responsibility here because we are the dog’s teacher and so, why don’t we just change the dog’s behavior to our liking.

 
 

WHY CAN'T DOGS BE DOGS AND PEOPLE BE PEOPLE?

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The wicked witch of Wycombe paused to howl at the full moon before ripping another mouthful of flesh from the freshly killed rabbit. Lycanthropy — a temporary transformation of witch into wolf? Or perhaps a form of madness, wherein the patient imagines himself as a wolf and develops a growly voice and a depraved appetite for raw red meat. Unbelievable? A dog becoming a person? A person becoming a dog? Not necessarily. Many people treat their dogs as humans in furry suits. Some trainers fancy domestic dogs to be wolves and yet other trainers go the whole lycanthropic hog and imagine themselves as wolves inflicting wolfy-punishments to dominate dogs and convince them to tow the line.

 
 

Dog Star Daily

2.01 - BEFORE You Get Your Puppy


Do your homework before you get a dog! The Dunbars discuss some of the questions you should ask yourself before adopting a dog. What do you want from a dog? How do you imagine your ideal canine companion? The first step in training a dog is determining your lifestyle and expectations. Also it's important to make sure the whole family agrees on getting a dog, and understands how to raise it responsibly.

Teach Your Puppy to Like and Respect People

Compensate for your puppy's temporary but necessary social vacuum during his first month at home by introducing him to as many people as possible in the safety of his own home. Initial impressions are important, so make sure your puppy's first meetings with people are pleasant and enjoyable. Have every guest handfeed your puppy a couple of pieces of kibble. Puppies that enjoy the company of people grow up into adult dogs that enjoy the company of people. And dogs that enjoy the company of people are less likely to be frightened or bite.

 

2.07 - Separation Anxiety


Separation anxiety is a phrase that gets used a little too much in dog training. That’s not to say it doesn’t exist, but that some people are too eager to use it as a scapegoat and an excuse to put their dogs on drugs. Anxiety is a terrible thing for a dog, but it’s usually easy to fix with appropriate training. The Dunbars explain how to teach your dog to be comfortable spending time alone. Give your dog an acceptable activity to keep them busy while your gone. A few stuffed chewtoys will go a long way.

Heel

Heel
1. Practice off-leash heeling in a safe area (indoors, or in a fenced yard). Use a lure in your left hand to position the puppy on your left side when in motion, and transfer it to your right hand to signal the puppy to sit when you stop. (Or hold lures in both hands.) With your pup sitting on your left side, say "Joe Pup, Heel" and give a hand signal by moving the lure in your left hand from left to right in front of your dog's nose.

 

Dialogue With Amy Tan

Bubba & LilliBubba & LilliDr. Dunbar was lucky to enjoy a few woofs with Amy Tan following a book-signing at Book Passage in Marin County. Extracts from this dialogue were previously published in The Bark magazine.


ID: Tell us what your Yorkies mean to you.

AT: How can I summarize this in a sound bite. Well, my Yorkies are… second to Lou. (Amy’s husband.) I am actually pretty dog obsessive, most people know that I travel with my dogs. They go everywhere with me. I’m involved with Yorkie rescue and I’ve done fund raising events for that. Also, I’m involved with the Canine Health Foundation.

 
 

Housesoiling

Housesoiling is a spatial problem. Your puppydog has been allowed to eliminate in the wrong place. Housesoiling quickly becomes a bad habit because dogs develop strong location, substrate, and olfactory preferences for their improvised indoor toilet areas. To housetrain your puppydog: first, prevent any more mistakes; and second, teach your puppydog where you would like him to eliminate.

Prevent Mistakes

Mistakes are a disaster since they set a bad precedent and create bad habits, which can be hard to break. Consequently, you must prevent mistakes at all cost. Whenever you are not at home, leave your dog in a long-term confinement area, such as a single room indoors with easy-to-clean floors (bathroom, kitchen, or utility room)—this will be your puppydog’s playroom.

 
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