A client once described to me how her MaltiPoo, whom we’ll call Fidget, looked her square in the eye as she squatted proudly in the middle of her favorite furry rug, peed, and then gleefully gave chase. Fidget was being spiteful, said my client ruefully. How could she be so stubborn and recalcitrant? My client committed the cardinal sin of anthropomorphism, the granting of human thoughts and motivations to non-human beings.
Today’s pup culture surrounding dog behavior is steeped in myths that are doing anything but promoting greater understanding between our two species. This is the second part of an article examing how we can understand our dogs' motivations and, hopefully, reestablish trust with them.
Retribution Myth
We concoct in our heads why we would behave in such a way and then attribute it to our dogs. Unfortunately it leads to nothing but misunderstanding, miscommunication and, worst of all, misplaced punishment.
Laura Garber
In fact, Fidget yearns for attention and, through trial and error, discovered that there’s no better way to get a rise out of her humans, and even to start a fun game of chase, than to pee in the middle of that nice rug. So she happily offers her invitation to the game, giving a come-hither look as she squats and goes, a look that she might just as easily have used while grabbing a toy for a spirited game of tug.
My prescription? Give Fidget plenty of exercise, initiate play on her terms rather than the dog’s, reward Fidget for pottying in the right places as well as for quiet, independent activities, and offer the pup interactive puzzle toys to entertain and stimulate her mentally.
The Dominance Myth
A great many dogs have a tendency to jump up on people during greeting. They pull on leash and rush through doors ahead of us. If given the opportunity, they’d happily gobble down their meal before we’ve even tucked ourselves into our seats. A dominance play?
We have no problem assessing a human loved one invading our personal space or pushing out the door first as rude, but give the family member fur and sharp canines and suddenly we see more sinister motives.
We need for our dogs to understand that all the things that they value in their lives are generously granted by us. We control everything and will share richly, provided we are shown polite, respectful behavior.
To do this, take stock of the things that your dog considers valuable in his life: food, petting and affection, going for walks, playing with toys, being on the furniture, even chasing a paper bag blowing in the wind or a squirrel scurrying up a tree.
Require polite behavior from your dog in order to earn these life rewards.
Build impulse control when putting down his food or going out the door for a walk, and while playing games with him.
Incorporate obedience into your day, and insist on four-on-the floor at all times.
Finally, teach your dog to loose-leash walk and hold a solid down-stay. These respectful behaviors enrich the ways in which we can share our lives with our dogs.
The Alpha Myth
Someone once communicated to me that a trainer had told them that German shepherds tended to be alpha dogs with other dogs.
Having a GSD myself, I know what the trainer was alluding to. They do tend to be stiffer and more serious in their interactions with other dogs, and more hierarchically motivated (These are, of course, generalizations – there are some perfectly lovely GSD players!).
My own dog, Trista, is the poster child for such behavior. There’s nothing soft, bouncy or playful about any of her play moves; she’s always weighing in her mind who’s smaller (someone she can push around) and who’s bigger (someone she should handle with greater respect). Dogs who bound into her playfully get a pretty intense response – a purposeful chase.
Where I think the trainer went astray was in calling this behavior that of an alpha dog. In fact, this is behavior typical of a dog who is not confident in her social standing.
Trista’s an alpha-wannabe. Alpha dogs are confident in themselves and rarely need to push the point. They can assert themselves with little more than a look and can be generous with resources because they know that ultimately they can get them back whenever they want.
So when you notice squabbles at the dog run, those are more than likely alpha-wannabe dogs jockeying for position amongst themselves. The alpha dogs are calm and quiet and will finish a dispute with the calm assertion one would attribute to kings and natural-born leaders.
Dog trainer Laura Garber, CPDT, is committed to deepening the bond between dogs and their people. For this reason, she regards training as an exercise in building relationship rather than obedience. Such an approach promises greater understanding and symbiosis within our family packs, and this is what inspires much of her writing. Laura lives in Hoboken, NJ and works with private clients in Hudson County and beyond. For more information, log on to www.myWoofGang.com or contact her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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