Basic information on teaching leadership with a new pup. Copyright Melanie Pay 2010.

1. Puppy Preschool – Leadership
A common misconception in dog training is that of leadership and ‘pack structure’. For years many of us have
been lead to believe that we must rule our pack with an iron fist, “like the wolves do”. The problem is, wolf
hierarchy is not really relevant to our domestic lives and it is not realistic to adopt the principles of wolves when
raising a domestic dog. Many training regimes that promote this strict pack hierarchy also have one major fault –
they often seek to alienate the dog from the family, which is unlike any normal pack behaviour. Being a good
leader to your dog involves trust, respect and companionship. The following is a brief look at some leadership
principles that will promote closer bonds while gaining respect from your dog.
Please note: The advice on this handout is for typical behaviour of a dog that is displaying no signs of aggression or abnormal
dog behaviour. If your dog is displaying aggression or unusual behaviour please consult a trainer in person or see a veterinary
behaviourist, depending on the nature of the issue.
All the household members should sit down and discuss what you feel to be acceptable behaviour for your dog.
When planning what you will and won’t let your dog do, take the following factors into consideration:
- How big will the dog become as an adult?
- How will our lifestyle change over the next 10-15 years? (e.g. expecting children, working full time)
- What will our house set up allow? (e.g. yard set up may not be suitable for the pup to be an outside dog)
- Are all family members happy for the dog to be allowed on furniture?
- Will your dog shed a lot of fur when they loose their puppy coat?
- Will <insert behaviour here> become annoying over time? (e.g. begging for food, jumping up)
- Will any of your rules encourage the dog to develop problems over time (e.g. allowing constant attention
can lead to separation anxiety later on)
Children are taught at an early age to say please when asking for something. So should dogs. A ‘sit’ is normally
regarded as a doggy please. Insist that your dog sit for everything – whether it they are asking for food, asking to
come inside, asking to come up on the couch etc. Making a dog sit before it is allowed to do or receive something
will enforce this ‘asking’ and they will learn to wait for your permission. This is the most effective way to gain
respect – you decide the rules.
Don’t allow your dog to demand attention/affection. Dogs will often try and win some power by demanding things
like pats, games or food. If they don’t get what they want they may try and win attention by jumping on you. The
common response for this is to push them away and/or shout at the dog. What a fun game; you push me and I’ll
see how much harder I can push back! At least, that is what the dog is seeing. The easiest way to stop a dog from
jumping on you and demanding attention is to not give it to them! They will soon get tired of this boring game
where they just and you don’t so much as look at them. Then when they are sitting or have calmed down, you can
give them the attention they were looking for. Calm gets pats, being silly doesn’t. If the dog is still being too
demanding or barking at you, calmly (and gently) take them outside and leave them there for a short time until
they calm down. Only appropriate behaviour is allowed inside.
Copyright Melanie Pay 2010. Please do not reproduce without permission. This information does not seek to
replace training or advice. Please see a veterinary behaviourist (not a vet) if you are having serious
behavioural issues with your dog.

2. Don’t forget to reward and interact with them when they are calm. If we only pay attention to our dogs
when they are barking or eating our favourite pair of undies, this is the only behaviour you are
reinforcing.
Retain control over furniture access by teaching them to get on it and also to get off it. There is no crime in having
your dog on the bed with you. Your dog will not think any less of you if you let him/her on there with you for a
cuddle. You are not “bringing them onto your level” in a leadership sense if you still make all the rules. If you can
tell your dog to get off the bed and they get straight off – you have respect and control. There is no reason to
exclude a dog from your life for the sake of leadership. A good leader takes care of his/her pack.
Teach your dog to relinquish objects whenever you say so (covered under object exchange). Keep plenty of high
value toys (limited access) around to play swaps with. If a dog has something you really don’t want them to have,
resist the urge to chase them around the yard screaming like a banshee! Pretend you don’t care and interest
yourself in something far more entertaining (like one of the dog’s toys). They will want whatever is of higher value.
Shoes aren’t that exciting compared to a squeaky toy if a human is having a ball with it. Toys left lying around the
yard all the time that receive no attention are not ‘high value.’
Punishment by way of smacking, yelling, choking etc will not teach a dog not to dig holes or pull washing off the
line. This form of punishment damages relationships, hinders learning and never offers an alternative. It will teach
the dog to be wary of you - it is not the way to earn respect and trust. If the event has already happened, it doesn’t
matter how much evidence you have or how much the dog cowers – the dog will not make the connection
between the action and the punishment. Dogs respond to your body language and emotional behaviour. The dog
will look very sorry when you get mad, but that doesn’t mean that he/she understands why you are acting in this
manner. Just like rewards, a consequence for a behaviour is only understood when it is received immediately.
Even then, if you are punishing a dog for a very normal behaviour like urinating, do you think the dog will
understand that it is being punished for where it is going to the toilet, rather than just being punished for the act of
urinating?
Some trainers insist that dogs must be fed last. I find that very inconvenient. I used to come home from work to
two hungry dogs and a whinger of a cat and it could be 30-60mins before my dinner was ready. I would much
rather feed when I get straight home so it’s out of the way and I can concentrate on the rest of my evening. My
dog knows where the food comes from and does not think he’s above me because he eats first. He knows he
never gets what we have and all food comes from me.
Do not steal the dog’s food to prove a point. If your dog growls at you when you approach its food and your
reaction is to snatch it – you have given the dog a reason to guard its food. Next time he/she may not give you the
chance to take it with your arm intact! If you have a problem with resource guarding – please speak to me or a
qualified trainer about it and we will discuss a solution. There are ways of treating resource guarding, but it is
imperative to know the severity of the problem before offering a solution.
Copyright Melanie Pay 2010. Please do not reproduce without permission. This information does not seek to
replace training or advice. Please see a veterinary behaviourist (not a vet) if you are having serious
behavioural issues with your dog.

3. Teaching your dog a desired behaviour that they can be rewarded for is the easiest and most effective way of
getting consistently good behaviour. You and your pup can establish a routine of good behaviour that can carry on
through its adult life. Training with your dog as it develops into an adult will help you develop the techniques
required to improve your dog’s behaviour and strengthen your bond.
Above all – you should adopt the leadership rules that suit your lifestyle – not mine! Just because I let my dog’s on
the couch doesn’t mean you have to. Decide your household rules as a family and stick them out together. It’s the
best way to make sure they are followed through.
Copyright Melanie Pay 2010. Please do not reproduce without permission. This information does not seek to
replace training or advice. Please see a veterinary behaviourist (not a vet) if you are having serious
behavioural issues with your dog.