There’s no ‘magic’ or luck behind creating the perfect dog. It is done through creating a balance of trust and respect between you and your dog. With total trust and respect, you needn’t worry about the “what if”s, such as “what if my dog bites?” “what if my dog runs off?” and so on. These what ifs are based on a lack of mutual trust, which is created between human and dog when the human knows how.
Basic principles of achieving trust and respect involve the following: The walk – the walk is the deciding factor in how healthy your relationship is with your dog. It is the time when trust and respect is earned, both ways.
Leading the walk involves setting the arrangement of the followers. The followers seek the leaders support when deciding which position to be in, in front, next to, or behind. An easy method involves putting a leash on your dog, and shortening it to allow your dog to stay next to or behind you, not pulling. This means you are playing the role of the leader by setting the position. There should be no stress on the leash, especially from your side. Once you start to lead the walk your dog will get the point and will give you respect.
Tension on the lead only happens when something is not being done right. One factor may be that you are not giving out enough leadership and confidence to allow your dog to feel secure. Maybe your arm is not totally relaxed, which it must be to allow your dog to relax! Give your dog the trust she deserves, that she will not misbehave, and she will return the favour, so long as you also have respect.
Loving your dog is one thing, but if your dog misbehaves or acts up on the walk, maybe you should try and give another kind of love. Love to dogs means structure and work beforehand. Consistent rules such as when to leave for walking, when to awaken, when to play, the leader sets all of these rules and it results in a healthier relationship wherein the dog understands the love you are giving.
Some of this information was gathered from the site of dog behaviorist George Manning.
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