- 1). Become your dog's pack leader--dogs come from a pack society. This means you must act calm and assertive, so your dog respects and follows you. Dogs need to know you are in charge in order to be happy and calm. Excitable, passive, overly submissive or overly aggressive behavior will create problems and your dog will take over as the leader in your household. Get counseling if you have rage or other behavioral issues.
- 2). Relate to your dog as an animal first and foremost. This means you must recognize that animals naturally have simple lives--all animals live in the present. Correct your dog as soon as he breaks a rule, not a few minutes later or the next day. Animals do not know what tomorrow or yesterday means. They have a memory but cannot put the event together with the time or date.
- 3). Learn to live in the present. Only humans stress and worry about past events or the future, which in turn creates stress and unhappiness in dogs. Dogs read energy, picking up on your emotions. A good way to start living in the present is to focus on your breath moving in and out for about five minutes. This simple focus brings you back to the now.
- 4). Relate to your dog as a dog. Dogs genetically need to roam around and explore new territory rather than sit in the house all day. Fulfill your dog's needs by taking him for long walks rather than walking him only long enough for him to relieve himself. Also, choose a dog with an energy level that matches yours. That way you will not have a dog with a much higher energy level than your laid-back self or vice versa.
- 5). Correct your dog calmly and assertively, never out of anger. Treating your dog like a human by yelling or punishing him creates behavioral problems. Dogs do not think or act like humans. Your dog will not understand why you would behave that way; he will only react to your unstable, out-of-control energy.
- 6). Set clear boundaries for your dog. Dogs need rules when living with humans, which keeps the relationship a healthy one. They need you to tell them where they can relieve themselves and where to sleep, for example. Even among packs of dogs in the wild, the pack leader sets rules. Dogs feel secure and calm when you take charge.
- 7). Teach your dog not to jump on you or your guests by ignoring him. This means no eye contact, no talking to your dog, no affection and no touching or picking up your dog when he jumps. National Geographic's Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, says when a dog jumps on you and your guests, it is an act of dominance. Millan recommends that you acknowledge and greet your dog only after he calms down.
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