How to be your dogs, Alpha Dog

If you feel it is necessary, for you to be a little more dominant with your dog. Learning alpha dog training requires you to learn one think.

Here’s what you have to learn.

Attitude !!!

It really is this simple. One HUGE prerequisite for this is, you cannot be afraid of your dog or worried about being bit. It’s impossible for us to hide our emotions from our dog, our dog is almost psychic when it comes to reading our body language, if we’re a little nervous around him, he’s gonna know it. You will still be able to successful accomplish, being a better boss with your dog. Your just going to have to take a little more time, and learn it at a slower pace.

This is important !!!!

You better be 100% positive. That you have one of the rare dogs, that actually need you to be a better boss. If your dog is displaying “fear aggression”, you may make him more nervous, and more fearful. Nervous dogs need a totally different approach. Remember a nervous dog acts like a maniac, by barking and growling at people or other animals. In contrast an alpha or dominant dog is in control of their emotions and will give you a look that says, ” You talkin to me”

Although you can and should be a better alpha figure to a nervous dog, in some situations. You better be damn sure whether or not it’s appropriate at the given time.

Getting the attitude right.

Being your dogs alpha is more an exercise in acting, as opposed to dog training. We all have attitude, we just have to find our motivation to be able to correctly use it.

Definitions of “attitude”.

( 1) Posture. ( 2 ) A negative or hostile state of mind. ( 3 ) A cocky or arrogant manner..

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

( LANGUAGE WARNING , if you find certain words offensive stop reading ) If you can’t curse, you may have a hard time finding the alpha in you.

How to be the alpha dog

If we can accomplish, “A negative and hostile mind”, the posture and arrogance thing, becomes automatic. If you can act like a tough fuck, than you have just learned how to be the big dog. In the dog world, the alpha rules by attitude alone. Not by physically harming his pack mates. If a pack mate gets out of line, the bosses attitude is,” If you don’t cut the fucken shit out, I’m gonna kill you”. Does an alpha yell and scream at his pack mates ? No, in most instances he just gives them a look. That’s all it takes, it’s an attitude thing. Now if you ever get to that level, WOW, it’s time for you to get a flea collar. 

OK, so how do you find your attitude. Well, who makes you angry, who pisses you off, who do you yell at besides your dog. Your boyfriend, husband, kids, the idiot that cuts you off in your car.

It’s funny, if we can have the same attitude with our dog, as we do when someone gets us angry. We would alleviate most of the problems we have with our dogs, in a relatively short period of time. For you women out there, act like a bitch with your dog. Does your husband and kids listen to you, when you get bitchy. You better believe it, if they know what’s good for them. Your dog is no different. Your acting a part.

So get angry with your dog. You do know how to read don’t you, or are you just to stupid to follow these instructions. WELL, HUH MORON ! Are you getting pissed at me now, do you wanna hit me in the head with a fucken golf club ? GOOD.  You need to get angry and show it. To often when our dog doesn’t listen, we may be thinking anger, but what we’re really showing our dog through our body language is frustration and annoyance. Our dog often interprets this body language as excitable play behavior on our part, the results being our dog usually gets more out of control. This is all about using our emotions, when communicating with our dog. They can be happy emotions, calm emotions, playful emotions or angry emotions. But you must use some type of emotion or your dog is going to have a real hard time understanding what you are trying to say to him. It’s all about acting the part.

So how do we practice this ? This is going to be easy and fun. Remember this is acting. This is how I would like you to practice, becoming your dogs alpha.

First I would like you to start practicing this in front of your mirror, just like actors and dancers practice in front of a mirror. To help you with your motivation,( getting pissed off ) Think of the last argument you had with your significant other (that fuck head), Think about the hair salon that screwed up your hair, that’s why you found the new place. How about watching a TV show, that has someone on it that you absolutely hate. Go out and buy a wiffle ball bat, and hit your couch or bed with it while your pretending to bash a child molesters fucking skull in. The simple act of you holding a wiffle ball bat, can transform you by giving us a sense or power.

Now, if you do this correctly you should be able to tell the difference in your attitude. How you feel in your heart and stomach. The way you felt at that particular time, is what we’re after and is what I want you to remember.

On occasion we can practice this with our dog, but only if he’s not doing anything. What do I mean, you practice this while he’s minding his own business. You do not direct your attitude or rage at him, instead you direct your attitude at your TV, a wall your toaster anything except him. If we are starting to get the alpha thing down,  (you know being his boss). When you ACT like a maniac, he should either get up and walk somewhere out of your site, or he should just lay there with an ” Oh shit” look in his eyes.

But we have to practice this first, in front of a mirror. Don’t just try it unless you already know you can summon your attitude at will. Otherwise give yourself some time to learn it.

The Spirit Dog

(Additional Paragraph Added 10-07-2008)- After using your attitude thing, and your dog stops doing whatever he was doing, then in a calm, quietly and slightly happy voice, you must tell your guy that it’s OK now. If I have to yell at one of the dogs here, immediately following my maniacal outbreak in a very calm  and soothing voice I tell them “OK, that’s my goood boooyy” And I repeat this as many times as necessary to get them happy again.

Additional Resources

Aggressive Dog Bite or Nervous Dog Bite; The Difference

Alpha Dog Behavior

Alpha Dog Behavior or Play behavior

Alpha or Nervous Dog Behavior

Alpha dog syndrome; Finding a dog trainer

Dog Aggression, what is it

Be the Alpha dog; Be the pack leader; Be the Dictator

Real Men Don’t Need Protection Trained Dogs