This article was written for dog owners who believe they have a problem with aggression or poor behavior with their family dog.
We get a lot of emails from people who believe they have dominant dogs. Very few dogs are truly dominant. We feel the vast majority of the people who email us dont have dominant dogs but rather they have dogs that have never learned rules. For lack of a better description, I call them dogs that have never learned “pack structure rules”.
With that said, a dog without rules bites his owner just as hard and does just as much damage as a dominant dog who bites his owner. The difference is that its easier to rehabilitate a dog without rules than it is to rehabilitate a truly dominant dog.
This article will talk about mistakes people make in living with dogs that lead to bad or aggressive behavior. I first wrote the article in the 1990s and have updated it several times since.
I will begin by saying, the internet is filled with well-meaning people who offer opinions on dog training. Those opinions are all based on that persons experience and that persons training with their dogs. Unfortunately, the advice that the vast majority of these people offer on dog aggression is at best, inaccurate and at worst, dangerous.
For that reason, I will mention a little of my background. While I have owned dogs since the 1950s, Ive trained my first German Shepherd in 1962. In 1974, I attended my first Schutzhund seminar and in 1978, my first police service dog training seminar. I also started breeding German Shepherds that were selection tested for police service work. From 1990 to 2000, I worked as a K9 handler in our local Sheriffs department. During all these years, it has been my passion to study the art of breeding and training working dogs.
When I ask people about their dog bite scars, I get the same answer: “I made a mistake with that dog.” The fact is, getting dog bit always comes down to misreading the signals a dog gives and/or making mistakes in how we handle our dogs.
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is failing to recognize signs, signals, or warnings that dogs offer before they bite. Pet owners dont understand how strong pack instinct is in their family dog. This lack of understanding is what gets them into trouble.
Dogs, by nature, are social animals. Their instinct makes them want to be part of a social group. This is the same for horses, chickens, and many other species. Each social group is a hierarchy of members.
There is a saying in the dog world that there are no equals within a group of dogs. Every social group will have its own pecking order. Lower-ranking members always defer to higher-ranking members. If the group doesnt have a clear leader, one member will always step forward to become the leader even if its not genetically predisposed to leadership. Whats interesting is that many times, a dog that finds itself at the top of the social group doesnt feel comfortable in that position.
Rank is almost always communicated through subtle behaviors that each member of the pack understands and respects. Over time leaders will always establish their own set of rules that all members of the pack are expected to live by. There are well-understood consequences for breaking rules.
Dog owners can and must learn to become leaders even if they are not predisposed to leadership. They need to think about establishing their own set of rules that their dog is expected to live by. These rules can be no biting the leader, no inappropriate aggression to visitors, no jumping up on people, stay away from small children, etc.
Owners must also learn to be 100% consistent in enforcing those rules. When a dog believes that every single time it breaks a rule there will be some form of consequence, that dog is less likely to break a rule. Once that threshold is reached (where the dog accepts and lives within the framework of the leaders rules), that dog becomes an easy dog to live with.
For that to happen, dog owners and their dogs must come to an understanding that every single time the dog breaks a rule, there will be some form of consequence. This doesnt necessarily mean the dog gets a strong physical correction every time. Some dogs, with soft temperaments, may only need a verbal warning while other dogs need a leash correction for the same infraction. Learning to evaluate temperaments falls under the category of “the art of dog training”.
Just as important, owners must be consistent. They cant pick and choose when to apply a consequence. If they do this, they end up with a dog that will pick and choose when to obey a rule. Inconsistency always leads to some level of behavioral issues.
Ever noticed how some people just have a natural way with puppies? Their furry friends seem to listen to them effortlessly, while your little ball of fluff treats your commands more like suggestions?
Don’t worry – establishing healthy leadership with your puppy isn’t about intimidation or harsh methods. It’s about building trust, consistency, and clear communication from day one.
Understanding Puppy Behavior: It’s Not About “Dominance”
First things first – let’s clear up a big misconception. When puppies misbehave, they’re rarely trying to “dominate” you.
As Caitlin Crittenden from Petful explains, true dominance issues almost never appear in puppies younger than 10 months. What most people mistake for “dominance” is actually
- Normal puppy play behavior (using their mouth, jumping, growling during play)
- Lack of boundaries and consistent rules
- Not enough direction on appropriate behavior
- High energy that hasn’t been properly channeled
Ed Frawley, an experienced dog trainer, points out that “very few dogs are truly dominant” – most simply haven’t learned proper rules for living with humans
Effective Leadership Methods For Your Puppy
1. Establish Clear Boundaries
Your puppy needs to understand what behaviors are acceptable and which aren’t. This means:
- Being comfortable saying “no” in a calm, confident tone
- Teaching them what they should do instead of undesirable behaviors
- Being consistent with your rules
As Crittenden notes, “Dogs need boundaries. Get comfortable saying no.” This doesn’t mean yelling or being harsh – just clear communication.
2. Control Resources Appropriately
While older approaches suggested being the “Alpha” who eats first and controls all resources, modern training has evolved. Instead:
- Make your puppy sit before meals
- Have them wait for permission before eating
- Teach them that good things come through cooperation with you
This isn’t about depriving your puppy – it’s about teaching them that good things come through cooperation.
3. Focus on Teaching Essential Commands
Teaching your puppy basic commands creates structure and builds communication:
| Command | Why It’s Important |
|---|---|
| Sit | Foundational control and impulse management |
| Down | Calming position that encourages self-control |
| Wait | Teaches patience and permission-seeking |
| Leave it | Vital for safety around dangerous items |
| Place | Teaches boundaries and settles energy |
Mastering these commands helps your puppy understand their place in your family unit.
4. Use Body Language Effectively
Puppies are incredibly perceptive to body language. To establish leadership:
- Maintain appropriate eye contact during commands
- Stand tall with confident posture
- Move with purpose rather than tiptoeing around your puppy
- Don’t flinch or back away from normal puppy behaviors
Your physical presence communicates more than your words ever will!
5. Be Consistent With Rules
One of the biggest mistakes I see with new puppy owners is inconsistency. Your puppy gets confused when:
- You allow jumping sometimes but scold it other times
- Different family members enforce different rules
- Rules change from day to day
As the article from Daily Dog Stuff emphasizes: “The moment that you fail to address an infraction is the moment that you provide an opening for your dog to challenge your rules.”
6. Control Personal Space Appropriately
While allowing puppies on furniture isn’t inherently problematic, it should be on your terms:
- Invite the puppy up rather than allowing them to jump whenever they want
- Teach them to get down when asked
- Consider having designated puppy-free zones in your home
This helps establish boundaries while still allowing affection.
What NOT To Do With Your Puppy
Some older training methods can damage your relationship with your puppy or even be dangerous:
1. Avoid “Alpha Rolls”
Ed Frawley strongly warns against alpha rolls (forcing a dog onto its back): “I know of a small female handler that tried to alpha roll an adult male German Shepherd. She ended up with over 100 stitches in her face.”
These confrontational methods:
- Damage trust
- Can provoke fear or aggression
- Don’t teach the dog what it should do instead
2. Don’t Use Physical Intimidation
Leadership isn’t about:
- Yelling at your puppy
- Using harsh physical corrections
- Scaring them into submission
These approaches create fear, not respect, and can lead to behavior problems later.
3. Don’t Skip the Learning Phase
Before expecting perfect obedience, make sure your puppy actually understands what you want:
- First teach commands in a distraction-free environment
- Practice in increasingly challenging situations
- Only then expect consistent compliance
Puppies need to learn before they can obey reliably.
Signs Your Leadership Approach Is Working
When you’re establishing healthy leadership with your puppy, look for these positive signs:
- Your puppy looks to you for guidance in new situations
- They recover quickly from excitement or distraction
- They’re eager to work with you and follow cues
- They’re relaxed and confident in various environments
- They show appropriate, non-fearful respect for boundaries
Common Mistakes When Establishing Leadership
I’ve seen these mistakes trip up many new puppy owners:
- Inconsistency: Changing rules based on mood or convenience
- Emotional reactions: Getting angry or frustrated when puppies act like… puppies
- Lack of structure: Not providing enough guidance and routine
- Confusing correction with punishment: Using harsh methods instead of clear guidance
- Misreading normal puppy behavior: Interpreting play or exploration as “dominance”
When Should You Seek Professional Help?
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might need additional support. Consider professional help if:
- Your puppy shows signs of fear or anxiety despite positive leadership
- You’re feeling overwhelmed by training challenges
- Your puppy’s behavior seems unusual compared to typical puppies
- You want to build the strongest possible foundation with expert guidance
Final Thoughts on Puppy Leadership
Establishing leadership with your puppy isn’t about dominating them – it’s about creating clear communication, consistent boundaries, and building mutual trust and respect.
As Caitlin Crittenden wisely notes, “Asserting dominance can bring numerous benefits: reduce stress and frustration for both you and your dog, decrease many unwanted behavior problems, increase calmness, respect, and trust in your dog.”
Remember, the goal isn’t to intimidate your puppy but to guide them. With patience, consistency, and positive methods, you’ll build a relationship based on trust rather than fear – and that’s the foundation for a lifetime of companionship.
What methods have you tried with your puppy? Share your experiences in the comments below!
When Does Dominance or Dog Aggression start?
It is an extremely rare situation for a puppy younger than 10 months of age to show signs of dominant handler aggression. In my 35 years of breeding working bloodline German Shepherds, I cannot remember seeing one case and Ive bred some dogs that grew up to become tough police service dogs. The fact is when a puppy is raised correctly, the issue of rank is established early and then its over and the dog never challenges the handlers authority.
Unfortunately, new puppy owners who lack experience often mistakenly confuse prey drive with dominance. These are two totally unrelated and different things.
When a pup chews on your hands or your pant leg (even if its verbalized by growling), its only displaying play/prey drive. Puppies play with their littermates by using their mouth. They bite each other, they jump on each other, and they growl at each other.
When they then move away from their litter and into a human family, they can only assume that this is how they should play with their new human pack members. It becomes the owners job to teach the pup manners and human rules. The best way to control puppies that bite is to redirect the puppy by using food or toys. When a pup is biting hands, you simply refocus the pup onto a high-value food treat or a high-value toy. Too often this does not happen, and the puppys cuteness overshadows leadership.
This often leads to the emails we get from frustrated puppy owners who mistakenly think they have a dominant puppy when in fact, all they have is a very nice pup with a lot of drive that has not had its drive managed correctly.
Unfortunately, new dog owners dont learn how to redirect their pup or how to control the environment they allow their puppy to be in. By that, I mean it should be common sense to not allow mouthy puppies around very small children. It always saddens me when I see this happen. I look at it like that poor puppy was not dealt a fair hand of cards.
When Your Dog Won’t Mind
When the Alpha wolf issues an order, pack members listen and mind or they dont survive. When dogs choose not to mind their owner, they are in effect, saying they do not respect that person giving the commands. In other words, they dont respect the consequences they have experienced in the past when they ignored a command.
To solve that problem, corrections need to be consistent and at a level that the dog remembers the next time it thinks about not following commands. Dogs are extremely observant. It does not take them long to determine that the trainer must be listened to. It also doesnt take them very long to recognize an inconsistent handler. The fact is a dog that doesnt follow directions doesnt respect that handler giving those directions.
When that happens, dogs begin to think they can ignore commands they dont like. With some dogs (thankfully not all), this can lead to a dog that challenges an owner or family member because they dont want to do what is being asked. They have not learned to respect the correction.
This is the exact point where some dogs will start to show their teeth, growl at the owner, nip at the hand that tries to take a toy away, etc.
Had this same dog gone through training for correction and distraction at a younger age, the odds are that this situation would never have evolved. Dogs that have not gone through correct training end up being dogs that seem to live peacefully with their family up to 12 to 18 months of age and then suddenly change into Cujo.
When dogs reach breeding age, their hormones start to flow. Suddenly, rank within the pack becomes a big thing to them. They have learned that they dont have to follow direction from pack members they dont respect because there has never been any serious consequences. When many dogs lack a strong pack leader, they will step up and try and become a leader. They instinctually know that corrections on lower pack members have to be enforced.
5 Easy Ways To Show & Assert Dominance Over a Dog – Be Alpha Leader of Your Dog
FAQ
How to show your puppy you are the alpha?
How to assert dominance to a puppy?
hold the puppy on its back for 15 seconds then let it go. Do this a few times a day for a month. The puppy now sees you as the dominate one, the pack leader. A dog that lies on its back and exposes its belly and neck to another dog is showing the signs of being dominated by that other dog.
Does holding a dog down assert dominance?