We all know that we need to get our point across to our pups, that we need to show them that we are indeed in charge. Not just in charge of their physical needs, but in charge of showing them what behavior is appropriate and what wont be tolerated by family, friends and the general public.
As all puppy owners know, puppies like to test us. They love to show us that they have the gumption to stand up for themselves, and in a few instances, this is a good thing. It is nice to have a pup that has self-confidence and who trusts and understands us. The journey to accomplish this can be a rocky road indeed.
Long gone are the days that it was commonplace to do “alpha roll-overs”. This is a term coined by many dog professionals in the 70’s and 80’s. In fact, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Most trainers’ thought this was the way to get the dogs to submit, as a submissive dog, back in the old days, looked like an obedient dog. We now know better and never has the phrase “when you know better, you do better” been more accurate.
Just because a dog training technique seemed to have worked in the past, does not mean it is the right thing to do. There is much more information at the fingertips of dog professionals these days than there every was 20 years ago. There are many seminars and workshops held to educate those who educate. What a fabulous opportunity to learn and understand dog behavior. It is never a good idea to figure that you already know everything there is to know. This is not to say that the speaker at the seminar is the guru of dog behavior and training techniques, but to attend is to simply say that you are open to new suggestions, some that are useable and some that are not.
When looking for a trainer for your pup, ask for credentials and ask about inclusion in dog trainers associations and continuing education, this will help you to choose someone who is current on what techniques and methods work best, with the least amount of harm done to your dog.
So, why is it not acceptable to pin a puppy on his back until he submits, and to draw the conclusion that if he bites or struggles he is a “dominant pup” and therefore needs more discipline? The main reason is that it will very quickly destroy all of the trust your puppy has in you. We see this happening each time this technique is used. You can see the puppy’s eyes change the longer you keep them held down. They seem to have a switch that goes off, and when it does go off it seems that the pup starts to struggle and fight for its own life.
Think about it. You know you have a point that you will stop, but the puppy does not have this information. A primal instinct to survive seems to come out, and the puppy seems to fight harder. This causes an escalating scene and in most cases the puppy owner will win the battle. Yes, the puppy will eventually stop struggling, but does the end justify the means when we have other exercises that can help the puppy to understand that we are indeed in charge, and we wont tolerate their temper tantrums.
Thinking about if from a human point of view, we can relate this to child rearing. Many times when children have gotten themselves into such state, their parent will ask them to take a deep breath. We all know that taking a deep breath can help with most emotional states.
Can we really teach our puppies to exhale? Absolutely.
Teaching a puppy the “settle” exercise will allow you to regain focus, and therefore allow you to redirect your pup without a big battle. This has the added bonus of showing your pup that you are indeed in charge, that you say what you mean and mean what you say and that his tantrums will not be tolerated. The difference is that it can be done in such a way that you do not cause trauma to the pup, or get yourself bitten in the process and to be honest, it is just a nicer exercise with the same results, so why not.
To teach settle, have your pup in front of you while you are kneeling. Hold their collar on both sides, with both your hands. Use your 3 last fingers only. Cup the pups chin in your hands. You then massage their ears with your thumb and forefinger in a nice, slow motion while slowly and calmly repeating the word “settle”. It is not said as a command, but rather in a soothing tone.
This sounds pleasant, but in fact the pup can become quite vocal and try to squirm out of your hands. Rest assured that you are not hurting him and he is just testing to see if you will let go. By being on your knees you will be able to manipulate the pup more easily. It is important that you don’t let go, just keep rubbing his ears and speaking softly. After a few minutes you will feel your pup exhale and that is the moment you slowly let go. This is not to say that you are pleased with your pup’s behavior. On the contrary, you may even feel yourself getting angry, but it is important that this not be based on emotion, but rather technique.
Over time you will be able to take your pups collar and say “settle” in a nice tone and have your pup take a deep breath and calm down. The settle exercise can be practiced a few times a day, while the puppy is calm. It is like every other word you teach them, it can’t be fully used until it is taught.
If your pup acts up during the few weeks it takes to teach the settle, you might consider popping him in his crate (don’t worry that he will see it as a punishment, he has to have a consequence to his actions and this consequence is not too severe) or tethering him to a door knob. Then, go and get a chamomile tea and a good magazine and take a deep breath yourself. You have earned it.
