After reading an article in this month’s Outside Magazine, I am once again reminded how important it is to keep up with your dog’s training. We worked with a wonderful trainer in Portland this fall, Nancy Freedman-Smith, and we learned a tremendous amount about the dog’s psyche and how to overcome his or her alpha dog complex. If you are a dog owner in Maine who has not undergone some type of formal training, I would highly recommend Nancy as a dog trainer.
Our main goal with Orvis was to let him know who is boss. Eye contact is absolutely essential. Nancy demonstrated this time and again, and the Outside Magazine article nicely reiterated the point. As the dog looks to you for approval for nearly everything (that you can actually control), you become the alpha dog in the pack. We have fun playing the training “games” with Orvis, and he’s become quite proficient at them. According to the article, to further establish yourself as the dominant dog in the group, doing things like eating first and going through doorways before your dog are essential. I am once again reminded that racing Orvis to the top of the stairs, while fun and always truly challenging, might not be the best tactic when it comes to training. We always make a point to eat before Orvis too, even if he does drool a bit more while he watches us on an empty stomach.
Orvis, Pre-Nancy: Not making eye contact for a treat (or a veggie burrito).
Orvis, Post-Nancy: Always looking to us for approval, before treat, before fetch, etc…
In order to behave like an alpha dog, you must carry yourself as one … unfortunately this means no unnecessary cuddling or affectionate behavior. Translating this to our situation with Orvis, means that for this reason alone, he will always be the alpha dog. Michael and I are both suckers when it comes to Orvis and his outrageously cute mannerisms. Since we both work from home, we are constantly able to keep an eye on our dog, and at the sight of him doing anything remotely cute, we tell one another. Often times one of us will wind up on Orvis’s bed, giving him a nice belly rub with one hand and a killer ear scratch with another. Do we love our dog too much? Nope. Do we obsess over his quirky cuteness too much? Absolutely! Perhaps the other ways in which we carry ourselves as alphas might counteract the damage we do by our excessive affection…
Orvis and his lovey-dovey parents:
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