How to handle the stubborn strong-willed dog

A strong-willed, stubborn dog, with a mind of its own that does not readily accept authority, it is often referred to as an “alpha dog.” He is a dog who is not willing to accept his position as pack leader.

 

In my long relationship with dogs, I have had several “alpha” dogs. I have never had a problem with them at all. If handled correctly, after a certain amount of training they become very well behaved, trustworthy, charming, loyal, confident, self-assured and wonderfully protective companions.

 

In fact, he preferred training a tough and somewhat stubborn dog to a submissive animal that presented no challenges. But the alpha dog is not suitable for every type of owner.

 

When selecting a puppy from a litter for competitive obedience, sometimes it’s best to ignore the more dominant “pack leader” and settle for the friendly, outgoing, happy-to-please type of puppy who seems to love everyone.

 

Obviously this depends on the type of obedience work you have in mind and your own personality and temperament. But in general, the “alpha” dog requires special handling. Even as a puppy, the animal has to learn to respect you before it is ready to give you its unconditional love.

 

I have referenced the male instead of the bitch because the alpha animal is more likely to be a male. But this is not always the case. There are times, though not very often, when the pack leader is definitely a female dog. If so, the same conditions regarding training will apply.

 

This is not to say that the training method requires harsh and harsh methods and complete domination by the handler. There are some trainers who strongly believe that it is necessary to subdue the dog to achieve dominance and to get the dog to obey at all times.

 

I do not hold this opinion. It is definitely not necessary to be harsh and brutal in your training with any dog. Be firm, certainly but not unnecessarily harsh to show his superiority.

What is important though is consistency in your training and fairness. Consistency may be easier to understand than “equity.”

 

My interpretation of fairness is that when you train the alpha dog you must be in full control of your emotions.

 

This is a general principle when you are training any type of dog. There is absolutely no point in starting a training session when, for one reason or another, you are irritable, in a bad mood and there is a danger of overreacting to disobedience on the part of the dog.

 

This applies to all dogs regardless of temperament. But it is of much greater importance when you are training an alpha dog.