Welcome to Heart of the Pack

When I first got my puppy he was so lovable and cute. When I had guests over he would get excited and loved to play, recently however he has started to growl at my friends and barks when someone gets close to me. Please help!

This is a typical scenario of an owner with good intentions inadvertently promoting territorial behaviour. A lot of people want a ‘guard dog’ but end up creating a monster that needs to be locked away even when trusted friends and family visit.

 It doesn’t have to be this way!

That’s right; you can have a friendly, sociable dog when visitors are around that will listen to you and respect your boundaries. Not only that, your dog will still protect your home from intruders because they are so good at reading intention. Your job is to set clear rules and make it easy for your dog to understand how you expect it to behave in various situations. In the hopes of helping you achieve this goal I have created the following 5 steps to follow:

1. Aggression is unacceptable

I always encourage people to never accept aggression from their pet. By not correcting aggressive behaviour you are telling your dog that it is acceptable to bark / bite your friends. Many people believe that by telling their dog not to be aggressive to strangers that they will blunt it’s effectiveness as a guard dog, this is simply not true.

It is imperative that you consistently correct aggressive behaviour and make sure your dog knows that it’s unacceptable.

2. Set rules boundaries and limitations

Does your dog charge to the door as soon as someone knocks? Does your beloved canine growl at someone when they get close to your bed? If so you should be making it clear that this type of behaviour is unacceptable. When your dog is engaging in an unwanted or antisocial behaviour make sure you tell it firmly no! They key here is to do it immediately and consistently. Another common mistake is to pet your animal during times of distress. Understand: this will only reinforce that type of behaviour – don’t do it!

3. Pay attention to the early signs

A stitch in time saves nine

The best method for rehabilitating territorial behaviour is to catch it early. Always pay attention to your dog’s behaviour. In particular watch for signs of aggression such as; growling, barking and mounting. If you see any of these signs then it’s time to step into action and practice those pack leader skills!

4. Dogs can sense intention

This is not so much a step as it is a concept to understand. Most dogs will have a natural instinct to protect their home. What most people don’t realise is that you can have a sweet-tempered and good natured dog to all visitors that will still protect you should an incident – such as burglary – occur. Don’t underestimate your dog’s ability to read intention and energy – they are much better at it then we are!

5. Build confidence through exercise and socialisation

Consistent exercise is great prevention for unwanted behaviours. Going for your daily walk is also an excellent opportunity to socialise your dog and teach it to not be afraid of everyday things.  

The human lesson

Any instance where you need to practice your pack leader skills is a great opportunity for personal growth. Our actions become our habits - by consistently practicing leadership and setting rules, boundaries and limitations you are reinforcing those positive habits for your daily life. One of the biggest paradigm shifts for me was learning to relish practicing my pack leader skills. This mindset is truly one of the greatest gifts we can be given from our loyal companions.