Question:
Can I teach my dog that my roommate is alpha without my roommate having to do anything?
2009-08-28 08:46:35 UTC
I'm getting a dog, my roommate isn't a dog person but he said it would be fine if I just got one. I'm getting a very dominant breed and I want to make sure my roommate is looked at as alpha, but my roommate isn't going to put any time and energy into it.

Is their a way to teach my dog that my roommate is alpha without my roommate having to get off his ***?
Five answers:
Ellen
2009-08-28 17:27:34 UTC
Your dog does not need you, your roommate, or any visitors to be "alpha."



What he needs is to be well-trained to do the behaviors you want to see, and feel safe enough not to be reactive and aggressive.



There is no such thing as "dog psychology." There is, however, ethology, behaviorism and other serious, scientific studies about dogs, and they all clearly point to the "be the alpha" idea as false.



Really, I'm trying to make your life easier! Check it out:



http://www.kathysdao.com/articles/Forget_About_Being_Alpha_in_Your_Pack.html



http://www.apdt.com.au/files/dominancestatement.pdf



http://www.jeandonaldson.com/jeans-blog-mainmenu-51/64-are-dogs-pack-animals



http://www.nonlineardogs.com/100MostSillyIntro.html



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm



http://www.wolf.org/wolves/news/iwmag/2008/winter/alphawolf.pdf



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611065839.htm
2009-08-28 08:51:00 UTC
Nope, no such luck. If your roommate isn't going to put in the effort to try to be the alpha (which makes no sense anyways since the dog is not his) than it's not going to happen.



You're going to have to just train him to leave your roommate alone.



EDIT: Um, are you telling us to learn something about dog psychology? lol Are you not the one on here asking a question about an alpha dog that almost anyone can answer? Dogs need a pack leader (alpha dog) and you can not train the dog to think of some lazy jerk sitting on the couch is the alpha. Just because you're roommate is a lazy dog hater, doesn't mean that your dog is going to "pass judgement" on guests if he doesn't think your roommate is the alpha!! haha. I think YOU need to learn a little something on dog psychology before you ask ridiculous questions.
2009-08-28 08:55:52 UTC
If your roommate's not going to be interacting with this dog in any way, why should the dog think the roommate's any kind "alpha"? Presumably you're going to train and socialize this dog, so what's the problem. Even if he is what you term a very dominant breed, they don't attack people out of the blue!
bryson
2016-10-18 03:24:29 UTC
purely save the dogs removed from him. provide the dogs some disipline and prepare it nicely. If the dogs needs to sit down down on a definite spot of the settee, why do not you get it to sit down down on your lap? to coach a dogs you should yell at it each so often so it extremely is going to comprehend. in case you do not disipline your dogs it extremely is going to basically worsen. Ask somebody experienced to babysit the dogs for some days so your roomate gets a destroy. coach your dogs the basics first (sit down, stay, come, lay down). Then construct your way as much as larger instructions. in the experience that your roomate have been provided that offended with the dogs get him in worry! tell somebody approximately him. no person would desire to ever try this to a dogs no count how not undemanding it gets! purchase a crate for the dogs too so which you would be able to punish it for being undesirable.
Chyme
2009-08-28 08:57:49 UTC
No, not going to happen.


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