Alpha

How can I make me the alpha dog in the house?

Its pretty obvious my dog is the alpha of the house. He is a sheltie, and I do practicly everything for him, but he only listens when its right for him. How can I teach him that I am the alpha, not him?

Public Comments

1. You need to let him know that you're in control by being assertive. Don't let him push you around during walks or during feeding time and don't let him jump all over you. If he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing than let him know, not by hitting him or yelling at him but by putting on a calm, firm voice and telling him no.
2. Take him for obedience training.
   
   Enroll in a class with him, the trainer will help you control your dog and teach him good manners.
   
   
   
   Doesn't sound as if you can do this easily by yourself and you don't want to get into confrontation with your dog or hurt him, but you certainly can't let him hurt you or push you around.
   
   
   
   As your vet to recommend a good local trainer.
   
   
   
   Good luck to you both, it can be fun, I've done it with several of my dogs.
3. stop doing everything for him. if you give him a command he doesn't respond go and correct him so that he does it... after a while he will get the idea
4. Pee in his food
5. Get a book (or books) from the library. This will be a process of re-education for both of you. If you're timid and submissive you'll get nowhere. Use the books!!
6. You do not mention how old the dog is. If your dog is young enough, you can do dominance training. You gently but firmly hold your dog down on his side (on the floor), so he cannot move. When he squirms, you grasp the back of his neck, shake him gently, and growl at him (as the mother would do to her own pup). If he submits (relaxes), you let him up and tell him "good boy." You can also do this from a standing position by placing his back to you and wrapping your arms together under his front legs, so that only his back feet are on the ground.
   
   If you get him to submit, continue this practice over several days. It is important then to mean what you say with your dog. When you give a command and he ignores it, you must get him and make him follow through with your command. Hope this helps you.
   
   If your dog is a much older dog, you may have already lost your position in his pack. This is an important training technique with new pups.
7. Lots of little things that show your dominance.
   
   
   
   Such as:
   
   
   
   Always eating before your dog
   
   Never feeding from the table
   
   Never allow the dog to enter a room / doorway before you
   
   Never allow the dog on the bed
   
   Never allow the dog to be head level with you (for example, in the back of a 4wd)
   
   Stick by your commands and make him follow through.
8. It's an attitude. Start acting like the alpha and quit being a wimp.