BE THE PACK LEADER
Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer
Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer
1.
Dogs come into the world using their noses first, then
their eyes, then their ears. Don’t
bother yelling at them, it’s the energy and scent they pay attention to.
2.
Dogs communicate with each other using their scent,
body language and energy. You cannot lie
to a dog, they always know how you are feeling.
3.
Dogs are pack animals.
If you are not the pack leader you create feelings of instability and
the dog will compensate by dominant unstable behaviour.
4.
Dogs live in the moment. Their past is past. They connect with the “now”. If we let them,
they will let go of their unstable past and become “balanced” members of the
pack.
5.
A dog’s natural “goal” is to be connected, to live
harmoniously, grounded, and balanced, in tune with Mother Nature.
6.
Dogs don’t care about degrees, money or social
status. Dogs DO care about how unstable
you are, because, being pack-oriented, it directly affects them. How comfortable are you with yourself? Are you happy? Our dogs are our mirrors and in order for
them to have a balanced life, we need to address our own issues as well as
theirs.
When you interact with your dog-especially when you’re
trying to correct out-of-control behavior- you must train your mind to relate
to him in this order:
1. Animal
2. Species:
dog
3. Breed
(Pit Bull)
4. Name
(Bella)
Animal:
We have that in common, we are both animals. All animals work for food and water and they
all communicate with other animals using energy.
Dog:
Your dog is a dog, not a baby. All dogs have certain traits in common and
certain ingrained ways of behaving.
Learning to recognize what is a “dog” and what is “Bella” is the key in
distinguishing unstable behavior from normal behavior. All dogs want to be part of a pack. Dogs strive to see the world in a very
orderly fashion, with clearly defined rules to live by and a defined hierarchy
of jobs and status.
Breed:
Recognizing breed is especially important if you have a
purebred animal. The genes that make him “pure” also give him
special needs that you must know how to fulfill in order to ensure his
happiness and balance. However, the
“breed’ part of your dog is far less primal than the dog or animal part of
her. You block the brain from listening
to the breed by draining energy.
Exercise, physical activity and psychological challenge are the three
ways to drain energy in any dog. Nothing
triumphs the vigorous walk. Dogs walk
with powerful intention, not just to pee.
They feel in a primal way they are using their skills to survive. Respond to the dogs breed by structuring the
walk to address the specific needs of the breed i.e. hunting dogs a high energy
group need high energy walks; hike, use a backpack on the dog, run, rollerblade
etc. Hide items in the yard and have the
dog search for them. Hike, jog, agility
games, flyball, walk briskly until the energy displayed becomes calm and
relaxed.
Name:
Most of the time, what we think of as a dog’s personality is
in our own heads, the story we made up about the dog. Often it is based on how the dog looks or
acts, and what we think of as
personality is actually based upon the dog’s own issues of instability. It is important to understand the difference
between what might be an “issue” for a dog and what is merely a normal dog
trait or personality.
ISSUES:
1.
Aggression:
Directed toward other dogs and/or people . Includes fear-biting, growling over food,
lunging at strangers or strange dogs, aggressive possessiveness.
2.
Hyperactive Energy:
Includes jumping on people upon meeting them or when they enter the
house: compulsively spinning or twitching; destructive activity such as chewing
and digging; overexcited panting; etc.
Don’t confuse overexcitement with happiness.
3.
Anxiety/Separation Anxiety: Includes barking, whining, scratching; etc.-
whether you are there or after you leave the house, pacing; destroying things
when you’re away.
4.
Obsessions/Fixations:
Includes an “addiction” or unusual preoccupation with anything from a
cat to a tennis ball expressed by tense body language, obliviousness to owner’s
commands, food, rewards, even physical pain.
5.
Phobias: A fear
or traumatic incident that the dog has not been able to move beyond-anything
from shinny floors to thunder to the UPS truck.
6.
Low Self-esteem/Timidity: Weak energy, irrational fear of anything,
total freezing up. An extreme degree of
fear.
Personality in a dog’s world is expressed by scent and
energy. Dogs seek out ‘friends’ dogs who
match their level of play.
Dogs don’t have a “name” within the pack, dogs have a “position”, and all positions are
important. Every position serves a
purpose, it may not be a democracy, but it is about the “we”.
REMEMBER:
EXERCISE…Then DISCIPLINE (rules, boundaries,
limitations)…Then AFFECTION
Normal Dog Traits or Personality Dog Issues or Instability
Active Hyperactive
Playful Jumps
on People
Responsive to general commands/signals Disobedient, doesn’t come
Eager to join in Pack activities Runs away
Sometimes cautious Fearful,
biting, barking, peeing
Sociable with dogs/people Obsessive
barking
Curious Antisocial
Happy-go-lucky Aggressive
or predatory
Alert Overly
territorial
Exploratory Possessive
of toys, food, furniture
Patient-practices
waiting Obsessive
over object or activity, chewing, tail chasing
Affectionate Shrinks
from touch
CREATING CALM
ASSERTIVE ENERGY
Dogs often respond better when there’s less sound involved,
and you are strengthening your energy by turning your thoughts inward. When claiming a piece of furniture, focus your
mind and then tell yourself, “This is my sofa.”
Use your body to claim it, repeating that thought in your mind over and
over again. It is your energy that
speaks to your dog. Talking to yourself
is a much faster way to communicate your energy to your dog than trying to use
human language to reason with him, no matter how persuasive you are, or how
loudly you yell or how nicely you ask.
Techniques for
Attaining Calm Assertive Energy:
1.
Clear and positive intention
2.
Method acting techniques
3.
Visualization
4.
Self-hypnosis
5.
Inner dialogue
6.
Motivational recordings
7.
Positive affirmations, written or verbal
8.
Music
9.
Yoga, Tai Chi
10.
Martial arts
11.
Meditation or prayer
If you can accomplish calm-assertive energy and leadership
with your dog, you can accomplish it in any other area of your life. Let your dog be your trusting follower, your
mirror—and ultimately, your guide, on your journey to becoming the very best
person you can be.
MASTERING THE WALK
- Ideal time is when you are not in a rush. This should be a meaningful, enjoyable experience for both of you
- Daytime is the best time to walk- in synch with dogs biological clocks.
- Don’t create overexcitement . Wait until the dog is in a calm state before attaching the leash and always ensure that the dog comes to you for the leash.
- Remember your inner dialogue of calm, assertive and strong.
- After attaching the leash ensure that your dog is in a calm state and you are leading outside the door before departing. An excited dog must wait till he has calmed down, do not reinforce excited, unbalanced behavior before leaving. Ask your dog to sit, settle, and relax
- Let your dog relieve itself within 5 minutes of being outside and then begin the migration ritual, moving forward together. Don’t let her sniff the ground until she has demonstrated for a number of blocks following your lead.
- Vary your routine as much as possible. Dogs get bored with the same walk, they search out new smells and sounds- it becomes psychologically challenging to them as well as a physical exercise.
- Don’t forget upon returning home, you are still the pack leader and enter the house first.
- In the event the weather is terrible, let you dog see the outside either from a patio or the front door so that they understand why you are not going out for the routine excursion at this moment.
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