- 30 -
your dog will work and be happy as long as you demonstrate that
you will not submit to challenges.
To be sure, the beta dog will present regular challenges in hopes of
gaining the alpha position. If the beta dog wins the challenge, there
is a new leader of the pack, so do not give in. Some of the
challenges are subtle. Those are the ones you must pay close
attention to while training. If you win the small battles, the big
fights will be much easier to handle. Dogs see the world in black
and white. To your dog, either you are in control or it is. There is no
middle ground.
There are two most important points,
conditioned responses
and
substitution
, will be the cornerstones of your training program.
Conditioned responses
to commands are mandatory for a
properly trained dog. When you explain something one time to a
person, he or she will understand it and quite often give a positive
response when questioned on that topic. Canines are different in
that they trust their instincts implicitly. Instincts have protected
canines for thousands of years from wild animals and other threats,
