5 Traits That Make You A Good 'Leader' For Your Dog

Dogs are animals. Without proper training (teaching) a dog will act, for lack of a better way to describe it, like a dog. This means that they will jump on counters, run away from home, eliminate where they please, bark, chew things, and the list goes on. When we bring dogs into our homes, we expect them to fit in and act in an appropriate way. For most dogs, this takes a lot of consistent direction and reinforcement from the humans. When I say most dogs, I am talking about 99% of them. Once again, this is because they are animals and we are ultimately trying to get them to have human-like manners.

So the question is, what traits make up a good leader for a dog?

1. The ability to clearly communicate

No, I am not referring to speaking sentences clearly. Dogs do not speak English and adding in extra words can cause confusion. What I am referring to is using a marker word when the dog is doing something the human likes. For example, “Yes” or “Good.” By consistently using marker words when the dog does a correct behavior, and also following it with something the dog enjoys (treat, toy, play, etc.), the dog will be more likely to repeat the behavior that led to good things from the humans. Additionally, dogs can be taught to stop doing something by using words like “Leave it.” By teaching a consistent “Leave-it” cue, you can successfully stop your dog from doing things by giving him simple instructions in a normal, calm tone of voice that he understands and responds to.

2. The ability to reinforce wanted behaviors, and prevent reinforcement of unwanted behaviors

In a nutshell, when a behavior is reinforced, the behavior is likely to happen again. If we ask our dog to sit 5 feet away from the dinner table and reward him for doing so, he is likely to hang out 5 feet away. If we allow our dog to stand right by the table and lick things off of it, the dog is likely to continue that behavior. The good stuff the dog receives serves as reinforcement. Basically, the dog realizes that a certain behavior leads to the good stuff, and does it again and again to get the good stuff. A good "leader" makes sure that only the wanted behaviors lead to reinforcement, and not the unwanted behavior.

3. The ability to control access to “good stuff.”

By being human, we already control everything our dog enjoys (E.g. food, water, play, and access to the outdoors). So, why not use that to teach the things we want our dogs to learn? I am not saying to deprive your dog of the things he enjoys or needs to survive and feel comfortable. I am saying to think of these things as ways to reinforce the behaviors you want him to choose on a daily basis.

Does he want to go outside? Ask him to sit at the door until you release him to go out. Is it dinner time? Ask him to wait patiently in a “down” while you prepare his meal. Does he want to play? Invite him to participate in an awesome structured game of tug. It is natural for us to be in control of all these things for our dogs. If we weren’t, most dogs would be very overweight and running amuck. A good leader uses these things as a way to help the dog learn what we want from them and creates a win-win situation for everyone.

4. The ability to follow through with what was asked

One of the human’s roles is setting rules and following through with them. It is important that this is done the correct way. It is a must to teach the dog what is actually wanted and the emphasis should be placed on reinforcing the wanted behavior. The wanted behaviors should be practiced over and over in a lot of different environments with a lot of different distractions.

With all this practice, you will set yourself and your dog up for success, no matter the setting. However, if your dog doesn’t complete the behavior when asked, this is time to ask yourself why. Could your dog be in pain? Could he be overwhelmed or scared in this environment? Have you ever practiced and reinforced this behavior in this location before?

Simply "take a step back” and show him what you’d like him to be doing or ask for an easier behavior that you think he will feel comfortable and safe doing at that time.

5. The ability to keep calm and practice positive training

Sometimes your dog will test your nerves. It’s inevitable. Thank goodness they’re cute, right? In situations like this, it is important to keep your cool and learn from it. If you get home and your dog got into the garbage, it’s important to remember to safely secure your garbage the next time you leave. (This is just one example.)

The point is that if you lose your cool and yell or harshly punish, it will affect your relationship with your dog. This can result in a dog that doesn’t trust humans, which can make training very difficult. The result of keeping calm and practicing positive training will lead to a trustworthy dog that is ready and eager to learn.

By following these 5 recommendations, you will end up being just what your dog needs to succeed in life.

Also, check out this video to see how I am being a good leader to this shelter dog named Chase.