Are you frustrated trying to get your dog to listen to you?

This is a very common experience amongst dog owners. You end up chasing your dog in order to get them to come, asking them to sit 8 times before they actually sit, and their manners seem to go out the window whenever you have a guest over. Why does this happen? Either your dog doesn't view you as his leader or he has no real incentive to listen to you.

A few ways to tell if your dog doesn't view you as his leader are if he is inviting himself into your personal space, if he is fed treats or meals without earning them first and if he goes wherever he pleases; on the bed, couch, outside, inside, and back to the couch again.

Or they may not have much incentive to listen to you. They may not believe that if they don't do what you ask, there will be a consequence that matter to them, or if they do listen, it will be worth while. Every dog and owner pair is unique, but it's your job as the owner to learn what your dog is communicating by their body language. By only giving them food when they earn it, and only allowing them into certain rooms or into our personal space on our terms, they begin to change their behavior and see us as their leader. When dogs have access to everything they want at any given moment, they begin to expect everything they want at any given moment.

By removing these privileges from them until they earn them, you are actually helping the dog appreciate what they earn, which is their natural bent.