Greyhounds For You - G4U - We Home Greyhounds

Keeping the Pecking Order

Updated April 2008

 

Greyhounds For You (G4U) recommend that you read and take note of the following section. The most common problems with dogs are caused by misunderstandings between the humans and the dog(s). This page is not specific to greyhounds, it is good advice whatever breed of dog you have.

It is imperative that all the people in the family are above the dog(s) in the "pecking order". If the dog believes that it is "boss", or that it is superior to any member of the family especially children, problems will occur. For your peace of mind, a relaxing atmosphere and the happiness of your family and dog, your family must assert themselves as superior to the dog at all times. If you are successful at maintaining the "pecking order" you will most likely have a very successful and long term relationship with your pet. Your dog will love and respect you and it will be well behaved and trustworthy. You will have a wonderful addition to your family.

Being the boss does not mean you must be cruel or hurt the dog in any way. Dogs understand other dogs, they do not necessarily understand what their owner is telling them or what is expected of them, particularly if they inadvertently receive "mixed signals" from their human pack.

There are some very simple but important steps to remember when setting the pack hierarchy:

• People eat before dogs: Even if you are not hungry, it is wise to let the dog see you eat something (a piece of fruit, a biscuit etc) before you put the dog's bowl down. In the wild, pack leaders eat first and are then followed by each rank in the pack. By making the dog eat last, he will realise he is bottom of the pack. This is a is a particularly useful tip for children as most children are more than willing to eat a snack at any time of day. If the dog does not eat all of its meal, remove the food and only give more at the next feeding time. A dog with free access to food has, to the dog's mind been promoted to pack leader. Only pack leaders pick and choose when they eat.
• People go through doors before the dog: In the wild it is the pack leader who leads off the "hunt" and checks for danger, that means you lead off.
• Do not fuss your dog when you first come home or as you are about to go out: A pack leader comes and goes as he/she pleases. In the wild the pack leader does not spend ages telling the other dogs that he/she's going out for a while, or explaining that they are sorry for being out so long etc. By giving a dog lots of attention at these times you are actually getting the dog excited and giving it cause for worry. Of course you can fuss your dog - just come in, put the kettle on, hang up your coat first etc.
• Ignore the dog if it is attention seeking: Pack leaders are not told by their underlings what to do and when, they make the decisions alone. If your dog is always under your feet, jumping up at you, nudging you or trying other attention seeking routines, continue doing what you want to do without acknowledging the dog at all. No eye contact or using your voice. Turning your back to the dog is an effective way of ignoring it. Even telling the dog "no" or pushing it away is acknowledging the dog, it may not be the type of attention that the dog sought but, from the dog's point of view, it is attention and therefore better than being ignored. The dog, when it respects you as boss will move out of your way willingly and cease pestering for attention.
  Further notes:
• Fuss/pet your dog when you want to, not when the dog wants you to. You are the pack leader, you make the decisions. Of course if your dog is asleep when you decide to pet him/her, give the dog fair warning of your approach, by calling his/her name and ensuring that the dog is awake. Otherwise you may find yourself snapped at. Snapping when woken with a start is an entirely natural self defence mechanism for a dog and not a sign of aggression at you personally . Please make sure that your children are aware that they should never to sneak up on a sleeping dog.
• Have a "space" that is purely yours: In an adult only household this isn't always necessary and it very much depends on the individual dog. If you have a particularly dominant animal, retaining a "people only space" helps to keep the dog as the lowest in the pack. In a household with children it is advisable to keep the dog out of their bedrooms. It's all too easy for a dog to view a child's bed as his/hers. Children don't always give the right signals to a dog (many are too young to understand or don't grasp how important it is). It is easy therefore for the dog to misunderstand where the children are in the pecking order. If the dog is on the child's bed for example and the child moves onto it too, the dog could growl or snap. In the dog's mind he/she is asserting it's authority over the child that dared to encroach on "his/her" space. If you have only just adopted a new dog, set your house rules before bringing the dog home. If you don't want the dog upstairs/on your sofa or bed for example never let it go there. If it tries once, remove it using a firm "no" , keep up this routine if the dog attempts the same again. Consistency is the key to success. You have to teach your pet that "this space is mine, reserved for pack leaders only". By not allowing the dog into children's rooms you are stating clearly to the dog that the children are allowed in there, the children are therefore above the dog in the "pecking order" because they have access to areas the dog doesn't.
• The lowest in the pack (the dog) will naturally "sound the alarm". Your dog may bark if it considers anything is a threat. It is up to you to acknowledge the dog's warning and then take over the responsibility for the packs' safety. Once the dog knows you are aware of the threat, it will quieten down and defer to you. The dog could view something as everyday as a letter coming through the door as a threat, after all something has entered the pack's space. By nature greyhounds are not dogs that bark a lot, but when they do bark there is generally a very good reason (to the dog's mind anyway).

 

If you follow the above guidelines, we believe that you and your dog will have a good, long term and loving relationship. Some dogs may think they know best, but in truth they are not qualified or capable of leading a pack in a domestic environment.

You need to tell your dog it's position, that way the dog can relax and be confident in what you expect . It does not have to worry about where it's pack has disappeared to or worry about protecting it's pack. Worrying about where it's pack has gone is the major contributing factor to separation anxiety.

The only pain free and kind and effective way of getting the dog to understand its position in your household is for you to show the dog in "dog language", by mimicking the actions of a pack leader in the wild.

Once the "pecking order" is established it is not always necessary to follow the above guidelines "to the letter" at all times. The most important ones to use on a daily basis are that people eat first and people go through doors first. In most cases of greyhound adoption this is sufficient for your dog to know who is boss, however if your dog shows any signs of separation anxiety or dominant behaviour , remind the dog of its position regularly by using all the above tips.

We are firm believers in Jan Fennell's training methods. We strongly recommend that you read her book "The Dog Listener". It will give you an invaluable insight into a dog's mind and from our own personal experience her methods do work in overcoming many dog behaviour problems.

 

G4U - Autumn 2005