How To Be a Great Leader For Your Puppy

You’re enjoying a lovely breakfast you cooked when you hear a crash and a rustling noise. You don’t have to ask yourself what it could be because you haven’t seen your puppy around, and things have been suspiciously quiet until now. 

“NO! Bad dog! Drop it! Drop it! DROP IT!” You holler across the room while repeating yourself, your voice raising to a crescendo while your puppy continues to ignore you, gleefully chomping on the used coffee filter like it was filet mignon. You can already see little paw prints in the scattered coffee grounds on your freshly mopped floor.

If you’ve ever been guilty of losing your cool when your puppy goes dumpster diving or leaves you a “present” in the middle of the rug you just cleaned, you may need some ideas for how to be a great leader for your puppy.

Some people expect to train a dog like they would raise a child. Even though they are our furbabies, dogs require a different approach than raising humans. One of the first things you need to do to turn your puppy into a Man’s Best Friend is to establish a bond with your puppy. From a strong bond comes trust, and your puppy will view you as the leader.

The overall goal of leadership is not about being in charge of your puppy in a controlling way. Rather, it’s about being consistent in your efforts, clear on your expectations, and fair with your follow-through. We want to redirect them with our voice the first time when they make poor choices while giving them a reason to listen instead of ignoring us.

The science behind pack mentality notes that puppies look for a leader in their household. They are observant of pack order, and if they don’t see you as above them, they will rule the household. For example, it’s not cute when a tiny Chihuahua rules the home and has dominion over their family because no one has stepped up to lead them to the right behavior. With firm, kind, confident leadership,  Chihuahuas can still be sassy without running the show as well-adjusted family pets. It all depends on establishing yourself as your dog’s leader.

It’s best to start all your efforts the day you bring home your puppy. However, if things have been a bit rocky or you haven’t picked a dog training method yet, it’s never too late to begin!

Learn how to be an effective leader for your puppy to build a relationship and confidence in your puppy to show that amazing things happen when they respect and listen to you.