Alpha Rules by Katherine Peacock
For Holly’s history click here, here, and here.
Even though Holly had earned her Canine Good Citizen certificate from the American Kennel Club, she still had problems heeling on a leash. For a long time I thought she’d never learn proper walking form, but then I stumbled across the answer in a weird place.
After coming home from a not so great walk around the neighborhood, we plopped down on the couch. Figuring out how to get this dog to heel was heavy on my mind. My thoughts occupied, I flipped thru the channels on the television. Holly, exhausted from our struggles, quietly snored by my side. My thumb kept hitting the channel up button till I saw a flash of dogs on the screen. I stopped & went back. I was mesmerized by what I saw. Some super hero looking dude missing his cape & on a pair of the oddest roller blades I had ever seen was zooming down the sidewalk with 8 dogs following him. Break to commercial. The voice on the tube assured me that “Cesar Millan the Dog Whisperer will return on NatGeo”. Holy hell. A dog whisperer.
I was instantly intrigued. The show returned with this doggie wizard speaking to a woman on how to handle her devil Chihuahua. He was advising her that all leaders of a pack maintain calm & assertive energy. After Cesar put the mean ass little thing in his place with some sort of “chit” sound, he lectured the owner further on pack mentality & the alpha rules.
I was hooked. The show was fascinating but I needed more. I was going to find out as much as I could about the guy. He had come out with books. Perfect. Be the Pack Leader by Cesar Millan was the first one on my list.
He goes over how domesticated dogs still have the pack mentality of wolves. There is always a leader of a pack. The rest of the members are submissives but periodically test the dominant leader for weaknesses, as having a strong leader is imperative to the survival of the pack. The main characteristic of a pack leader is calm & assertive energy.
If you want to be leader of our pack you must claim that status. Leaders eat first. Go thru doorways first. Leaders never step over submissives lounging in hallways. Leaders take the best spot on the couch. They also are in front in a walk. Dominates must also correct testing submissives. Calm & assertively.
He spoke about a dogs needs & in the order that they must come. Exercise, discipline, then affection. Essentially a tired dog is a good dog. They need to get out, they need to travel, and then they need to eat. Wolves get out and work for their food everyday. Our house pets need this sort of stimulation too.
He made mention of tools that could be used. How a simple nylon leash behind the ears is all that was needed for corrections in most cases. Just like you see the dogs in Westminster dog shows wearing them. Doggie backpacks are a wonderful way of added exercise. Throw in a couple of bottles of water and almost by magic the dog is transformed into work mode.
Knowing how to properly have Holly wear her simple leash was a game changer. So was the doggie backpack. It was tedious stopping her from going out the door before me but also a very important rule. Now she doesn’t leave the doorway unless invited. The biggest change though came from me again. Practicing to notice my energy constantly. I would start to realize when my muscles would tense up or my attitude would change. I became aware that on our walks I was more frustrated assertive, which is an unstable energy. This is why Holly would always pull ahead of me. The more I practiced the better I got which in turn the better we got. Finally! Taking Holly for walks had become enjoyable. It got to the point where she could be trusted to stay with me off leash.
When I think about Calm & Assertive energy, I think about self-control. You can’t expect to control your dog if you can’t control yourself. Becoming a responsible dog leader changed my life in so many ways. It changed the course of the path I was headed down as an out of control alcoholic. It changed how I responded to the general public & to family members. I cant imagine how I would have become the mother I am today with out the practice & knowledge Holly & Cesar gave me. The same “chit” sound I use to correct my dogs is the same I use for correcting my kiddos. And it works beautifully. In my opinion, Self Control is hands down the most important skill anyone can posses.