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As soon as you take your puppy home you must establish your leadership role unmistakably. Give your puppy clear signals as to who is the leader. Act with authority.
These are some simple ways to act like a leader and elevate your status in your dog's eyes. Implement as many of these as necessary:
Eat before your dog. Ask for commands to be obeyed before offering food or titbits.
Choose the chair you want. Sleep in your bed without your dog. Your dog may not encroach on your territory without permission.
Insist your dog gets out of the way in narrow passages and insist on going first through doorways.
Remain above your dog's height when seated or on stairways.
Expect your commands to be obeyed and offer short training sessions often (even if he does little more than sit).
Demand attention and pats when you want them and ignore demands for attention from your dog.
Own some toys and let your dog play with them at your discretion.
Lead when walking. Choose the pace of the walk and where and when to stop.
Praise your dog when he behaves well.
A good leader does not need to be aggressive or use physical force. After establishing his credentials as pack leader, the leader has sufficient status and power to maintain his position. The whole purpose of the hierarchical social system is to allow individuals to resolve conflicts without having to fight or become aggressive. An individual with a lot of social status has enough power that he doesn't have to use force to get what he wants.
Challenges to leadership status commonly occur around canine puberty or around two years old when full strength and maturity is reached. Deal with any challenges consistently, clearly and quickly and your dog will accept you as leader.
A dog who thinks he has a high social status may;
Resist obeying well known commands.
Refuse to move out of your way when required.
Nudge your hand, mouth your arm or insist on being patted or played with--in other words, ordering you to obey.
Defend food, toys or other objects.
Growl or bare his teeth.
Resist being handled by you or the veterinarian.
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