Learning to Lead: Tough Lessons with My Dominant Dog

Yesterday was a real wake-up call for me as a dog owner. 🤯 I learned some hard truths about leading my dominant dog, Tawny. Turns out, my well-intentioned love and praise, given without her having to work for it, and too much unrestricted freedom in the house and yard, actually undermined my role as her leader.

It was eye-opening to hear that dogs don't experience jealousy or boredom in the human sense, and that a dog's past trauma, while impactful, doesn't justify current bad behavior. The advice was clear: focus on the present, not the past.

Even behaviors I thought were cute, like licking and zoomies, were explained as forms of dominance that shouldn't be allowed. Apparently, those playful chases at the dog park? They're often about dogs establishing a pecking order. Who knew?!

I also learned the incredible value of dog runs – providing a safe, comfortable space that's just theirs, helping to eliminate issues like fence fighting and other mischievous behaviors and unwanted dominance of yard.

This week, my homework is all about re-establishing leadership. Tawny will be on a leash by my side unless she's in her kennel, or on her bed, and we'll be drilling sit, heel, and down commands everywhere - and I mean all day long! Today, we're even getting a dog run so she'll have a secure space instead of the whole backyard.

It's tough to swallow being told you're not a good leader, especially when you love your dog so much. But I'm committed to learning and growing. Here's to becoming a better, more effective leader for Tawny! Wish us luck! ❤️🐾