Hey Guys,
Today when my mum, dad and sister went out Jaydah started whining, if you call it, but i found that weird as i was in the house with her.
It iook me quite a while to calm her down, and then when i gave her a bath that same day she did the same thing.
Can you tell me what this is caused by and why she does it?

Dogs are pack animals with heirachy. If the dog does not see itself at the bottom of the pack then it has work to do! The alpha in the pack makes all the decisions including leading the hunt. If someone lower in the pack goes out hunting the dog will stress cos it is supposed to protect its pack. Lower pack order should not just go off hunting (thats there desicion as they see it).

Translated to human terms - if you had a 2 year old child and the child just walked out the front door to go to the shop and out of sight you would be stressed! there is alot of danger outside and you can't protect the child and its your job to get the food (imagine what a 2 year old would bring home from shopping).

You need to practice pack order rituals - they work. Mine used to bark when I left and bark when I got home. Now I may get a single bark now and again when I return before she realises its me. Makes for a less stressed dog

Tazmbl,

Can you please tell me more about the "pack order rituals". What are they and how do you practice them.

Thanks

Paul

Hi Paul

Good easy book to read is Jan Fennell (The practical dog listener). Dogs have a heirarchy and like any hierarchy you need to know the order. Humans wear uniforms so its easy for us to tell the hierarchy. Dogs only have fur so they do certain things(little rituals) and you can see this in a park when dogs greet each other (one may put his head over the neck , or roll over on stomach, or play bow etc)

These rituals are to show who is Alpha dog and alpha dog makes the decisions. One ritual is when you come back to the house, you don't even look at your dog. Then when it is relaxed and not making a fuss over you then you can call your dog over to you and play/praise/pat. What you are saying in a round about way is "I am alpha, I can come and go as I please and when I want you in my personal space I will let you in my personal space". Human equivalent -if a major walks into the room all junior ranks do not speak to a commanding officer until the commanding officer acknowledges them.
Once dogs know someone else is alpha they are alot more relaxed as they don't have to make decisions which to them they think are life and death (protect the pack, hunt for food, find a mate).
Hope it makes sense