by Denice Moffat | Newsletter Archives
The five-minute rule: Whether the owner leaves the house or leaves the room to go to the garden or bathroom, the dog sees it as its child leaving the protective custody of the pack. Jan’s interpretation is that the dog does not know how long you will be gone, so when you come back into the room, you must reestablish leadership by ignoring the dog for five minutes. Do not acknowledge barking, licking or throw the toy that it brings you. Even by turning around and saying “stop it,” an owner is allowing the dog to achieve its aim. So, no eye contact, no conversation and no touching initially unless it is to gently push the dog away.
by Denice Moffat | Media Reviews
Gesture eating is done as follows: When you prepare the dog’s food up on a counter while the dog is watching, you also prepare a small cookie or cracker for each human being in the house and place it on a small dish right next to the dog’s bowl (where they can’t see it.) You want the dog to think that you are eating out of its dish because that is what the Alpha of the pack does. Now, before you offer the dog its meal, each person of the house takes a cracker out of the dish and thoroughly chews it in front of the dog. The dog’s meal is offered for 20 minutes only before taking up the excess.
by Denice Moffat | Vet Stuff
Establishing yourself as the leader of the pack must be practiced on four occasions: When the pack reunites for any reason; when it eats; when the pack is under attack; and when the pack goes on a hunt. Jan had an interesting interpretation of separation anxiety. If the dog thinks it is the Alpha of the pack, it feels uncomfortable when you leave the pack (to go to the store, work, outside or even to the bathroom!) If your dog follows you around the house, it thinks it is the Alpha. If the dog destroys the molding of the door or rips out the carpets when you are gone, it’s an Alpha. As an example. . .
