Claiming the alpha position in your relationship requires a number of things. While we will go over specific situations at the end of the guide, here are a few important factors to keep in mind as you interact with your pet on a daily basis.

1. Be Calm and Assertive – To be in charge, you must be sure of yourself at all times. If you decide something, you must be persistent. Don’t tell the dog to sit and then give up when they ignore you the first two or three times. They need to know that when you give them a command, they should follow it.
2. Require Calm and Submission – Before you allow your dog to do something, you should require them to remain calm and submissive. This will be important for leash training and feeding time and will also make it easier to avoid anxious behaviours when you leave the house or come home from a long day.
3. Rewards are Important – Like all living things, dogs can be conditioned with rewards. If you are training a dog to sit and you give them a treat the first 15 times they sit, they will learn that sitting is a good thing. Later, you can replace the treat you gave with praise and they will likely still sit, expecting your positive attention. Eventually, simply responding to your command will be enough.
4. Make the First Move – Taking the first move is important in many situations. You may not need to eat first or step into a room first, but neither should you allow your dog to pull you down the street or take scraps off your plate. Be calm but assertive and hold your position, making sure your dog knows that you are the leader.
5. Body Language is Key – Dogs respond to many stimuli and body language is one of them. Stand tall, hold your head straight and don’t back away when addressing them. You don’t need to stare them in the eye or yell, but you should always remain confident and in full control – this will improve their response.