Deferential Training
Daina Beckman
Deferential Training is teaching the dog to defer leadership to you. In order to gain leadership we need to define what a pack leader is through the eyes of you dog. In any canine pack be it wolf or domestic dog a pack leader has certain character traits. They are fair, just, consistent, gentle, trustworthy, calm and wise. Any canine with out these traits will never become a pack leader because the pack will not follow a dog that is unstable or what they view as immature or crazy.
In order set your self up as a pack leader you need to a relationship with your dog that is similar to that of an adult wolf to a puppy. There is one major difference between the relationship of human parent to their babies and the relationship of canines to their babies and that is reactivity. When human babies are born mothers have to react to them or they will die. The opposite is true of canines. Canines from the time they are born must react to their mothers. The mother never reacts to the young. This is true of the whole pack. Adults and pack leaders to not react to infants, adolescents or subordinate members.
In this way our nature sets us up for failure as a pack leader. The good news is that we have a bigger brain and opposable thumbs. We are able to control and change the way we think and do things. It is all a matter of free will and self discipline. We can change how we think about our dogs and let go of all the old fashioned notions that a good dog owner or a pack leader is a stern disciplinarian. It simple is not true. Studies have proven it, and logic confirms that pack leaders are not aggressive. If you injure a pack member you put the whole pack in jeopardy. The pack now has to care for an injured member and the pack is also down a guarder or nanny and hunter.
You can also let go of similar notions that a dog is too old to learn or change or that this behavior is just how my dog is. Dogs are very willing to change.
An adult wolf does not react to a subordinate. They will ignore them, turn their side to them or walk away. If a youngster is being too rambunctious, using their teeth too hard, or violating play or structure the adult will give a very swift correction then act haughty, shun the subordinate. Within minutes the violator will appease and all will be forgotten. Canines don’t hold grudges or plot to get even. Those are human qualities.
So your homework for this week is to pay attention to when you are reacting to your dog. If he paws at you and you look at him, talk to him or touch him you have reacted.