Spot on. Got in one.

I have two dogs living in my home. They have their own little pack between them but they understand that they are living in a human household. Both like to think they are guard dogs and will bark at strangers to the house - one shuts up when told, the other - I'm working on. She's had issues with strangers and is only just ok with them outside so still working on in the house.
(I mean, come on - you're 12 weeks old and have hoards of screaming kids and teens running at you screaming 'dalmatian!!!!' on a regular basis you'd have an issue too!).

I believe that whilst there are inherent behaviours that dogs exhibit (particularly breed characteristics), most behaviours normally blamed on 'dominance' are actually learned.

The first time Takara freaked out and lunged, barking at another dog at ringcraft, I was so shocked I walked straight out. From then on, she learned that that was what she had to do to get out of the situation and the problem escalated. When out and about she just avoids dogs that scare her but when on a lead or in a building (like training situations) she started to lunge at dogs that made her feel uncomfortable. I was told she was being dominant, not believing I could sort the situation myself and that I had to show her I was the 'pack leader'. I was given conflicting views on how to do this - which I think is the main problem - from rolling her on a regular basis, including during play so she knew I was boss, restricting her access to things further (she's already not allowed upstairs or on furniture due to shedding hair!), even grabbing her by the scruff (how to traumatise a sensitive dog!) and shaking her 'because that's what a wolf would do'.

Well I aint a wolf, and neither is my dog. I quit the training class and helped her get over the fear of dogs when outside using encouagement, a clicker and positive reinforcement. As this improved I started her back at training and just sat in the room with her and clicked and rewarded her every time she looked at another dog.

On Friday night we went training and she worked offlead in a room of 5 other dogs, next to a rottweiler who she had previously had major issues with. And I never did any of the pack leadership techniques I was told to.

Now, Takara's a pushy dog - she's strong willed, persistent and more to the point - very bright.
She isn't dominant. She's actually pretty insecure if anything but she trusts me, she trusts me to tell her when enough is enough so she will push me - she wants to know what her limits are and unfortunately, living in a family unit, they do change regularly with the inconsistency of my family - I do my best, but things do change.

As for the techniques Stolen-Wing's father was told to use - I have alpha rolled my dog once, without even realising I'd done it - I came on here and said 'wow, I've just done this and it worked' that was when I learned it was called alpha rolling and I got into BIG trouble with a member you'll never meet, unfortunately. ShadowBoxer gave me a right royal telling off for it and I disappeared off the boards for ages.
It got through to me though and I never did it again!

I always make Takara wait before going out of the door, I don't always go out before her but she doesn't go until I say - the same goes for eating from her bowl, she waits until I say she can, she sits to have her lead unclipped on walks and then stays sat until I say she can go. (Eddy is getting on and I'm a lot more relaxed with him!) I do none of this out of dominance - I do it to ensure she is safe, I am safe and people around me are safe.
She's a dally, she's daft, she's fast and she's heavy. I don't want to end up on my bum when she decides she's off out through the door.

As far as not giving attention when it's demanded - ignoring her when barking, ignoring jumping up etc. we do all that. Why? Because dogs are bright - they demand attention, what's the best reward you could give? Attention. I used to live with my dad and he would play with her every time she brought him a toy, he'd talk to her when she barked, he'd fuss her when she jumped up and she learned that it was all rewardable behaviour. Dogs don't know right and wrong they know what works and what doesn't. The undesirable behaviour she exhibited worked so she did it all the more.
She couldn't cope with situations where she didn't get what she wanted. She was spoiled basically. It wasn't fair on her and I told my dad til I was blue in the face but it didn't work. When he finally moved out, I was able to focus on rewarding good behaviour and ignoring bad.
Due to ingrained bad habits I worked in a no reward marker which only serves to help her realise sooner rather than later that 'this behaviour doesn't work'.

Now, I stick to these rules - I don't want to be one of these people who can't take the dog anywhere because it's too spoiled to behave when out. I don't like spoiled kids and I don't like spoiled dogs.

I rarely need to use a firm tone with my dogs - although I will if needed and I will when training other dogs. My dogs know the signs that something isn't working. If we're playing and the play gets out of hand, the toy gets put back in the toy box and I leave the room. Nothing needs saying, same as if Takara is barking for my attention (we're still working to get rid of it), I'll just get up and walk out.

BUT she is persistent, and usually the dogs you find are persistent are those that get some sort of reward on a varied schedule.
For instance, Takara is a nightmare for jumping up at the worktop. For 4 months I made sure there was no reinforcement waiting for her up there, then one day, someone left some food on the work top.
All she learned was it may take a bit longer but KEEP TRYING.

My trainer said that if you have a counter surfer then you have some tins with stones in sealed up attached on a string to whatever she is getting so when she pulls it off it makes a horrendous noise and she doesn't associate that with you but with the taking off the counter.
Becky

I've been trying different, less 'scary' ways first Becky purely because T has been SO nervous in the past.

Plus, recently I've been working on her nerves by dropping things near her and building up her bounce back so am not sure if it'd work, she'd probably just knock it off, bounce back from the noise and eat whatever it was she was going for in the first place!

I've tried double sided sticky tape to no avail, I've even tried leaving food up there coated in hot sauces/powders but she just licks it off to get to the food underneath!!!

If all else fails, I may give that a go- thanks, I just don't want to do that if I can help it, partly because I'm not sure it'd work anyway (she is notoriously bad for stealing although we're getting there with it) and partly because I don't want to upset her nerves again.

Your dog is fantastic! lol

tell me about it

It's hard to have confidence when others are very convincing.

Sometimes, although not always, they are in the "I've been training dogs for 30 years and you can't tell me anything i don't know" group, in which case pick up Takara and run, run, run

I have to say I agree with Malady..

Try living with malamutes and you see it all in action..

I don't "dominate" my dogs..but they know I am boss..and Lola knows Cruiser is boss above her..

Well, my dogs know I'm 'boss' - actually they know any human in our house is... Takara knows Eddy is above her when push comes to shove and I will back him up every time.

I think from my dogs' point of view, I am not their alpha pack member - I am different. And different gets you noticed.

They also know that good things happen when mum's in a good mood. How does mum stay in a good mood? By doing as she says.
Also - mum aint much fun when she's pi$$ed off so do as you're told!

All learned behaviour - but exactly the same as how I saw things as a kid!

If they get a bit OTT in play time in the lounge and I say enough's enough - they stop because they've learned that the consequence of not packing it in is they are separated and ignored - especially Takara who has to go and sit outside the (open) door until I tell her she can come back in!

yeah... BUT.. when you bring in 2 new dogs to an already established entire male and the young pup bows down the dog as they KNOW its top dog..and the adult bitch also bows down because they KNOW too..that isn't learned behaviour as they haven't had time to learn it..

Also.. My dogs know *I* am the boss...not "any" human...just me..not even my OH..