#10 Be the Protector
Highfives Insights: Be the protector of your pack.
Dogs used to be used for security and protection. Some breeds originated for that very purpose, including the Doberman pinscher, the Great Dane, and the Bullmastiff . The reason people get a dog nowadays is usually for companionship but many people still expect their dog to protect them and their household. But before expecting a dog to take responsibility in protecting a human, it's important to know what 'being protective' really means when it comes to our dogs.
Guard dogs are often trained but not often born. Even a protective breed needs the proper training to understand their job. A trained protection dog is acting on built-in confidence and guidance from a handler. The dog has been trained to know how to be intimidating in the right circumstances and they have learnt to almost completely harness their energy. They practice a controlled bite and high impulse control. This allows those dogs to stay focused in distracting situations and pull out of high intensity activities on command. They often struggle with ‘just being pets’ as they have essentially become a working force or weapon. They love their job and are acting on cultivated drive, not actual aggression.
Meanwhile when we see a dog being over-reactive on leash or going berserk at the sound of the doorbell, he is often excused for ‘protecting his human’. The same dog may also push his weight around with his own family behind closed doors and show major insecurities... This type of behaviour proves he isn’t being protective of his humans, he is only being protective of himself.
Insecure dogs try to cover up their weak energy by becoming a bully or bluffing the outside world into thinking they’re big and bad. And it works because everyone gives space to a dog who is throwing a fit. The handler usually becomes afraid or embarrassed of her dog’s reaction which empowers the entire emotional rollercoaster and starts a concentrated pattern of negative energy. Dog sees trigger, dog explodes while handler restrains dog physically (or vice versa, as just tightening the lead eventually becomes a trigger), fight intensifies, trigger and pressures then go away, and the dog has been successfully conditioned that his outburst was valid.
It becomes impossible to communicate when the dog has gone too far into this red zone. The switch cannot easily be turned off as no one necessarily meant to turn it on. Many dogs in this state also don't know the difference between a sketchy stranger and a close friend. Both the stranger and friend are triggers and will be targeted when the dog is acting on self preservation. A reactive dog doesn't rationalize in these situations, he completely acts on feelings in the moment based on environmental triggers. While a protective dog may be a type of weapon themselves, a reactive dog is like a gun without a safety.
If a dog isn't trained to be a protection dog but is given the role of protector which he is using to cover up his insecurities, he is going to be acting on his own impulses instead of your guidance. When a dog is excused or allowed to practice protective behaviours without limitations or training, they become a ticking time bomb.
The way to remedy this problem is to stabilize your energy and become your dog's protector. The more calm and controlled you are, the more secure your dog feels. Whether you are in your house or out in public, your dog should be in a calm follower mode while you lead the way in more ways than being in the front of the pack. Only the leader dog tells the pack what is a threat and what is to be ignored. You dog will begin to relax as you take charge, correct his mistakes, and protect him.
That doesn't mean that your dog will become a sissy. It actually means your dog will become more in tune, more trusting, and more concise so he will make much better choices based on common sense and your leadership. He won't have the need to protect himself against your friends, strange dogs, or the mailman who would originally have caused him to freak out in an uncontrollable manner. He'll be processing situations in a much healthier way because you both will no longer be enabling his insecurities. And by practicing a high degree of trust and respect in the relationship with you, your dog WILL protect your back but only when needed.
No train, no gain!
Jenna