One of the most basic points of dog training is that you have to be the alpha in the eyes of your dog. If you are unable to establish yourself as the leader or the boss in the mind of your dog, you will face some serious troubles in training him to become an obedient and well-trained dog. If you try and treat your dog just like you would treat a baby and allow him to do anything that he wants to, it would be difficult to control the dog. You would not be able to command the respect that you deserve. In this case, Alpha training is suggested.

Dogs are descendants of wolves and just like wolves; they are “pack” animals who follow only one leader i.e. Alpha Male. All the members of the pack are always mindful of their position in the hierarchy and just like humans strive for power, they too try to move up in their ranks. Similarly, when you bring your dog in front of your family and introduce them to the pets in neighborhood, they become his new pack. And as in a pack, he will try to find his position in the hierarchy. If you do not give him the impression that you are the alpha and the person in charge, the dog might try to get to the position of the alpha dog.

Alpha training doesn’t mean that the dog training has to be filled with terror. There is actually quite an easy way.

Here are some steps that could help you in becoming the leader and succeed in Alpha training:

• Don’t allow your dog to come and sleep along with you. In a pack, the alpha dog always sleeps separate, at the most relaxed or comfortable spot.
• The alpha dog is always firm in his decision. So you should make sure that if you give a command, you will have to trail it through to remain in a commanding position.
• While walking through doorways, always be the first one to enter. The Alpha of a pack always is the first to enter and takes control of the room.
• While feeding your dog, you should make him sit down and wait at a distance. Your dog should not be jumping, while you try to give him his food bowl. This shows the dog that you are in charge.

By exhibiting the qualities of the “Alpha Member” yourself, you can bring the point that the dog is not the “Alpha”, but you are.

The point to remember is that you need to provide your dog with all his necessities be it his food, playtime, shelter etc. It is totally your decision on when and how he gets them. So just by the basic manipulation of the supplies of your dog, you can give your dog the impression that you are indeed the head or the leader.

There is one more thing that you should keep in mind. The methods that you apply should never be too harsh or forceful for the dog. Ultimately, your effort is just to make him less aggressive and follow your instructions and not to fear you.