Should you dominate your Labrador puppy?

I read a post on a forum recently by someone that had been advised to dominate or pin down,  their eleven week old Labrador puppy.

Sometimes we forget that this kind of advice can still be found on the internet and TV.

People used to think that dogs were highly motivated by status.

We used to believe that adult dogs have a desire to be pack leaders.  We now know that this is not generally the case.

Where ‘dominance’  type techniques work (and they do work sometimes) it is because they are acting as punishers.

Confusing dominance with punishment

Pinning a Labrador puppy down can certainly be very intimidating to him.

And can therefore act as a punishment for the immediately preceding behaviour.

It will also temporarily (at first) reduce the puppy’s feeling of security in your presence and his trust in your good intentions.

As a result the puppy may well be subdued for a while afterwards.  But will his behaviour have improved in the long term?

The answer is probably no.

Punishment can reduce the likelihood of behaviour being repeated but in order for the puppy to learn from punishment, he needs to be able to link it directly with the ‘bad deed’.  This can be hard to do.

First catch your puppy!

Unless you punish your puppy immediately,  punishment is not an effective behaviour modification technique.

Punishing a lively,  excitable puppy in a timely and effective manner, in a way that he can learn from,  is not easy.

Side effects

Punishment also has a number of unfortunate side effects.

Including a build up of resistance to punishment which is common in many dogs.

In other words,  the dog gets tougher, and the punishments have to get tougher too.

This is not a happy road to go down.

In more sensitive dogs, over use of corrections can result in the dog losing confidence in his owner, and being reluctant to approach him and slow to respond to commands.

On the other hand,  there are NO side effects to reward based training.

Coping with puppy behaviour

Small puppies can be difficult.  They are fast moving, have sharp teeth and the attention span of a gnat.  But there are ways to make your life easier.

Two to four month old Labrador pups are the equivalent of human toddlers.   They have no sense of danger,  no understanding of ‘property’ and no moral code.

So if ‘dominance’  doesn’t help,  what can you do?

Here are three tips to peaceful living arrangements with a canine toddler.

• Puppy proof your home
• Restrict access
• Train in little steps

Puppy proof your home

Canine ‘toddlers’  just like human toddlers need to be denied access to things which get them into constant conflict with their human parents.  Otherwise life becomes one long battle.

It can be very helpful to cast a discerning eye around your home and ask yourself if there is anything your canine toddler can reach that you do not want him to have.  Then move it out of his way.   This may seem obvious,  but it is something we can easily forget in the excitement of the new pup’s arrival

Restrict the puppy’s access

So many people let a small puppy rampage around their entire home.  There is no need to do this.  It is absolutely fine to baby gate your kitchen or part of your downstairs in order to deny access to the living room/dining room etc, until your puppy is older.

This gives you a room where you can relax and enjoy a book or the TV without constantly watching a puppy

Train in little bursts using treats and toys

Try to teach your puppy that you are the source of all that is wonderful.  Training creates a bond between you and your dog and helps him focus on you and on what you want him to do.

Teach him some basic obedience skills using generous rewards.  Encourage him to seek out your company.  A really reliable recall is one of the most important things you will every teach your dog and it is never to early to begin.  Even with tiny puppies you can make a start.  Simply use a recall signal every time he rushes towards you and then give him something lovely to eat or a game, or a cuddle if he is still into that.   Visit our recall centre for more information

Domination is not necessary

Pinning a puppy down will not turn you into a ‘pack leader’ or impress your dog.  If your local dog trainer tells you it will,  it is time you found another trainer.

Punishment may inhibit bad behaviour if your timing is impeccable.  But remember that it may also teach the puppy that you have a mean streak.

He will remember this one day when you need to catch him in the park or on the beach.  And it could really go against you when you come to proofing your recall out in public.  You don’t want to give your dog any reason to hesitate when you blow that whistle.

Showing your puppy who is boss really is not necessary.  All you need to do is train him.  And you can find out all about training in our Labrador Training section.

More help and information

If you enjoy Pippa’s articles, you will love her new book: The Happy Puppy Handbook published  in 2014.

Now available in most countries, the handbook is already a bestseller in the UK.

You can buy from Amazon using the links below.  If you do,  the labrador site will receive a small commission which is greatly appreciated and won’t affect the cost to you!