Does your dog "sass" at you?

[Anonymous]

As in, will your dog bark at you in a tone that's like telling you off? What can you do to prevent or fix this?

Updates

+1 y

I want to adopt an older dog (small) and make sure this doesn't happen to me, as it will be my dog (the one who sasses is my mom's).

[InquisitiveMale]

Dogs originate from wolves which are pack animals. They conform to a strict social hierarchy. If it see's you as a being below it, it's going to do as they pleass. If it see's you as being the alpha but see's you as weaker, it's going to challenge you.

Things like never feeding a dog before you've eaten establishes status. Also when you feed your best friend, fill it's bowl, but don't let it eat until you say. The members of a pack don't get to eat until the alpha says.

When a dog jumps on me, I pin it to the ground and hold it there until it submits. When it barks at me I grab it around the muzzle and hold it shut until it submits. If it does anything to challenge my authority I put it in it's place.

How strong a dogs will is also heavily dependent on its character and breed.

I had a bouvier that wouldn't listen to anyone but the person who trained it, which was me. It eventually had to be put down because it tried to bite my niece when she reached for it's bone. That was a sad day.

[aMuse]

Then you're not really dominate. All of that can be down with body language and voice. You don't ever have to be physical to command respect. Being the alpha is about leading your pack through strong and absolute decisions made for a reason that providing a winning share for its members. It's about taking care of your own. The reason you dog bit your nice, was because of your physical aggression.

[ElijahCynicism]

Yeah, it learns that the struggle is how it goes. It may have expected your niece to struggle, too.

But otherwise yeah. Dogs really do challenge your dominance whenever you let your guard down. Being diabetic, I take hypoglycemic fits, which makes me very weak and drunk, and unable to command any sort of authority. When I'm like that my dog really pushes it and takes advantage, like he knows exactly when it happens.

[Asker]

Yeah, I don't want to use physical gestures to be dominant. It doesn't work, from what I've seen, and it makes me uncomfortable.

[InquisitiveMale]

My grandparents breed bouviers and I've trained dozens myself. Take your dog to any trainer and they're going to use the same methods. When training a dog to sit, you say sit, then shove it's bum to the ground. You repeat that process until the dog knows what the word sit means.

That is how you train dogs. It in no way hurts the animal. If you saw a trainer in action it's not going to make you comfortable. Its the natural order of things.

[InquisitiveMale]

@aMuse You know nothing about training a dog nor do you have any inclination as to how dogs establish their social hierarchy. They're not people and you can't sit a dog down in talk reason into it.

@Elijah You would be wrong on that account. I've seen countless litters come and go under this same method of training and I've only run into a couple dogs who came to this end. It was not something I did that made the dog this way. Some dogs, like people, are just not right.

[ElijahCynicism]

LOL yes! He does this to my mother all the time. He never does it to me. That's because I act dominant over him, see, and he recognizes me as dominant over him. He's a German Shepherd, so he's a real Ragnard Redbeard type, he only listens to dominance. My mother has no dominance in her (neither do I, LOL, but I can act), so he bullies her and always gets her way. But he wouldn't *dare* with me.

It varies from dog to dog, though. Some dogs don't respond to dominance, don't recognize it, or get even worse as a result. What type of dog is it?

[ElijahCynicism]

Just make sure they know who's the main gal around house from the beginning. The technique I used on my dog is; if they misbehave bad, doing something you told them not to, put them in their room (wherever the bed is) and close the door for five minutes, then let them back in and ignore them for a few minutes, and then give them a treat only after making them sit and give you their paw. Sit/paw is really important for establishing dominance. And if they want something after that, they have to---

[ElijahCynicism]

sit/paw for it. And, if they do try and order you to do something, don't give in!

[Asker]

Great, thanks! The dog I met at the shelter (10 years old) was very sweet with me, so I'm hoping I won't have to worry, but this helps a lot.

[ElijahCynicism]

Oooh I missed that you said an older dog. With an older dog, their behavior is already there, so, you can't really change it. Ignore my training thing, then - that's for puppies! But if you don't give in within the first few months, they should be alright. But if they seem sweet they should be sweet =] Enjoy year new friend!

[Asker]

Thanks, we have to introduce my Napoleon-complexed queen-bee dog to her first to make sure they get along. I'm praying she'll be nice to the new dog! Then the adoption agency will decide if it's a good fit.

[ElijahCynicism]

Yeah. It should be alright, they're both small dogs, yeah?

[Asker]

Yeah. The new one will be a few pounds bigger LOL.

[cazza3]

Dogs test boundaries and if there aren't any they run rampant. If your dogs barks at you and you try to tell it to stop or even look at it, that's giving them what they want - attention. Think of what dogs are like in a group, if one barks, the alpha looks around to see if its a warning but completely ignores the barker. If you want it to stop you have to do the same. Greeting your dog, playing with your dog, feeding it, basically giving it any form of attention even eye contact must be done on your terms not theirs.

[Asker]

Good point! Positive reinforcement for good behavior.

[Eyesofthewhitesun]

Dogs test boundaries. If you don't give them boundaries then they will think they are in charge and start giving you attitude. Make sure you set clear boundaries. Three things dogs need - exercise, discipline and affection... and in that order.

[caligirl3]

if my dog starts barking and I tell her to stop then she always must have the last word or "bark". and she looks me dead in the eyes when she does when she sees I am getting pissed at her she runs out of the room and do it from there instead.

[Asker]

LOL! Dogs are little brats sometimes <3

[caligirl3]

they are, but they are the best friend you will ever have. And it sounds sad but when I say best friend I mean they are so genuine and they are always by your side no matter what, doesn't matter if you had a bad day and yelled at them before you left your home when you return they will still welcome you with a kiss and a wagging tale.

[Asker]

I agree! Dogs are little humans to me. Watch this PBS NOVA video "Dogs Decoded" and it shows scientific proof that they love us and read our emotions! link

[caligirl3]

something that surprised me with dogs is that they apologize when they are wrong they have done something wrong like my youngest dog sits outside my bedroom door and faces the door like he is in time out and the he slowly tests the waters and move away from the door and goes up to me if I don't tell him to go he will go up to me and give me a kiss and my oldest doesn't do that she lower her tail and comes up to me to make sure I'm not angry with her and when she knows I'm not her tail goes up again.

[Asker]

Awww! Yeah, my dog vomits (poor girl can't help it) but feels guilty afterward because she made a mess, and I have to reassure her.

[caligirl3]

awwww

[Anonymous5124]

lol I love this. Best question in a long time. My dog gives me that face of like "What you gon do bout it!?". He knows I am not going to do anything lol :D :D

[Asker]

Seriously, my little dog has gotten worse with this as she's gotten older! Other people will notice her tone and be like "she's telling you off!"

[aMuse]

Nope, my dog playfully complains sometimes, but she knows who's boss. If you're dog bosses you around then it sees you as weak and easy to control. You don't command respect and can't lead, so your dog will. In a pack of dogs, there always has to be a leader.

[Racez]

My dog used to do that before. Though as the months pass by, they usually "fix" their attitudes and will start being the loyal dog that they can be.

[Enideqa]

No not that I can think of