# How do I get a dog to respect me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514 "2009-03-31T23:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/21 "2009-04-01T18:45:09Z")
> [@bobo t](#): > > I’m no dog trainer, so I may get yelled at for this, but it’s worked for me in the past. Gently put the dog on it’s back, so it’s on the floor looking up at you. Hold it there until it realizes that you are in control. I’m telling you, it’s worked for me. Reward it after you let it go. I was taught this too in obedience class. What we were told is to sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you, and cradle the dog on its back between your legs. It will try to squirm away but you have to keep it subdued, and you also keep in constant eye contact. But, this wasn’t really a dominance technique so much as a calming technique. It does work, though. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/22 "2009-04-01T19:06:06Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > On a side note, I thought a puggle was a poodle-pug mix? Nope, that’s a pugapoo. > **[Pugapoo Dog Breed Information and Pictures](http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/pugapoo.htm)** > > Pugapoo Information and Pictures. The Pugapoo is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Pug and the Poodle. ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/23 "2009-04-01T23:17:21Z")
> [@autz](#): > > Here’s some advice called the ‘loose leash’ method. The idea is that the leash between you and the dog should always be loose, the dog needs to pay attention to you and not go too far ahead or behind. > > It is very simple, the second the leash gets tight, because the dog is pulling, you stop moving. Be consistent, do this every time. Dogs are smart and they soon learn that when they pull on the leash, they don’t get to go anywhere. As soon as the leash loosens (the dog moves closer to you), they you start walking again. > > It doesn’t take too long for the dog to learn to keep the leash loose. Thanks! I’ll try that next time I take him for a walk. > [@Yeticus Rex](#): > > Our dog still is somewhat mischievous, but it is still about one-third as he used to be as a puppy…he’ll be two years old in June. I suspect by the end of year three, he’ll be a great pet. Good to know! I think a puggle is calmer than a beagle due to their pug blood so maybe it will only take 2 years. > [@Doctor Who](#): > > Puggles are extremely stubborn and intractable. Puggles whine and chew and pull and raise hell. They get into everything and do whatever they can to get what they want. They are the cutest dogs in the world, but they are intolerably bad. Across the board. Entertaining as all get out, but definitely not a great starter dog. Oh dear. Well, thanks for the advice! Oscar is mostly a good dog and sticks to chewing his toys and paper (so far anyway, it’s been a little over a week) but he has his days. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > There’s a big difference between “sit?” and “sit.” and “SIT!!!” Never ASK the dog to do something (sit?), you tell it (sit.). And if it doesn’t know commands yet and is being obstinate, you scare it into listening (SIT!!!). Sharp, somewhat shrill and totally unexpected. Especially with a beagle because they are off in La La SmellyVille most of the time. They need to be woken out of their stupor and reminded to pay attention. Should I force him, that is push his butt down, to sit if he doesn’t do it when I tell him too? It’s still sort of sporadic. Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Seems like the key is consistency and lots and lots patience. I won’t be the one dealing with him a lot but I’ll let my roommate know about these tips. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyFrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@JerseyFrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyFrank)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/24 "2009-04-01T23:24:36Z")
Wait until at least the third date. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/25 "2009-04-01T23:35:12Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > “What about this whole thing where you wrestle the dog to the ground, growling, and stare in their eye until they look away? Is that a breed-specific thing (my friend described it for her pit bulls)?” > > Dominance roll, and you can ruin a dog if you don’t know what you’re doing. I think the bigger danger is that the dog can ruin _you_ if you don’t know what you’re doing; essentially you’re attacking a fairly aggressive dog and forcing it into a position where you could kill it. Not something that sounds like it should be tried by amateurs 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/26 "2009-04-02T00:17:18Z")
Beagle talking: The most important thing to teach a dog, any dog, is to sit on command, heel, and that you are dominant. [Oh heavens, you mean the dog isn’t my equal? No, you fool, the dog isn’t your equal. The dog needs a boss. It needs obedience, training and direction. Otherwise, they turn out to be worthless and maybe dangerous. There is nothing wrong in “training” a dog. There doesn’t need to be anything egalitarian in the dog, human relationship. Get that concept in your mind and adhere to it.] Have you ever seen a horse being broken? It’s not a pretty sight but it is necessary. Otherwise, the horse is a dangerous animal. If you want a taste of it watch the movie “The Horse Whisperer”. A beagle is a big nose wrapped in fur. While that may sound bad, a beagle can be the best friend and the best dog you could ever own. They are great dogs. A good beagle can be trusted to be gentle and loving to everyone including small children. That being said, if you control their nose you control them. Therefore, don’t use a collar, use a “Halti” or a “Gentle Lead”. It will make your walks much easier. The New York Times Magazine did an article awhile back about designer dogs. What they said about the puggle is that when you breed a pug and a beagle you get a cute dog that will run off following its nose but is too stupid to find its way home. There’s the problem. A beagle is not as stupid as they want you to believe. A puggle? You are taking your chances. Anyway, good luck. Just be the boss and persist. Puppies are puppies for about 18 months. Then, if they’ve been trained properly, they mellow out and live their lives in total dedication to you. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/27 "2009-04-02T00:36:44Z")
I feel your pain, my own dog is often less than well behaved, to my chagrin. I do try, however, but it’s a struggle, every day. One little tidbit that was shared with me, and stuck, I go back to on almost a daily basis, has been a big help. I was told, whenever I was struggling with my dog’s behavior, to remind myself that there is only one relationship in the dog world, Master/Slave. And to ask myself which I was being. Hope you find it helpful. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/28 "2009-04-02T00:41:29Z")
Most cats know…but of course good luck in getting one to tell you… ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/29 "2009-04-02T01:35:25Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > I think the bigger danger is that the dog can ruin _you_ if you don’t know what you’re doing; essentially you’re attacking a fairly aggressive dog and forcing it into a position where you could kill it. Not something that sounds like it should be tried by amateurs 🙂 I think there’s a difference between aggression and just disobedience. My parent’s dog is easily excitable and sometimes really can’t understand why someone would pay attention to someone else, but he doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. Obviously some of it is breed (Clark is a lab/unknown mix\*), and I imagine a pug/beagle mix would be far more “want to play” than actually aggressive. That said, I do think it should be done as a last resort, and a professional, trained dog trainer should absolutely be consulted first. \*Possible ‘others’: beagle, greyhound, weimaraner, the mythical “attention hound”, mutt. Whatever else is in him, he’s _friendly_. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/30 "2009-04-02T01:59:40Z")
> [@Arien](#): > > Should I force him, that is push his butt down, to sit if he doesn’t do it when I tell him too? It’s still sort of sporadic. Better technique: use the dog’s natural body mechanics to do it for you. Hold the training treat over his head to get his attention. Give the “sit” comnmand. If he doesn’t sit immediately, move the treat back along his spine toward his tail (still keeping it up out of reach. The easiest way for the dog to keep the treat in view is to sit his rump down. He will almost certainly do that. Click (if you have a clicker), praise and reward. The clicker is not a command, but a consistent signal that the dog is now in the correct behavior (human praise tends to vary and get delivered too soon or too late; the clicker tells the dog “I’m in the zone now buddy! Here comes the treat!”). Reinforce this frequently, and begin to withhold the food treat some times and switch it with a toy or a head pat. The idea is to create a little uncertainty in the food reward and take advantage of “variable reward” to reinforce conditioning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/31 "2009-04-02T11:56:55Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > I think there’s a difference between aggression and just disobedience. My parent’s dog is easily excitable and sometimes really can’t understand why someone would pay attention to someone else, but he doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. Obviously some of it is breed (Clark is a lab/unknown mix\*), and I imagine a pug/beagle mix would be far more “want to play” than actually aggressive. > > That said, I do think it should be done as a last resort, and a professional, trained dog trainer should absolutely be consulted first. > > \*Possible ‘others’: beagle, greyhound, weimaraner, the mythical “attention hound”, mutt. Whatever else is in him, he’s _friendly_. We were talking about the ‘dominance roll’ or ‘alpha roll’, which is apparently only used when dogs show severe disobedience, usually involving some extent of aggression. The alpha roll involves attacking them, flipping them onto their back and holding their throat to show them who’s the ‘alpha’ in the situation. It’s a dangerous technique if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing because if the dog is a dominant one - **gigi** brought the technique up in relation to disobedient pit bulls - it will probably try and fight back, and suddenly you’re in a real fight with a pit bull! But even if the dog is submissive and ‘doesn’t have an aggressive bone in its body’, firstly they may think they’re under genuine, serious attack and will try to defend themselves, and secondly afterwards it would increase their anxiety and make them even more afraid of you. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514/32 "2009-04-02T13:02:10Z")
Whisper in his ear “hey buddy, I can have you fixed if you don’t respect me”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-dog-to-respect-me/491514.md?page=1)