YIELDING 
 (Control of space)

Your dog is a social, pack dwelling animal. Your household is his pack. All pack or herd dwelling animals thrive best within a relatively stable hierarchy of status with some members being more dominant and others assuming a submissive role. Your dog wants to gain as much status within the pack as he possibly can - that is his nature. Status is not achieved within the pack by aggression, but by submission, with the lower ranking animal yielding to the higher ranking animal¹s ritualistic display of authority. Your dog will be a much better pet, as well as a safer pet, if you will do a number of things to keep him from assuming increasingly higher rungs on the ladder. 

Pack dwelling animals maintain status in a number of ways. One is to control the use of space by other animals. You can control space by teaching your dog to yield to you on command and by your body position. Teaching this also has the added value of allowing you to walk into your home with both arms loaded with packages. 

Have your dog standing in front of you. In class we will use a loose leash for control only. At home you do not need a leash for this. Lean into your dog. Leaning your body toward the dog seems to be recognized by them as a status related gesture. Say the word, "Move", and move toward him with tiny shuffling steps. Keep moving in your intended direction. Do not step around him. As soon as he moves, tell him, "Good". Keep moving until he moves out of your way. Do this several times every day. Whenever your dog gets in your way, tell him to move and shuffle through him. Plan your routes around your house through your dog. If he is lying in your path, do not walk around him. Instead, make him move out of your way.

The key to having your dog yield to you is your tiny, shuffling, straight-ahead steps. Do not kick your dog or bump him with your knees. And do not apologize to the dog for making him move. You can say "Thank you" though!

Control of space is naturally important to dogs. Yielding, because it simulates precisely one phase of the dog's natural social behavior, will help earn his respect.

WARNING. Do not attempt to practice having your dog yield to you if he has bitten or seriously threatened you. If your dog already feels he is top dog, he might resent what he sees as a challenge. Call an experienced positive trainer or behaviorist for help. 

Copyright © Pat Scott

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