Episodes > 106 > Pet Trainer

The Leader of the Pack

Fish gotta swim…birds gotta fly…and dogs gotta Bark! But why!

“Do you want a treat?”…”woof!” “Do you want to go outside?”..”woof!” We talk to the dog and the dog answers. Makes sense! But are WE training our dog to be an excessive barker?

Dogs are meant to bark just like frogs are meant to croak. But there can be some specific reasons why they bark and bark and bark! Boredom, loneliness and frustration are some of the most common. Then there’s Daisy who actually does it just for fun…and it gets  attention…and if it gets her attention, then why not bark?

The Payamps owned Daisy, or was it the other way around? Daisy barked constantly and not only was she disturbing the neighbors but a baby was in the future for Jennifer & A.K. Payamps.

The 911 call went out to trainer George Valez, who saw the problem instantly.  Daisy ruled the roost and controlled the household. First on the agenda for George was to send The Payamps back to school. Since dogs are pack animals, they need to understand where they are in the pack. If they think they are the leader of the pack then they will act like the leader. So the solution was simple…teach Jen & A.K. to act like the leader and then change how Daisy sees her owners. They are first, she is second.

George says that in most cases like this one it usually takes about 2 weeks to train the dog…but 6 weeks to change the owners! But 2 weeks is “dog time” is about 6 weeks for us humans…so we’re all on the same time. Until “leap year” of course which screws us all up.