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v3.1

Contents

TitlePageCopyright

DedicationACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

HOWTOREADTHISBOOK

CHAPTER1TheCanineStateofMind

CHAPTER2Cesar’sNaturalDogLaws

CHAPTER3NineSimplePrinciplesforaBalancedDog

CHAPTER4PracticalTechniquesforEveryPackLeader

CHAPTER5Ain’tMisbehavin’

CHAPTER6ChoosingtheRightDogforYou

CHAPTER7LifeChanges,YourDog,andYou

CHAPTER8TheFulfillmentFormula

CHAPTER9EnrichYourDog,EnrichYourLife

ADDITIONALRESOURCES

ILLUSTRATIONSCREDITS

I’mdedicatingthisbooktoallthefansaroundtheworld.Withouttheirsupport,Iwouldnotbeabletogivetipstoanybody.Sothankstomyfansfortheiropen-mindedness,and,ofcourse,totheirdogsforbeingwithmeforthepastnineseasons

ofDogWhisperer.

IamalsodedicatingthisbooktoJahiraDarandCalvinMillanforbeingthereformeandtravelingaroundtheworldwithmesowecan

continuetohelppeople.Withoutyou,mypackisnotcomplete.

Thankyou.

I

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

wanttothankGodforgivingmesuchanamazinggiftwithdogs.Iwanttothankmyteam,includingthefolksatCesarMillanInc.,theDogPsychologyCenter,Cesar’sWay,theNationalGeographicChannel,LisaThomasandHilaryBlackatNationalGeographicBooks,andTaraKingandtheMillanFoundation for theirsteadfastdedicationto themissionofdogrescue,rehabilitation,andadoption.SpecialthankstoJonBastianandBobAnielloforhelpingmecreatethisbook,andtoAmyBriggs,whogaveupweekendsandeveningstoeditthesewords.While the last nine years have been amazing, I look forward to the

future and want to acknowledge the newer members to my team,including theLeader of the Pack TV production crew, Steve LeGrice atCesar’sWaymagazine,andCheriLucas,EvoFisher,andEricRovnerofWilliamMorris Endeavor. I alsowant to thankPomi for extendinghisranchsowecanshootanamazingshow.

—CESARMILLAN

Iwould like to thankStacy andTedMilner for originallybringingmeintoCesar’sworld;myCMI,Cesar’sWay,andDogWhispererpacks,pastand present; Che’Rae Adams and the L.A. Writers Center for theirinspiration,support,andfriendship;andmypack,ShadowandSheeba,foralwaysbeingthereandforteachingmetobetheirleader.ThankstoBobAnielloandDaveRogersfortheirbeliefandtrust.And,ofcourse,Iwould like to thank Cesar, fromwhom I’ve learned somuch over theyears,andwhohasgivenmetheopportunitytoworkinafieldIamsopassionateabout.

—JONBASTIAN

Iwould like to thankmyparents—AlandJeanAniello—for their totaldedication to inspiration; my family—Daryle, Nick, and Chris—forputtingupwithmeandallowingmetobewhoIam,evenwhenitdrivesthemcrazy;mytwobrothers,RonandRick,whohavealwaysbeenthereandhaveguidedmecreatively,morally,and spiritually.AndCesar forteachingmethatallthingsreallyarepossible.

—BOBANIELLO

IwouldliketothankCesarMillanandhisgreatteamfortheopportunitytowork on this exciting project. Thank you, Bob and Jon, formovingheaven and earth to deliver the text in under what most would callimpossible conditions. You guys are a dream team—fast, open to justabout anything, and constantly coming up with new ways to make abook better. Thanks to my husband, Crenshaw, and daughter, Diana.Knowingyou’retheremakeseverythingpossible.Thankstomygraycats(gasp!),ColonelandNellie,forthepurrsandheadbutts.AndthankstoHoss,Ralph,Max,Bud,andLucyforbeingthebestdogsanyonecouldaskfor.I’msoluckytohavesharedmylifewithyou.

—AMYBRIGGS

I

INTRODUCTION

’m standing on the soft desert sand as the heels ofmy shoes digdeeperintotheporousdesertsoil.AsIsettlein,thesandbeginstoforma mold around my shoes like cement. It’s hot, over 105 degrees. I’muncomfortable,andit’shardtomove.As Igazeoutover theborder from theUnitedStates intoMexico, it

suddenlyhitsme.IrealizeIhavebeenlivingintheUnitedStateslongerthanIlivedinMexico.It’sbeenover22yearssinceIcrossedtheborderillegallyonDecember23,1990,fromTijuana,intoSanYsidro,justsouthofSanDiego,California,whenIwas20yearsold.Theborderwasverydifferentthen.Therewerefewerwallsandfewer

borderpatrollers,andthedesertstretchedout forwhatseemedlikeaneternity back then. Although so much has changed around me, IrecognizethesamedesertandvalleysthatIwanderedinalonefortwoweeksbeforemakingitsafelytoSanDiego.IcanstillsmellthedrynessoftheairandfeelthenakednessoftheterrainwhereIhidamongrocksandbushes toavoidcapture.Those feelingsofalonenesswillnevergoaway, and returning has only intensified the memories of thatexperience.AsIlookoutacrossthatlandscape,Iaskmyself:HowdidIdoit?IhadasimpledreambackthentocometotheUnitedStatesandbecomeadogtrainer.Itwasadreamthen,andnowit’sareality.Thistripiscompletionforme.It’sSeptember13,2012,andIhavereturnedtoSanYsidrotothevery

spotwhereIcrossedillegally.Onlythistime,Iamherenotasalonelyandfrightenedimmigrant,buthavingfulfilledmydream.I’mherewithafullcameracrew,aphotographer,andmyproductionmanagerAllegraPickett.Ididn’tarriveonfoot,wanderingthedesert,butinthecomfort

ofanair-conditionedSUVwithNationalGeographicTelevision,whichisshootingadocumentaryofmylife.It’ssurrealtomeandIamhumbled,almost embarrassed that a TV network would find my life story sointerestingthatitwantstoshareitwithothers.Asthecamerasroll,acrowdofcuriousonlookersandfanshasbegunto forma fewyards fromus.Mostof thepeople seem toknowmebyname.SomecalloutinSpanish,“ElEncantadordePerros”(translatedas“TheOneWhoEnchantsDogs,” asDogWhisperer is called inMexico).Duringshootingbreaks,Iwalkovertospeakwithsomeofthemandsignafewautographs.ThediversityofthecrowdisamazingandreflectsthebroadfanbasefortheTVshowthatairsinover100countries.Thereisa Canadianwoman in hermid-60swho says she haswatched all 167episodes of Dog Whisperer; a family from Seattle; a gentleman fromArgentinawho shares thathehasused someofmydogpsychology inraisinghisownchildren;andayoungfamilyfromLondonwhotellsmethey attendedmy “CesarMillan Live” seminar when I was touring inMarch2010.AsIstandattheborderlisteningtothesefans,IrealizethatalthoughIwasbornandraisedinMexicoandthenbecameaU.S.citizenin2009,Idon’t belong to a country defined by borders, territory, or language. Ibelongtoaworldwidecommunityofpeoplewholovedogs.Thisismypack.Ibelongwiththem…andwiththeirdogs.Andthereareover400milliondogs andover1billionpeople in this globalpackwhohaveadogintheir life.MyrolewithinthishugecommunityisthatofaPackLeader.

Backtowhereitallbegan:my2012returntothebordernearSanYsidro,California(illustrationscreditsitr1.2)

It’saprivilegeItakeveryseriously.AsaPackLeader,Iamexpectedto provide protection and direction. Sure, most people come to mebecause they are seeking answers to their dog problems. For all nineseasonsofDogWhisperer,Ishowedtechniquesforcorrectingeverytypeof misbehavior from every breed imaginable, and I encountered justabouteveryhumanmistakepossible incaringfordogs.ButmyroleasPack Leader is most important to me now. It’s so important that I

decided to end theDogWhisperer TV show after the ninth season andcreateanewshow,calledCesarMillan’sLeaderofthePack.WhileDog Whisperer was a show about rehabilitation, Leader of the

Packisashowaboutrescue.It’sthestoryofabandonmentandgettingasecond chance. It’s the story of rehabilitation and adoption to acompatible family. For many of the dogs on the show, it’s their lastchance. In my role as Pack Leader, I’m finding new homes for theseincredibledogswhilegivingtheirnewfamiliestherighttoolstocareforthem.WhilethereareonlyafewpeopleinthisworldwhocanbeDogWhisperers,everyonecanbeaPackLeader.

Thisnewsenseofpurposehascompelledmetocreatethisbooktohelppeople become Pack Leaders in the sameway I have.When I stop tothinkaboutit,thisguidehasbeen22yearsinthemaking.Itcombinesall my empirical knowledge of dog psychology and training in onesimple,easy-to-readvolume.

IhavelearnedsomuchfromJunior,myright-handdog.(illustrationscreditsitr.1)

I explain themost important aspects of understanding dogs as dogs

andnotashumans. I recounthowthousandsofyearsofevolutionandhuman intervention in genetic breeding have shaped our caninecompanions. Next, I explorewhat I call “Natural Dog Laws” and howthey affect dogs’ behavior and thinking. In Chapter 3, you’ll find myNineCorePrinciples,whichareshortandsimpleintuitivetoolstohelpyou raise a healthy, happy, and balanced dog. These principles andtechniques are what I have followed with my own pack and in myrehabilitationwork.The followingchaptersall cover important lessonsand strategies for finding the right dog, adjusting to life changes, andcorrectingcommonmisbehaviors.Ithenbreakdowneachproblemandoffersolutionssothematerialiseasytofollowandreference.Butwhat’smore,I’vefilledthesepageswithwhatI’velearnedabouthuman behavior from my work with dogs and from my own lifeexperiences.Wewilltalkmoreaboutthisinthefinalchapters,whereIwill sharewith you inspiring stories—includingmy own—frompeoplewhose lives have been touched and altered forever by a caninecompanion.For thevery first time, Iwill sharewithyou insights fromwork I’ve done with people like personal life coach and star of TheBiggestLoserTVshow,JillianMichaels.SuchpeoplehavemadeprofoundchangesbyapplyingtheNaturalDogLaws,theCorePrinciples,andPackLeader Techniques I’ve developed over numerous years of helpinganimalsandpeoplefindharmonytogether.And, of course, throughout the book, you’ll meet the dogs … theobsessiveones,theaggressiveones…theoneshumanizedtothepointthat they became destabilized and their owners—the very peoplewhocaused the problem in the first place—had to give them up or isolatethem in cages or backyards. I’ll share stories of special dogs frommynewshow,CesarMillan’sLeaderofthePack.You’llseehowthemethodsdiscussed in this book have helped each of these dogs find balance aswellasnewlovinghomeswiththeperfectfamily.BytheendofmyShortGuidetoaHappyDog,youwillhavetraveledonajourneywithmeintotheheartandmindofadog.You’llgainarichunderstandingof howadog’smindworks andhowour energy affectsdogs’behavior,andyou’ll learnhowtobeagoodPackLeadertoyourdog.And if I do my job right as Pack Leader, you will gain a betterunderstandingofwhat’sunbalancedinyourlifeandhopefullylearnhow

tobetterfulfilltheneedsofyourownpack.It ismy hope and belief that this bookwill bring you insights that

improve and enrich your relationshipwith your dog, your family, andyourcommunity.Welcometothepack.

B

HOWTOREADTHISBOOK

efore you begin reading, it’s important to beginwith an openmind.IunderstandthatIusewordsthatmakepeopleuncomfortable.Inmy experience, the two most common are dominance and control. Ibelieve some people feel uneasy with these terms because they areinterpretingtheminnegativeways.I’dliketoexplainwhy,tome,theyareneutral,possiblyevenpositive,andnecessary.People frequently ask me what I mean when I use these words.

Apparently,inEnglish,andintheUnitedStatesinparticular,suchwordshave negative connotations—nobody likes a spouse or boss who is“controlling,” and the concept of “dominance” implies completelyconqueringoroverwhelminganenemy.When I use these words, these aren’t the associations I have with

them.TheworddominancecomesfromtheLatin“dominus,”whichjustmeans “master.” Tomy ears, this word sounds like the Spanish wordmaestro, which simply means “teacher.” In English, the wordmaestrofrequently refers to an orchestra conductor—and that is amuchmorepleasant image to associate with the word dominance, because aconductorprovidesoneofthetwothingsthatadominantdoginapackprovides:direction.Thesecondwordthatisoftenmisunderstoodiscontrol.Whenusedin

thisbook, Imeantheactof starting,changing,andstoppingactionbyothers.Whenteachers tell their students tobegina testor toput theirpencilsdownattheend,thatiscontrol.Whenatrafficcopmakescarsdetour because of an accident—changing their direction—this is alsocontrol.Inyourrelationshipwithyourdog,you,thehuman,shouldbe

theonewhodetermineswhenthingsstart,change,andstop.Ifyourdogis the one making these decisions, then you, quite simply, are not incontrol.TobeaPackLeader,youmustbeincontrol.Ifyouareonawalkandyourdogstartstopullahead,takecontrolbychangingdirection.Ifyourdogisexhibitingabehavioryoudonotwant,stop it. Provide the correction. Before giving your dog something hewants—awalk,food,water,affection—waituntilyourdogdisplaysthebehavior that you want in a calm, submissive state. The action a dogdesiresdoesnotbeginuntilyouallowit tostart,andneverwhenyourdoginitiatesit.Istronglybelievethatembracingthesewords—controlanddominance—is part of becoming a Pack Leader. It’s crucial that you get used tothem—inthewaythatImeanthem.Becausehumanscanhavestrongnegativeassociationswithwords,theintellectual act of reading aword can trigger an emotional response—sometimes adefensiveone—that canget in thewayofunderstanding.While reading this book, I challenge you to pay attention to youremotions and stop at any word that makes you feel uncomfortable.Underlinetheword,andthenthinkaboutwhythatwordgeneratedthatresponse.Try it right nowwith control anddominance.What do each of thesewords mean to you? Do they give you positive or negative feelings?What is it about each word that might do that? For any words thatdisturbyou,trytocomeupwithsynonymsthatyoufindmorepleasant.Forexample,manypeoplemayfindthewordheatbringsupunpleasantemotions, but warmth may be more positive—the scorching desert insummerversusafireplaceandlovedonesatawinterholidayparty.To dogs, words don’t mean anything. They are just tones andinflection of sound. This includes the names we call them. Dogscommunicate with energy, and they respond best to us when we arecalmandassertive.Toreachthecalmstate,weneedfirsttocontrolourhuman emotions, especially the ones that lead to weak energy states,likedoubt,fear,oranxiety.Ifparticularwordsarecausingthesefeelingsin you, then you need to neutralize the negatives by identifying whythey make you feel that way, removing those connotations from thewords,and/orreplacingthemwithsynonymsthatareneutraltoyou,ifnecessary.

Knowledge removes fear, and the aim of this book is to bring youplentyofknowledge.Achievingcalmness,however,isuptoyou.Ifyouworkwithmeandreadthisbookwithanopenmind,thenyouwilllearntoreachthatstateofcalmness,andyouwillinstinctivelyknowhowtobringyourdogsbalance.

(illustrationscreditsfm1.1)

N

CHAPTERONE

TheCanineStateofMind

owthatwe’rebeginningourjourneytowardahappierlifewithyourdog,it’sbesttostartbyseeingtheworldthroughhiseyes—ormorelikely, smelling the world through his nose. You first have to try tounderstandandembracethecaninestateofmind.Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking as he gazes at

you? You’re giving him commands like “sit,” “quiet,” or “get off thecouch,”andifhe’sawell-balanceddog,hedoesthem,butwhat’sgoingoninhisbrainwhenhedoesthem?Wondernomore.Adog’sbrainisamarvelous thing. It gives him information about the world, tells himwhat to do with it, and helps him figure out how to please you, hishuman.Dogs are motivated to please people. They know instinctually that

peopleareofutmostimportancetothem,andthattheycangetalmostany need satisfied if they rely on a human.As a result, dogs dowhattheycantopleasehumans,andtheirbrainsarewiredforthisimpulse.Dogsarewonderfullyadaptable,but thisdrive toplease isadouble-

edgedsword.Ifyouwantyourdogtobehavelikeaneedychild,thedogwill eventually behave like a needy child, even though his naturalinstinctstellhimnotto.Ononehand,dogs’desiretopleasemakesthemlovingpetsanddedicatedservicedogs,butontheother,itcanalsogetthem into themost trouble.Whendogs try to adapt to humandesiresthatareunnaturalforthem,theycanbecomeunbalanced.Understandinghowyourdog’sbrainfunctionscannotonlyhelpyou

understandyourdog,butitcanalsohelpyoubeabetterPackLeaderbygivingyourdogwhatsheneedstobehealthy,happy,andbalanced.

YourDog’sBrain

The brain of a dog needs large amounts of fuel to function properly.Althoughthebraininanaveragedogaccountsforlessthanone-halfofonepercentofitsbodyweight,itreceivesover20percentofthebloodthatispumpedoutbytheheart.Thebrainofadogisresponsibleforinterpretingandactinguponallthe information or signals it receives from the dog’s various sensoryinputs.Tothinkaboutitsimply,adog’sbrainislikeasuperhighwayofsensory information. A dog’s responses to these signals have beenpredeterminedbythewiringofhergeneticmakeup.Butitdoesn’tmeanthatdogswillalwaysreactinthesamewaytothesamestimuli.The anatomy of the dog’s brain is similar to that of most othermammals.Thecerebrumcontrolslearning,emotions,andbehavior.Thecerebellum controls the muscles, and the brain stem connects to theperipheralnervoussystem.

ANATOMYOFADOG’SBRAIN

(illustrationscredits1.1)

Anothernetworkinthebrain,calledthelimbicsystem,isthoughttobetheareathatcontrolsgeneralmemoryfunctions.A dog understands her own relationship to the world around herthrough the limbic system,which is fedbyher senses—smell,hearing,sight,touch,andtaste.

InstinctsVersusTraining

Sometimesthereisanaturalconflictbetweenwhatadog“instinctively”wantstodoandwhatwewanthimtodo.Thistug-of-warplaysoutinthelimbicsystemofadog’sbrain.Most dog training methods focus on overriding the natural limbicsystem,eitherbygivingrewardsforobeyingusandignoringinstincts,orbypunishingdogsforfollowinginstinctualtendencies.Mostdog training today is focusedon these two schools of thought:rewards-based or punishment-based learning. I have used techniquesfrom both training methods in my rehabilitation work, and I alwaysrecommend using the methods that are best for you and your dog.Ratherthanfollowonespecificmethodorformula,Ialwaystrytotailormyapproachbasedontheuniquedoginfrontofme.Training is about applying technique. I teach classes at the DogPsychologyCenter(DPC)thatcovermostofthetechniquesdogtrainerscommonlyusetoday,suchasclickertrainingandreward-basedtraining.PeopleofteninsistIdon’tuseclickertechniquesinmytraining,butthe“Tsch!”soundImakewithmymouthduringmyrehabilitationsessionsis the same as using a clicker. It associates a soundwith a particularbehaviorIwantthedogtodo.Likewise,IhavealsousedtreatstocoaxfearfuldogsintoarelaxedstatebeforeIbeginarehabilitationsession.During training classes at the Dog Psychology Center, I often heartrainers discussing and even arguing among themselves about whichtechniqueisbest foraspecificsituation.Whenaskedformyopinion,Ialwaysreturntothebasics:Knowwhatyourparticulardogneeds;directthe dog’s tendencies into healthy activities; and project clear andconsistentleadership.Itdoesn’tmatterifyouuseatreat,aclicker,ordisciplinetoelicitthebehavioryouwant,aslongasthatbehaviorisnatural.

WorkWithInstincts,NotAgainstThem

Somanydogproblemstodayoccurbecausehumanssuppressthenaturalfunctioning of the limbic system in dogs. The key to successful dogtrainingistorechanneladog’snaturalenergyandinstinctstobehaviorthat ispositiveforboththehumanandthedog.Redirectioninsteadofsuppression is one of my cardinal rules. I always try to nurture andcultivate all the special skills of a specific breed and redirect dogs’naturaltendenciesintohealthyactivities.Forexample,Ireceivelotsofcallsfromschnauzerownerscomplaining

that their dog is digging excessively in their backyard. Schnauzers gottheirnamefromthewordschnauze,Germanforsnout.Theywerebredtohuntforratsandothervermininbarnsandhomes,andtheyhaveavery powerful sense of smell. This breed is only doing what it isinstinctually engineered to do. Rather than fight the dog’s naturalinstincts,whynottrycreatingaspacewhereit’sacceptableforthedogtodig?Digging isa formofexerciseandworksoff excessenergy.Theabilitytoworkwiththedog’snaturalinstinctsmaybeaneasiersolution.At the DPC, we have special areas where dogs can exercise their

natural instincts. We have a swimming pool for water dogs andretrievers.We also have a sheepherding area for breeds that have thegeneticsforherding.I remember one dog named Ginger that a local rescue organization

brought to theDPC.Gingerwas so tenseandexcitable thatherownerjustgaveuponher.IcouldtellthatGingerwasanxietyridden,andinher current stateofmind,Gingerwouldneverbeadopted.However, ItookGinger to the sheepherding area,where I don’t think I have everseen a faster transformation. Ginger was herding the sheep in tenminutes, and with her instinctual needs satisfied, she relaxed into acalm,submissivestate.WestilluseGingerasaTVpersonalityattheDogPsychology Center whenever we need to demonstrate sheepherding.GingercanherdsheepfasterthananydogIknow.AccordingtoJannaDuncan,whoteachesoursheepherdingclassesat

the DPC, “Herding is instinctual for a lot of breeds. When they’re‘working,’theyfeel liketheyhaveapurposeinlife.Lettingthemworkhelpswith self-confidenceand relievesanxietyandaggression.” Inone

class, I watched as Janna introduced a five-month-old puppy to thesheep.Jannaletthepuppy“findherinstincts.”Withinminutes,thelittlepuppy,namedLuna,wasinstinctivelytryingtokeepthesheeptogetherand get them moving. After the demonstration, Luna proudly walkedbacktoherfamilyandsatquietlyandobedientlyattheirfeet.Her jobwasdone!

SuppressionofHerdingDogs’Instincts

•InstinctualTendency=herding•EnergyState=anxietyridden,unstable•BehaviorProblem=tendencytoherdotherpetsorevenhumansinthehome;constantnippingatheelsandjumpinguponpeople•Solution=redirectenergyintoflyball,Frisbee,oragilitytraining•BreedsMostAffected=corgis,shepherds,BelgianMalinois,bordercollies,briards,Germanshepherds,sheepdogs,Swedishvallhunds

Incertaincases,youmaywanttodotheoppositeofnurturingabreed-specifictrait.Withcertainpowerfulbreedslikerottweilersandpitbulls,you may not want to nurture the specific activity that the dog wasoriginally genetically engineered to perform, like hunting or guarding.You’ll need to find creative ways to redirect these tendencies. Forexample, Junior and I love to play tug-of-war. Junior’s instinct drawshim tohunting.Whenweplay tug-of-war, I rechannel theenergy toagameofcontrol.Repression of natural, instinctual tendencies can lead to seriousbehaviorproblems.Gingerisjustoneexampleofadogwithabehaviorproblemthatdevelopswhenhumansoverride the limbic system.Foravariety of reasons, someowners are not able to let their herding dogsherd,theirwaterdogsswim,ortheirdiggingdogsdig.Inthesecases,it’sbesttoacceptthatthesedogswillhaveexcessenergythatwillneedtobedrained.Increasingadog’sexercisecanburnoffthatenergy,engagethesenses,anddecreasetheunwantedbehavior.

WhataDogRemembers

Now that you have a basic understanding of how a dog’s brainworksand how a dog processes sensory inputs, it’s equally important tounderstandhowadog’smemoryworks.Theabilityofdogstoonly“livein themoment”alsomakes themtrainable. Inmy22yearsofworkingwithdogs,Ihaveworkedwiththousandsofthem,andtherehaveonlybeenafewdogsthatIcouldnothelp.Scientific research on how dogs perceive time and recall events is

limited.With regard tomemoryand time,weknowdogsaredifferentthanhumans.Myexperience tellsme thatdogs cannotmentally travelback in time or into the future the waywe can. To be able to recallspecific memories and anticipate events in the future seem likewonderfulgifts,butatthesametime,thesehumanabilitiescomewithacost:anxiety,dread,guilt,andregret.ManyofmyclientsareskepticalwhenItellthemdogsliveonlyinthe

presentandthattheirrealmemoryspanisactuallyveryshort—about20seconds.After all, theyargue,mydog is trained to retrieveaball anddropitatmyfeeteverytimeIthrowit.Theydorememberwhattodo.Butthat’snotwhatishappeningintheirbrains.Remember, dogs have learned how to react to commands and to

please humans. So dogs can know how to respond to the command“retrieve”withouthavingamemoryofthespecificeventinwhichtheylearnedthatcommand.Youmayrememberallthedetailsofthatbrightspringdayyoutaughtyourdogtofetch,butshedoesn’t.Atleast,notthesamewayyoudo.Adogrememberspeopleandplacesbasedonassociationshehashad

with those people and places. Associative memory can work bothpositivelyandnegatively.Ifadoghasatraumaticvetvisitafterarideinthe car, she may react to all car rides with fear until that memoryassociation is replaced by associating the car ride with somethingpositive—such as going to the dog park. The stronger the association,theharderitistoreplace.When I work with traumatized dogs, I first have to identify their

negative associations. It takes time and patience to rewire theseassociations.Ihavedonealotofworkwithmilitarydogsreturningfrom

warzones.Manyofthesedogsrequireextensiverewiringbeforetheyarereadyforadoptionintonewfamilies.Suchadogdoesn’tknowthatsheisinoroutofawarzoneorthatawarhasended.Thesedogsarealwaysworking and have many negative associations, usually affiliated withloud noises. The loud fireworks displays on the Fourth of July areespeciallydifficultforthesedogs.Iworkedwithone specialmilitarydognamedGavin, a ten-year-old

yellow Lab who was retired from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms,andExplosives(ATF).

Gavinovercamehisfearofloudnoisesbybecomingadogagain.(illustrationscredits1.2)

GavinhadspenttwoyearsinIraq,wherehedevelopedaseriousnoiseaversion problem.Whenhe cameback to theUnited States, hewouldshowfearatthesoundofthunderorfireworks.Thedisorderprogressedtoincludefearofhigh-pitchednoiseslikesmokedetectorsandscreamsfromchildren.WhenGavin first came tome, he didn’t even knowhow to bewith

other dogs.He just froze aroundmy pack. As part of Gavin’smilitarytraining, he had become so used to a pack of people that he hadforgottenhow tobearounddogs. Itwasas ifhehadbecomea robot,

withallthe“dog”drainedoutofhim.Irehabilitatethesedogsbyintroducinganactivitythatisinthedogs’natural DNA but not in their daily routine. In Gavin’s case, it wasswimming.Labradorsarenatural-bornswimmers,originallybredtohelpfishermenpullintheirnets.Atfirst,Gavinwasalittlehesitant,butafterafewtries,hereallytooktothewater.Heregainedhisconfidenceand,indoingso,hisnaturaldog instincts returned.OnceGavin returned tobeing himself, he became trainable. Rather than being fearful anddistrustfulofloudnoises—somethingGavinlearnedinhismilitarylife—Itaughthimtoassociateloudnoisewithlyingdown.EverytimeGavinheard a loud noise, I instructed him to lie down and rest. Over time,Gavinlearnedtobemorerelaxedaroundnoise.GavinwaseventuallyadoptedbyhisATFagent,L.A.Bykowsky,nolongerfearfulofloudsounds.OndayswhenL.A.wasn’tonassignment,Gavinwould come into the office to visit old friends and dogs. SadlyGavinpassed away in February2011 after a battlewith cancer, livinghisfinalyearsahappy,balanceddog.

StimulatetheBrain,EarlyandOften

I am often asked if dog owners can do anything to make their dogssmarter.Ifyoulookonthesupermarketshelves,you’llseenumerousdogfoodsthatclaimtoaidinintelligence.Idon’tknowifdietcanincreaseintelligence,anddogscannottakeIQteststoprovethisonewayortheother. However, I do believe “stimulating” a dog during earlypuppyhoodcanresultinastronger,morebalancedbrain.Apuppy’sbrainislikeasponge—soakingupallthesmellsandsightsandexperiencesintheworldasfastasitcan.Awell-stimulatedpupwillgrowuptohavea largerbrainwithmorecells,biggercells,andmoreinterconnections between them. Hearing loud noises, getting regularexercise, meeting new dogs and people, traveling to new places, andevengoing throughagility course training for a fewminutes eachdaymake for a stronger brain. We can influence the development of apuppy’s brain by providing him with the best environment possiblewhenheisanewbornpup.Likewise, a dog that is deprived of stimulation or that doesn’t have

interactionswithotherdogsorhumansismorelikelytohaveasmallerbrain and be less balanced. I have seen many situations in which anunderstimulateddogisnotonlyanunhappydogbutalsoadull,almostlifelessanimal.But,conversely,toomuchofagoodthingcanbeharmful.Ihavealsoseen situations in which overstimulating a dog can lead to behaviorproblemsandaggression.Signsofoverstimulationcanbeseeninadogwho enters a room or approaches another dog face-to-face, with histongue hanging out, gasping for breath, and pulling on the leash orbarking. A lot of dog owners misinterpret these signs as those of a“happy”dog,butinreality,suchdogsareoutofcontrol.Whenyouseethese signs, your dog needs calm, deliberate handling, and it’s best tomove him away from whatever is overstimulating him until he hascalmeddown.

TECHNIQUESINACTION:ChallengingYourDog’sMind

Keepingyourdogsmentallychallengedandconstantlyexposingthemtonewthingsarejustasimportantastakingthemforwalksandexercisingthem.Boreddogsdevelopdestructivebehaviorsandtaketheirnegativeenergyoutonthingslikeyourfurniture.Herearesomecreativewaystostimulateyourdog’smind:

1 Workonanewtrick.Everytimeyouengageyourdoginatrainingsession,youareprovidinghimwithamentalchallenge.Searcharoundfornewtrickstolearnandpractice.Ifyou’rereadytomovepastthebasiccommandsof“sit,”“stay,”and“come”…trylinkingcommandstogetherlike“retrieveandsit.”

2 Playwith interactivegamesor toys.Dog toyshave evolvedbeyondrubber squeaky toys and cloth squirrels. I like to use caninepuzzlesthat allow you to hide treats and objects inside the puzzle, whichengageyourdog in figuringouthowtowork themout. Ifyoudon’thave a puzzle, you can hold a treat in one hand and let your dogfigureoutwhichhand ishiding the treat.Becausedogshave sucha

powerfulsenseofsmell,yourdogwillguessright100percentofthetime.

3Changeyourwalkroutine.Tryadifferentstreetorparkjusttokeepitinterestingforyourdog.

4 Give your dog a job to do. Dogs are bred to complete tasks likehuntingandherding.EngageyourdoginagameofFrisbee.Gethiminvolved in a sport like agility or flyball. Find jobs that fulfill yourdog’sbreed.

5 Socializeyourdog.Dogsaresocialanimals,andyoushouldnurturethe need for social activity by planning playdates with othercompatibledogs.

SeeingThingsYourDog’sWay

Mostof thehappiest,mostwell-balanceddogs that I see seem tohaveownerswhoinstinctivelyunderstandthem.Theyareabletounderstandtheworldtheirdoglives inandtohelpguidehimthroughit.Youcanbecome that kind of Pack Leader, too. That is why it’s so vital tounderstandhowyourdog’s brainworks, how it processes information,andhow instincts can drive behavior. Byhaving a strong grasp on allthis information, you’re well equipped to move on to the followingchapters that build on this foundation. Being able to “see” your dog’sunique point of view will help you embrace the techniques andprinciplestocome.

(illustrationscredits1.3)

O

CHAPTERTWO

Cesar’sNaturalDogLaws

neof themost frequentquestions thatdogownersaskme is,“Justwhatisdogpsychology?”Manybelievethatdogpsychologyisthesameashumanpsychology,but it isn’t.Whatpeopleneed torealize isthat dog psychology is very different from human psychology. Ratherthanexamininghumanemotionsandreactions,dogpsychologytriestounderstandandexplaindogbehaviorfromacanine’sperspectiveratherthanfromahumanone.Andtogainevenmoreinsightintoacaninestateofmind,youneedto

understandwhat I call Natural Dog Laws. If you are going to controlyourdogsandbetheirPackLeader,youmustunderstandwhotheyareandwhattheyneedasdogsintheirnaturalstate.Sowhat are the Natural Dog Laws? At their core, they are the end

results of thousands of years of evolution on wild dogs. They arefundamentaltruthsthatmustbeunderstoodfordogstoliveinharmonywithhumans.Thesepowerfulforcesstillcontinuetoshapehowmoderndogs think and behave. These are the laws that Mother Nature hasplaceduponthespecies.Ifyouignorethem,youwillbeworkingagainstMotherNature,andsheisapowerfulforcetofight.Thefivelawsare:

1. Dogs are instinctual. Humans are intellectual, emotional, andspiritual.

2.Energyiseverything.

3.Dogsarefirstanimals,thenspecies,thenbreed,andthenname.4.Adog’ssensesformhisreality.5.Dogsaresocialpackanimalswithaleaderandfollowers.

Wewillexamineeachoftheselawsandtheireffectsondogs’memory,behavior, and intellect. Once you understand these five laws, you canthen begin to apply the Core Principles and Pack Leader TechniquesdiscussedinChapters3and4.Putthesethingstogether,andyouhavetheessentialtoolsforachievingyourgoal—acalm,submissivedogthatrespects,trusts,andlovesyou.In my experience, most humans focus only on the outcome: “Whywon’tmydogdowhatIsay?”Somefocusonlyontechniques—therightorwrongwaytowalkadog,forinstance.ButwithoutunderstandingtheNatural Dog Laws, you will have difficulty achieving any positiveoutcome,nomatterwhattechniqueyouuse.Onceyou’vemasteredtheNaturalDogLaws,you’llbeamazedathowsimple it is to successfullyapplythetrainingtechniquesdiscussedlaterinthebook.

FIRSTNATURALDOGLAW:DogsAreInstinctual.HumansAreIntellectual,Emotional,andSpiritual.

Oneof themost frequentproblems I dealwith inhumans is that theythinktheirdogsarejustlikethem.Takealookathowmuchpeopletendtohumanizeourdogs.Wethrowthembirthdayparties,dressthemupincostumes, push them in baby carriages, and hold conversations withthemasiftheywereourconfidants.People (at least some of them) enjoy these things. Sowhywouldn’ttheir dogs? What many people don’t realize is that these kinds ofactivities aren’t fulfilling for the dog. They’re fulfilling for the people.Theyareusingthedogsfortheirownemotionalyearningsandneeds.Anothercommonmistakethatmanypeoplemakeisascribinghumanemotions to their dogs. How often have you heard a dog owner say,“Poorpooch,he’s sadbecause…”and thenheconstructsanelaboratestoryforexplainingthedog’sdiscomfort?“He’ssadbecauseIyelledat

him,”or“He’ssadbecausesomeonemistreatedhim.”Typically,weusehuman-based emotional explanations for a dog’s outward sadness ordepression.Althoughdogsdopossessemotions,theemotionsarenotascomplex as a human’s. Dogs do, however, sense the emotions comingfromhumans.They feelouremotionsasenergy,andenergy todogs iseitherpositiveornegative.Dogsreadnegativeenergyasweaknessandthenreactaccordingly.Because we’re constantly explaining dog problems in human terms,our relationships with our dogs suffer. What we fail to see time andagainisthatthesolutionwewoulduseforahumanistotallywrongforsolving a dog’s issues. For example, when a human sees a scared ornervousdog,heorshewillfirstoffercomfortandthentrytoconsolethefrightenedanimal.Thisactioncanhavetheoppositeresultofreassuringthedogandmakinghimfeelmoresecure.Thecomfortandaffectioncanactuallyreinforcethedog’snegativebehaviorbecauseitrewardsit.Theproblemcangetworsebecauseunstablebehaviorhasbeenreinforced.Ofcourse,thiswouldnever,everhappenintheanimalworld.Intheanimalworld,anunstablepackmemberwouldbeignoredbytherestofthe pack. If the instability persisted or got to the point where itendangered the pack, the animalwould be rejected.When a dog seesunstableenergy,hisinstinctsarealmostthepolaroppositeofahuman’sfirstimpulse.To understand our dogs, we must always remember they areinstinctualcreatures.Theydon’tthinklikewethink,andtheiremotionsarenotlikeours.Thefollowingaresomehumanbehaviorsthatindicatewhenyouarehumanizingyourdogsandignoringtheirinstincts.

CESAR’S5MOSTCOMMONWAYSPEOPLEHUMANIZEDOGS

Humanizing dogs can disrupt your dog’s balance and lead to behaviorissuesovertime.Peoplehumanizedogsina lotofways,butthesebadhabitsarethemostcommon:

1.Allowing a dog to act like a human (that is, eating at the dinnertable,sleepinginahumanbed)

2.Attributinghuman feelings and emotions to a dog’s actions, bodylanguage,orfacialexpressions

3. Dressing dogs up in costumes that serve no protective oridentificationpurposes

4.Expectingdogstounderstandandinterprethumanlanguage

5.Applyinghumansolutionstodogproblems(that is,comfortingananxiousdog,orgreetinganoverexciteddogwithenthusiasm)

SECONDNATURALDOGLAW:EnergyIsEverything.

There has been a lot of scientific study of the effects of genetics,breeding, and evolution ondog behavior.However, there isn’t enoughrecognition or understanding of how human energy directly affects adog’s behavior. So what exactly is energy? Energy is what I callbeingness; it is who and what you are in every moment. Dogs useconstant energy to communicate. Dogs don’t recognize each other byname,butbytheenergytheyprojectandtheactivitiestheyshare.Theyknowhumansinthesameway.Ashumans,we tooarecommunicatingwithenergy—whetherornot

we realize it. On the surface, our primary form of communication islanguage.Weuseourwords to express ourselves.Butdogsdon’t havewords.Adogwillexpresswhat’sonhismindthroughthepositionofhisears and eyes and how he holds his tail or head and how hemoves.Theseareimportantcluesthat,ifnotunderstoodbyhumans,canleadtomisunderstanding or, even worse, behavior problems. And thoughhumansmayattempttopersuade,explain,andrationalizewithwordsallday long,wemustrecognize thatweareprojectingenergysignals, thestrongestmessageswesendtoourdogs.Many people have trouble grasping the “energy as communication”

concept. I have found that this law is the hardest for humans tounderstand.A fewyearsago, Iwasaskedtomeetwithagroupofdogbehaviorists in London to explain how energy can influence and even

predict dog behavior. After an hour of conversation, I could tell therewasstillconfusionintheroom.“Whatdoyoumeanbyenergy?HowdoIrecognizeit?”A dog’s mind works by watching our body postures and gettinginformationabouttheenvironmentthroughhissenses—primarilysmell,sight, and sound. Dogs are able to do amazing things with these“superpowers”—just think of Seeing Eye dogs and search and rescuedogs.While I sat in this room full of learned and educated behaviorists, Iaskedthem,“Doesn’titstandtoreasonthatifadogcandetectbombs,drugs,or find losthumans,might this samedogbeable tounderstandandsenseourmoods,emotions,andenergy?”In fact, two years prior, I had visited a cancer research center innorthernCalifornia,wheredogswereabletodiagnoselungcancerwitha77percentaccuracyratejustbycatchingawhiffofapatient’sbreath.Surely,ifadog’ssenseofsmellissoacute,couldn’tshealsopotentiallysenseourstatesofmind?Ibelievethatmostdogscan.WhenIthinkaboutthesequestionsofenergy,itbringstomindoneofthe most important experiences in my life, when I relied on my dogDaddy’s instincts and energy to make an important decision for ourpack.WhenDaddy,myfirstright-handdog,wasnearingtheendofhislife,Ibegan looking for a new pack member that Daddy would be able toteachand integrate intomypack.Daddyhadsharedmy lifeandworksincehewasfourmonthsold.Workingwithme,Daddybecameusedtobeingarounddogsof all sizes.This exposureandhisnaturalbalancedenergy made him a perfect candidate for rehabilitating other dogs,particularlythosewithdogaggressionissues.Daddy’scalm,submissiveenergywascontagious. I trustedhimimplicitly.Anditwasvital tomethatIseekoutanotherdogtocarryonhislegacy.My friend had a pit bull who had just had a litter of puppies, andDaddy and Iwent tomeet them. Iwatched carefully how thepuppiesinteractedwiththeirmotherandwitheachother.One puppy in particular caughtmy eye. It was obvious hewas thepick of the litter—strong, handsome, and with beautiful markings. IbroughtmypickovertoDaddyand, tomysurprise,Daddygrowledathim.IthenselectedanotherpuppythatIliked.Hewasallwhiteandhad

awidehead,butDaddytotallyignoredhim.ThenIsawanotherpuppy.Hewastheclosesttohismotherandhada

gorgeous,solidbluecoat.IpickedhimupandsethimdownnearDaddy.Daddyapproachedthepup,andthetwodogswentnosetonose.ThenDaddywaggedhis tail, turned around, and—tomyutter surprise—thepuppyfollowedDaddytothecarandneverlookedbackathismother.That was the pup who became Junior. Daddy and Junior knew theywererightforeachother.Itwaspureinstinctsandenergy.In themonths and years to follow,Daddy trained Junior. (The only

thing I did was potty-train Junior, a chore Daddy chose not toparticipatein.)As it turnedout,Daddyknewwhatwasbest forme. Juniorhas the

perfectenergyforthepack,andhewasideallysuitedforhismissionofhelpingmerehabilitatedogs.ItrustedDaddyandIreliedonhisinstinctstopickhissuccessor.Ifyouwanttorelatetodogs,youmustliveintheirworld. It’s an instinctualworld—not an intellectual or spiritualworld.Youenterthisworldbytrustingyourinstincts.Thescientificcommunityisjustnowstartingtoexaminetheeffectsof

energyonbehavior.Ofcourse,mostofwhatIknowaboutdogsisbasedon a lifetime of workingwith them. So, it’s always rewarding formewhenacademicspublishanewscientificstudyondogbehaviorinwhichthestudiesconfirm,oratleastsupport,thebeliefsandobservationsI’vedevelopedoveralifetime.

DaddyshowedJuniortheimportanceofagoodnap.(illustrationscredits2.1)

In February 2012,Current Biology published results from a researchstudy conducted at the Cognitive Development Center of the CentralEuropean University in Budapest, Hungary, which indicates that dogscanrespondtoeyecontactandnonverbalcuesfromhumansinasimilarmannerastwo-year-oldhumanchildren.Inthestudy,dogswereabletoread nonverbal cues, especially when the humans used eye contact.Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at TuftsUniversity’sCummingsSchoolofVeterinaryMedicineinNorthGrafton,Massachusetts, summarized some of the research by saying, “Dogs arelookingforanexpressionofwhatthepersonisthinking.”ThisstudyconfirmswhatIhavealwaysbelieved,thatdogsaremore

attuned to our energy and nonverbal behaviors than we might think.Dogs can read energy better than they can understand the tone andinflection inourvoice.Theyunderstandourbody languagemore thanourhumanlanguage.

THIRDNATURALDOGLAW:

DogsAreFirstAnimal,ThenSpecies,ThenBreed,andThenName.

Nowthatwehaveanunderstandingofenergy,wecanbegintoputallthepiecestogetherforacompletepictureofthedog.Butnotallpiecesareequal—wemustputthemintheirproperorder.Dogsarefirstanimal,thenspecies,thenbreed,andfinallytheyhaveaname.Humansoftenmakethemistakeofthinkingofthisbackward,startingwiththeirdog’snameandfailingtoidentifythem,attheircore,asananimal.

HOWBEHAVIORISUNDERSTOODANDEXPLAINED

HUMANPSYCHOLOGY Name Breed Species Animal

DOGPSYCHOLOGY Animal Species Breed Name

Indogpsychology,adog isananimal firstand foremost. It isnotahuman.Whenwerelatetoourdogs,especiallywhentryingtocorrectanunwanted behavior, it’s important to think of them first as an animal(mammal), then as a species (dog, orCanis lupus familiaris), then as aunique breed (German shepherd, husky, and so on) with certaincharacteristics or skills, and last and least important, as their name(personality).Tohaveahappy,balanceddogistorespectthesequalitiesaboutthem—inthisorder.Let’s take each of these words and examine why they work in theorderI’veplacedthem.WhenIthinkofanimal,Ithinknature,thewilderness,andfreedom.Animals live in thepresent, and life is simple.They livepurely in themomentandknowonlytheirimmediateneeds.Animalsareinstinctual.Theyarenotintellectualorspiritual.Theirbasicneedsareshelter,food,water,andmating.So,inthinkingaboutyourdog,thinkaboutherthewayadogdoes.First,basicneedsareforemost.Satisfyingtheseneedsisthestrongestmotivationalfactorinadog’slife.Next is species. Dogs were descended from wolves. This species isconcernedwith pack orientation, communicating and experiencing the

world through senses, and understanding pack positioning andleadership.Alldogsneedtoplayaroleinapack.Theyneedajob.Theycan be protectors, hunters, or searchers. Once you understand theirinstinctual needs as a species, you might begin to understand dogs’frustrationwhentheyonlyget towalkacoupleofblocksaroundtheirneighborhoodacoupleoftimesaweek.Theirfrustrationisinnate,andtheydevelopbehavioralissuestocompensate.Thirdisbreed.Afterhumansdomesticateddogs,theybegantobreedthem to favor specific genetic traits and abilities. Breeds aremostly ahumancreation.Inmyformula,breedrepresentsthecharacteristicsthatwe have genetically altered or enhanced so that certain dogs performcertaintasksbetterthanothers.Forinstance,bloodhoundsareincrediblescenttrackers;greyhoundsareamazingsprinters;bordercolliesareveryintelligent;andGermanshepherdsaregoodatguarding.Today, these are almost all human-desired tasks, like herding,searching, and stalking. These different traits can affect a dog’spsychology and energy. Within breeds, there are different levels ofenergy—high-,medium-,and low-energydogs that take to theirbreed-specifictaskswithdifferentlevelsofintensity.Therearedefinitedifferencesintheintelligenceandtraitsofvariousbreeds,andthereisalsoalotofindividualvariationamongdogsofthesame breed. Althoughwe are often quick to generalize among breeds,wemustrememberthatbreedalonedoesn’tdoagoodjobofexplaininghowdogsbehaveorhow“trainable”theyare,whichiswhyitappearsthirdonthislist.Finally, your dog has aname. Your dog does not know or need toknowthedifferenceofwhetheryoucallhimorherSam,Fiona,orFido.Anameisahumancreationthatweconditionourdogtolearn.Weusenamestoprojectpersonalityonthedogs,butwhat“personality”istoahuman doesn’t exist in dog psychology. It doesn’t exist in either theanimal, species, or breed categories. Naming your Doberman pinscher“Rambo”willnotmakehimaggressive,justascallingaYorkshireterrier“Baby”won’tmeanthatshewillbedocileandhappytoliedownalldaylikeaninfant.Recognizing these four categories—in this order—andunderstandingtheir influences on behavior are a central part of having a happy,balanceddog.

FOURTHNATURALDOGLAW:ADog’sSensesFormHisReality.

InChapter1,wecoveredthefundamentalsofhowadog’sbrainandhisinborninstinctsshapehisuniqueviewof theworld.Welearnedthatadogsensestheworldverydifferentlythanahumandoes,sotheworldadog experiences is much different than what we experience. Tounderstandadog’smind,wehavetoenteradifferentinstinctualworld,asitisformedbyhissenses.Humans experience the world primarily through sight; they see a

colorful, vibrant world. But dogs sense the world primarily throughsmell, followed by sight in shades of gray—like watching black-and-whiteTV.Becausethesensoryexperiencesofhumansandcaninesaresodistinct fromeachother,howcouldadogandhumaneverexperiencethe same world? What we see, we experience. What a dog smells, heexperiences.Humansseeeachotherfirstandbegintoformopinionsandlikes based on what they see. Dogs smell a human, usually fromdistances greater than 50 yards away, and begin to develop anunderstandingofwhothatpersonisbasedonsmell.

HIERARCHYOFSENSORYINPUTSTOTHEBRAIN

HUMANHIERARCHY CANINEHIERARCHY

1.Sight 1.Smell

2.Touch 2.Sight

3.Sound 3.Sound

4.Smell 4.Touch

These fundamental differences between the senses of a dog and ahuman help to explain one of the most irrational behaviors I’ve seenhumansdowhentheyseeadogforthefirsttime.Theyimmediatelyrunup to a new dog and lean down to try to pet her. Humans do thisbecause touch is their second strongest sense. But I guarantee you, if

dogs could talk, theywould be saying, “Human, get out ofmy face, Idon’tknowyouyet.”IwasonceaskedtocommentonastoryaboutaDenvernewsanchor

namedKyleDyerthatairedontheTodayshow.Kyle,adoglover,wascovering a story about a dramatic rescue by firemen of an Argentinemastiffwhohadfallenintoanicylake.Duringthenewssegment,Kylehad been petting and stroking the dog. As the interview ended, sheleanedinclosetothedog’sfacetosaygoodbye.Unfortunately,thedogbitherwhileshewasstillontheair.Afterseveralsurgeriestorepairthedamage to her lip and nose, Kyle returned to her jobwith a differentsense of how to interactwith an unfamiliar dog. She admitted on theToday show that it was likely shemade amistake: “Maybe I was tooclose;maybehewasunsettled.”This mistake is repeated thousands of times a day because humans

lovetotouch,butIhaveasimple,morerespectfultechniqueformeetinga dog for the first time. The “No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact”approach gives dogs a chance to smell you and get to know you firstbeforetheyallowyoutoentertheirpersonalspace.Whenusingthe“NoTouch,NoTalk,NoEyeContact”approach,first

remembertokeepyourenergycalmandassertive.Focusonthepeoplearoundyouandignorethedogasshesniffsatyourfeetandlegs.Keepyourhands toyourself, and ignore thedog.Don’t lookat thedoganddon’t talk to her. Let her get to know you first. When she has theinformation she’s looking for, she will either walk away from you orenterintoacalm,submissivestateandmovearoundtofaceyou.Before you turn your attention to the dog, be sure to ask the dog’s

ownerforpermissiontoengagewiththedog.Atthispoint,lookatthedogandspeaktoher.Ifsheapproaches,offeryourclosedfist,fingersup,forasniff.Ifsheisshowingnosignsofanxietyoraggression,thenyoucanpether,althoughit’salwaysagoodideatofirsttouchastrangedogby scratching its chest or the side of its shoulder. Some dogs canperceiveatouchfromaboveontheheadorneckasaggression.Asyouaregettingtoknoweachother,thesafesttouchisthesmartest.“No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact” can be used in a lot of

situations. For instance, it’s effective for dealing with your own dogswhentheyareoverexcitedoranxious.Ifyourdogstartstojumporspinexcitedly when you return home, then “No Touch, No Talk, No Eye

Contact”willteachhimthatyouwillnotrewardsuchexcitedbehaviorwithyourattention.Ifyouareconsistentanddonotacknowledgeyourdog until he has reached a calm, submissive state, then you canminimizeoreliminatethehyperactivegreetinguponyourreturn.It isalso important to teachvisitors toyourhometo followthe“No

Touch,NoTalk,NoEyeContact”approach.It’sverycommonforpeopletosaythattheydon’tmindwhentheirfriends’dogsjumpuponthem,but in your house, you must be consistent with the rules. Your dogshouldnotbeallowedtojumpuponyouoryourfamilymembers,sohemustnotbeallowedtojumpuponotherhumans.Itcanalsogiveyoupeace of mind by avoiding situations that might escalate becausesomeonedoesnotknowhowtoapproachadogproperly.

FIFTHNATURALDOGLAW:DogsAreSocialPackAnimalsWithaLeaderandFollowers.

Understanding how dogs have evolved over thousands of years tobecomeourlifelongcompanionsisabigpartofunderstandinghowdogsbehave.MotherNatureselectedthedogtobetheonespeciesthatwouldbeculled fromthewildandchosen tobecomeman’sbest friend.Dogsdidthisbyfiguringoutwaystohelphumans.Fromhelpingustohunt,herd, andprotect to becoming symbols ofwealth, status, andnobility,dogsbecame—andremained—humans’favoriteanimal.Evidence of fossil remains and genetic study support the belief that

moderndogsaredescendedfromasmallsubspeciesofwolvesthatlivedintheNearEastapproximately20,000yearsago.Thedomesticdoghas78chromosomes,thesamenumberasthewolf.Dogswereprobablyfirstdomesticatedfromseveraldifferentbreedsofwolf.Overtheages,theseanimals were bred with different types of wild wolves and wild doghybrids, which changed their gene pool and led to the great geneticvariationsoftoday’sdogs.Themodern-daydogdoesn’tlooktheleastbitlikehisancestralwolf.

Humanbreedinghasmeant that, throughevolution,dogshave smallerteeth and shorter jaws thanwolves, resulting in a decreased ability to

catchandkillprey.Butdogsdidinheritthesocialorganizationevidentinwolfpacks.Wolfpacksworkasagroup,withallindividualsinthepackworking

towardthesamegoal.Forthegrouptofunctionatitsbest,packsocietyhas always allowed different personalities to develop. Everyone has aparttoplay:Onewolfmightbethebesthunter,whileanothermightbethemoststrategicorbestdefender.This“pack”mentalityisevidentnotjustinwolvesanddogs.Humans

also have some of the same social structures evidenced in packs,including role definition for various “pack” members and cooperativeproblemsolving.It’simportantthatyouplaytheroleofPackLeaderinyourhomeandprojectcalm,assertiveenergy.IfthePackLeaderroleisabsent,itwillonlybeamatteroftimebeforeyourdogorsomethingelseassumesthatrole.

Twodistantcousins:AgraywolfandaMalteseposefora“family”portrait.(illustrationscredits2.2)

Oneafternoon,Iwasteachingaclassinpackleadershiptoagroupof40 students at the DPC when one woman with a Jack Russell terriercaughtmy attention.Her dogwas out of control andwanted to chaseeverything that moved in the classroom. The poor woman was sofocusedonmaintainingcontrolofherdogthatshewasmissingtheclass

instruction.Icalledherandherdoguptothefrontoftheroom.Ithenused a turtle we had at the center to illustrate my lesson in packbehavior.Thedogtriedtoattacktheturtle.TheJackRussellwouldnotrelent;timeandagain,helungedafterthepoorslow-movingturtlewhojust wanted to get as far away as possible from this high-strung,aggressive dog. I then tied the dog’s leash around the turtle, and theturtlebegantopullthedogforward.Anamazingthingbegantohappen.The dog started to follow the turtle, and the turtle’s slow, deliberateenergyseemedtotransferovertothedog,whoseemedcalmerandlessagitated. The lesson for the classwas that, in the absence of a strongPack Leader, dogs will either become the pack leader themselves orallowotheranimalsorpeopletobecometheirleaderforthem.Packshave roles, and theyhaveanorder.Oneof themost common

causesofcanineinstabilityoccurswhenahumaninadvertentlychangesthenaturalorderof thepack.Apersonmaytakea low-energy,happy-go-lucky dog that is content being in the back of the pack and try tomakehimapackleaderoraguarddog,orgivehimsomeotherroleforwhichthedogisunsuited.Howoftenhaveyouheardthecomplaintthat“Astrangercouldwalkovermydogbeforehetooknoticeorbarked”?What thesepeople fail to recognize is that theirdog’s role isnot tobethe protector, and thus they unfairly push against instinct and naturalorder. The important takeaway is to know your dog and know hispositioninthepack.All of theseNaturalDogLaws form thevery foundationof your life

withahappydog.Bemindfulofinstinctsandenergy.Understandyourdog’s unique place in the world. Honor his senses. And respect yourdog’sneed forapack.By recognizingandembracing these five simplelaws,youwillputyourselfintherightframeofmindtoseeyourdogforthe amazing creature that he is.Now that you can recognize that, it’stimetofindbalance.

(illustrationscredits2.3)

A

CHAPTERTHREE

NineSimplePrinciplesforaBalancedDog

happier lifewith yourdogbecomes easy to achieveonce yousee your dog as a dog and honor his unique canine perspective. Nowyou’re truly able to appreciate the differences in thewayhumans anddogs perceive and interact with the world. And armed with theknowledge,youcanmoveintotheproperpositionasPackLeader.WhenIcombinedmyunderstandingofadog’sbrainwithacceptance

of the Natural Dog Laws, a powerful set of Core Principles emerged.ThesekeylessonsaremysecretweaponincreatingbalanceforanyPackLeader—from those who’ve had dogs for years to those who are juststarting out. Regardless of their experience, humans must see that abalanced dog lives as shewould in nature—knowing her placewithinthe pack, knowing what is expected of her, and exhibiting calm,submissiveenergy.ShefollowsherPackLeaderanddoesn’tmisbehave.To get there, humans must observe and practice these nine CorePrinciples.Theseinstinctualtoolslieatthecenterofcreatingabalancedlifeforyou,yourfamily,andyourdog.Whenyouachievethegoalofbringingyourdogintobalance,youwill

experience an entirely different relationship. You will be able tocommunicate instinctuallyandunderstandeachother’sneeds.Youandyour dog will be in tune with each other in a much deeper, morerewarding way, and you will learn the benefits of bringing calm,

assertiveenergyintoallaspectsofyourlife.

COREPRINCIPLE#1:BeAwareofYourEnergy.

InChapter2,welearnedthatenergyiseverything.It’sthewayinwhichhumansandanimalspresentthemselvestotheworld,anditisexhibitedthrough body language, facial expression, and eye contact (or lackthereof). In humans, it is a secondary form of communication, afterlanguage,butindogs,itistheprimaryformofcommunication.Onedogcan assert dominance over another by simply moving in with calm,assertiveenergyandclaiming thespace.Dogsdonot say“excuseme,”“please,” or “thank you” in words. If they maintain calm, assertiveenergy,theydonotneedto.Humansdohavewords,though,andwerelyonthem,whetherwearecommunicatinginconversationorinwriting.Becauseofourintellectualcapacity for speech, it is very easy for us to lose touchwith our ownenergy, and to have no idea what we are projecting to the world.However,despiteourdependenceon language,wedopickuponeachother’s energy, whether or not we know it, and this does affect ourmessage. Have you ever heard someone give a speech in a flat,unenthusiasticmonotone?Nomatterhowstirringandwellwritten thewords, such a speaker would quickly bore his audience to death.Conversely,someonewhopresentsaconfident,enthusiasticenergycaneasily persuade a group of people to go alongwith the stupidest ideaever conceived.Why? Because, again, their energy exerts an influenceonthelisteners,whetherornottheyareawareofit.Quite often,when I’mworkingwith clients, they have no idea thatthey’reprojectingnervousorweakenergyuntil Ipoint itout to them.Theyarenotintunewiththeirownenergyatall,andsohavenoideawhytheirdogisreactingtotheminthewayhedoes.But,becausedogscommunicateprimarilywithenergy,theycanreadahumaninasecond.I’m sure you’ve noticed that some people naturally draw dogs tothemselves,andotherscausedogstofleeonsight.Dogswillalwaysbeattracted to calm, assertive energy. Likewise, they will always try to

avoidweak,nervous,orunbalancedenergy.TobesuccessfulasthePackLeader—andasapersoningeneral—youneedtobemindfulofyourenergyandlearntoadjust itwhenyouarenot in a calm, assertive mode. Take a moment right now and payattention to how you’re feeling emotionally, then notice how you’reholding your body. Usually, your body language will reflect youremotional state whether or not you’re aware of it. If you’re feelingnervous or upset at thismoment, then your body is probably tense. Ifyou’re feeling insecure, then you are probably hunched over orslouching.Body languagecan influenceyouremotionalstate,andyoucangoalongway toward developing calm, assertive energy by being aware ofyour posture. Stand straight, with your head up, shoulders back, andchestout.Keepbothfeetflatontheground.Trytoavoidcrossingyourarmsorshovingyourhandsinyourpockets.Breathedeeplyandexhaleslowly. Stand like this for a few minutes, focusing on your breathingwhiletryingtoclearyourmindofrandomthoughts.Ifitissafetodoso,closeyoureyesandconcentrateonwhatyoucan smell andhear.Youshouldfindyourselfcalmingdownnaturally.Rememberthefeelingandthebodylanguage,andthenpracticebeingabletomoveintothismodeofbeingupondemand.Innature,whenadoginapackshowsexcitedorunbalancedenergy,the entire pack takes it as a warning of impending danger. It isremarkablehowquicklyasleepingpackofdogswill fireupandgoonhighalertwhenonedogbarks,andjustasremarkablehowquicklytheysettledownwhenthePackLeaderdeterminesthatthereisnothreatandgoesbackintoacalm,assertivestate.Whendealingwithyourdog,youcanseetheimportance,then,ofnotgoingintoanunstableenergystate.Todosoistosendthemessagethatsomethingiswrong.Youmaynotevenbeawareofthemessagesyouaresendingtoyourdog.Thisiswhyit is so important tobecomeawareof yourownenergyand then takecontrol of it. Until you can control yourself, you cannot control yourdog.

COREPRINCIPLE#2:

LiveintheMoment.

Humansareprobablyuniqueamonganimalsintheirabilitytodaydreamandfantasize,andwedoitconstantly.Whilereadingthisbook,youmayhave rememberedwhatyouhad forbreakfast,or remindedyourself tobuy lightbulbs next time you’re out. If you haven’t recently, then youprobablyjustdid,oryouarerightnow—andifyou’renotcareful,you’regoingtohavetorereadtherestof thisparagraphbecauseyoubecamelostinyourownthoughts.I’llwaitforyoutogobackandcatchup.I’m not sure whether there is any evolutionary advantage to the

humantendencytoliveinthepast,present,andfuturesimultaneously,but I’mpretty surewedo itbecauseofourhighlydeveloped languageskills. We may relive our best moments, or dream about an idealvacation,orrehearsethespeechwe’regoingtogivetoourbossinhopesofaraise.This is not to suggest that animals do not have a connection to the

past or future. A dog that once ate onions and became very sickmayforeverafterfleeatthemeresmellofanonion.Asquirrelhoardingnutsinitsnestisawarethattheyaretobeeatenatalatertime,butheisnotconsciouslythinking,“ThiswillbedinnernextTuesdayevening.”In both cases, past and future are minor influences on what’s

happeningrightnow.Afterthebadexperienceofanonion,thedogdoesnotgothroughthementalstepsof“Ismellonion.Oh, I rememberthetime I ate thatonionand felt reallybad. I better runawaynow.”Thethoughtprocess is instinctual and instant.The experienceof theonionleft enough of an impression that the stimulus induces flight with nological process behind it. Similarly, the dog does not spend her timethinking,“IreallyhopeIdon’tcomeacrossanyonionstoday.”Thedogdoesn’thaveanythoughtsofanonionuntilitagainbecomesapresentrealityinthehereandnow.Ashumans,weforgetthatdogsliveinthemoment,andthiscanbean

impediment to rehabilitation and training.Dogs that have lost a limb,hearing, or sight do not lament the abilities that are gone. They dealwiththeabilitiestheystillhave,andtheydon’twastetimefeelingsorryforthemselves.Withourhumanobsessionwiththepast,wearetheoneswho relive a dog’s former traumas and then overload them with

sympathyandaffectionthat,inthedog’smind,isunearned.Dogsdonotholdgrudgesorbroodaboutthepast.Eveninthecaseoftwodogs thatdonot get alongand fightwhen in sight of eachother,some remembered incident of the past does not set off another fight.Rather,thesightoftheotherdogtriggerstheinstinctualrecall,buteventhen, thedogsmaynot fight until one of them interprets the other asdoing something that is aggressive.Once a fight is over, theyhavenohard feelings, and neither plans how to kill the other in his sleep.Contrastthattohumangrudges,whereaninsult(realorimagined)canleadtoyearsofenmityandbadfeelings.This natural living in the moment is what makes it possible torehabilitatedogs.Becausetheydonotclingtothepastorworryaboutthefuture,theyareopen-mindedandconstantlylearninginthepresent.Theydonotresentbeingcorrectedordisciplinedbecause,onceit’sover,it’sover.Theyassociateitwiththemomentithappened,andthentheyletgo.Thisisoneofthemostpowerfullessonswecanlearnfromdogs.Beingobsessedwith the past or future can lead tomany negative emotions:resentment,regret,anxiety,fear,orenvy.Lettinggoofwhatisoveranddone,andofwhatwecannotcontrol,isthepathtoourownfulfillmentinthehereandnow.Itisalsoonemorewayofbeingthatwillhelpyoutohaveabalancedrelationshipwithyourdog.

COREPRINCIPLE#3:DogsDon’tLie.

DuringthefilmingoftheDogWhisperer,Iworkedwithsomanyfamiliesonrehabilitatingmorethan400oftheirdogs.BeforeImetanyofthesepeople,Iaskedmyproductioncrewnottotellmewhattheproblemorsituationwas.HavingacleanslatewhenIfirstencounteredthedogandtalked with the family was essential for figuring out the root of theprobleminthehousehold.Inalmosteveryinstance,thepeopletypicallytoldmethe“story”aboutwhatwasgoingon,butthedogstoldmethe“truth.”Adog’senergyisnothingbuthonest.Byjustobservingthedog,Icangetagoodsenseofwhatthesituationreallyis.

Wehumanshaveagreatabilitytotellstories,andsowetellthemtoourselves. Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think any of thesepeoplewerebeingwillfullydishonest about their feelingsor emotions,orwhat theyperceivedtheproblemtobe.Theyweren’tdoing it tobemalicious,butrathertoprotectthemselves.Whenhumansdon’tacceptthetruthaboutwhat’sgoingoninsidethem,itbecomesmoredifficulttohelptheirdogs.ThemostdifficultcasesIencounteraretheoneswherethe human is in denial and attributing a complex explanation to hisdog’smisbehavior.TheonlycasesIwasnotabletosolvewerethoseinwhichthehumansneverovercametheirdenial.Iwasexplainingthedifferencebetween“truth”and“story”toagroup

of students who were attending the Training Cesar’s Way class infundamentals at the Dog Psychology Center. To illustrate my point, Idecidedtouseareal-lifesituation.Therewasawomanintheclasswe’llcall “Ann.” Shehas a therapydognamed “Monarch,” one of themostgentleandsensitivedogsyou’llevermeet.Theseare theveryqualitiesthatmakehimperfectforthejob.Annsaid,“MonarchandIhaveacommunicationproblem.Hedoesn’t

alwaysdowhat I tellhimtodo,andhe isverytimidwhenIgivehimdirection.”ThiswasAnn’shumanstoryaboutwhatwashappening.Butherbodylanguageandherenergytoldadifferentone.Itwas obvious to the other students thatAnnwas overly concerned

about how Monarch was reacting to her. Her eyes darted down atMonarchtoseehiseveryreaction.Shedidn’tmovedeliberatelyandwithconfidence. Sheheldon to the leashwithvery little slack soMonarchhadtostayclosebyherside.ShewasovercompensatingforMonarch’sperceivedindifferencetohercommands.ThetruthbehindthesituationwasthatAnndidn’ttrustMonarch,and

Monarchknewit.Now,thinkforamoment,wouldyoufollowapersonorleaderyouknewdidn’ttrustyou?Annwastootimid,toofearful,andshewasprojectingthatenergytoherdog.BecauseMonarchisatrainedtherapydog,heisextrasensitivetohumans,andespeciallysensitivetoAnn’sbehavior.WhenI tookMonarch’s leash, Iheld itvery lightlywith twofingers.

Confidentlyandcalmly,IwalkedMonarchthroughnonverbalcommandsthatIgavewithbodymovements.Hefollowedwithouthesitation.ThenI tookoff the leashentirely,andMonarchsuddenlycameto life.What

wasonceatimidandtentativetherapydogwasnowahappybutcalm,submissive creature.Heperformed every commandwith pleasure. Theclassapplauded,andMonarchsatonhishindlegsandthenrolledoveron his back—the ultimate sign of submission and confidence. Annneededtogetbeyondherstoryandworkwiththetruth—onlythenwasshereallyabletohelpherdog.You can practice dissecting the difference between story and truth

with a friend or spouse.Write downwhat you think is the cause of asituation or upset within your household. Next, engage in an honestdiscussionaboutthecausesoftheupset.Writethemdownforeveryonetoseeandexamine.Peelawaythecauseslikeanonionuntilyougettothe cold, hard truth about what’s really going on and what’s reallycausing the upset. Although this exercise can be intimidating, the endresultwillbefreedomandrelease.InmanyoftheDogWhisperercasesinwhichpeopledidovercometheirdenial,theirstoriesusuallyendedwithhumantears,sighsofrelief,andarehabilitateddog.

COREPRINCIPLE#4:WorkWithMotherNature,NotAgainstHer.

IdiscussedthisearlierinChapter2,butit’salwaysworthrepeating.Weneed to consider a dog in this order: animal, species, breed, and thenname.Thefirsttwoareapartofwhatadogisnaturally,whilehumanscreatedthelasttwo.Animalsliveinanddealwithnatureeveryday.Tobe successful and survive, all animals—from rats to eagles—need tofollow the laws of nature. We humans have forgotten nature’s lawsbecausewehaveprotectedourselvesfromtheconsequencesofbreakingthem,butthatdoesn’tmeanweareexempt.Ifyouliveinamodern,FirstorSecondWorldcountry,itcanbevery

easy to lose touch with nature. Your home protects you from theelements.Youprobablytravelfromhometoyourjobinacaroronsomeform of public transportation. Your next meal is as close as therefrigerator, the grocery store, or the restaurant down the street. Theonly times you probably really notice nature arewhen theweather is

unpleasant,orwhenyou’repickingupafteryourdogonthewalk.Noneofthisisnaturalforadog,andyetwehavetransplantedthesewildpackanimalsintoourhomes.Innature,adog’slifeisverysimple.Because dogs’ realities are formed primarily by the senses, they livemoment bymoment, and everything is focused onwhat they need tosurvive—shelter, food,water, and, in season,mating. They roam theirterritorywiththeirpackinsearchoffulfillingthoseneeds.Dogsdonotworryaboutthefutureordwellonthepast.Theyexistinthemoment,which can be something very difficult for humans to understand,especially with the stresses of modern life. Remember, we form ourrealitythroughbeliefs,knowledge,andmemory.If you reallywant to learnwhat it’s like to live in themoment, trybeinghomelessforafewmonths.IwaswhenIfirstcametotheUnitedStates, and it’s interesting how quickly you stop living in the past ordreamingofthefuturewhenyourbiggestconcernsarewhereyournextmeal will come from and where you will sleep that night. When Idescribeitthatway,itsoundslikeeverydogwouldappreciatelivinginahomewithaconstantsupplyoffood,butdogscannotrationalizetheirinstincts like humans can. You can take a dog out of nature, but youcannottakenatureoutofadog.Asaspecies,dogsareaspecifickindofanimalthatdealswithnatureinparticularways,havinginheritedtheirpacknaturefromwolves.Onthe species level, dogs are different than deer, tigers, llamas—andhumans.Theirneedsrevolvearoundthepack’sneeds,andthepackwillfollow only a calm, balanced leader. Any members of the pack thatbecomeunstablearequicklydealtwith,correctedifpossible,andkilledorbanishedifnot.Thisiswhystableleadershipissoimportanttoadog,inadditiontophysicalneedsbeingmet.Theneed for leadership isprogrammed inadog’s genes, and exists at a primal, instinctual level.When species oranimals are cut off fromnature bybeingdomesticated, it is especiallyimportant that their needs, physical and psychological, are beingfulfilled. If you don’t feed a dog, it will starve to death. If you don’tfulfill a dog’s need for leadership and direction, itwill experience thecanineequivalentofhumanneurosis,andpossiblyeveninsanity.Dogsneedtomaintaintheirconnectionwithnature,andwecanhelpthemdothatbyremainingawareoftheNaturalDogLawsfromChapter

2. The wonderful part of this, though, is that we can also connect,through our dogs, to the instinctual part of ourselves with which wehavelosttouch.Findsomeplaceawayfromthemodernworld,evenifit’s just a large city park, and then go for awalkwith your pack andexperience theworldasyourdogdoes, forminghis reality throughhissenses. Reconnecting with Mother Nature will bring balance to yourpack,asyouandyourdoglearnfromeachother.

COREPRINCIPLE#5:HonorYourDog’sInstincts.

I’vewrittenaboutdogsasanimalanddogsas species, the twonaturalaspectsoftheirbeing.Butbreed,oneofthetwohuman-createdaspects,hasapowerfulparttoplayinshapingyourdog’sinstincts.Breedscameabout through selective mating, and the diversity of dog breeds isastounding,rangingfromtinytoydogslikeYorkiesandChihuahuasonone end all the way up to giant breeds like Great Danes and SaintBernards. It’s sometimes hard to believe that such diverse animals areevenfromthesamespecies.Breedswerecreatedfordifferentreasons—some dogs were bred as companions, some as herders, and some asprotectors.Buteachwasbredtodrawoutandfocusondesiredinstinctstocreatedogsthatexcelledatparticulartasks.Now,althoughtheanimalandspeciesaspectsofdogsarecommontoall of them, breed can sometimes affect behavior, and it is alsosometimes necessary to consider breed when working with a dog,whether just for training, by giving them an appropriate job, or inrehabilitation.However,keepinmindthatthebreedis“onlythesuit.”The more purebred a dog is, the stronger the dog will show breedcharacteristics and instincts. But by fulfilling her animal and speciesneeds through the walk and using my fulfillment formula, you willminimizebreed-relatedmisbehaviors.Thisdoesn’tmeanyouneedtoignorebreedentirely.Infact,itcanbeaniceexperience fordogsandhumans toengage inbreed-appropriateactivities.Incasesofmisbehaviorcausedbybreed-relatedinstincts,itisessential.

Seven basic groups of dogs—sporting, hound, working, herding,terrier, toy, and nonsporting—have been bred over the centuries forvariousfunctions.Youcanfulfilleachoftheirspecificneedsinslightlydifferentways.Dogsinthesportinggroupwerebredtoassistwithhunting,byeither

pointing at or flushing out prey, or retrieving kills, particularlywaterfowl. Good activities for this group include games that simulatefinding or retrieving prey. For pointers, you can introduce them to anobjectwitha familiarscent,andthenhide it.Rewardthemwhenthey“point,”althoughdon’tletthemactuallyretrievetheobject,becausethiscan stimulate theirpreydrive.For spaniels, let them locate theobject.Forretrievers,allowthemtobringittoyou.

Gamesthatinvolvepointingwillappealtothisdog’snaturalsportinginstincts.(illustrationscredits3.1)

Dogs in the hound group were also bred for hunting, except thatunlikethoseinthesportinggroup,houndsactuallydothehuntingandpursuing,andtheirpreyareusuallymammalsratherthanbirds.Houndsare divided into two groups: scent hounds and sight hounds. You canfulfill theneedsof the formerwith the“runaway”game.This involves

presentingyourdogwithitemsofclothingwithfamiliarscentsfromthehuman pack on them, and then hiding them along a regular route ofyourwalk.Rewardyourdogforeveryitemshefinds.Sight hounds, which are accustomed to hunting from a farther

distance,arenaturalrunners,sotheyareidealcandidatesfortowingyouon in-line skates or running with you on your bike. Keep in mind,though,thatsighthoundsaresprinters,notlong-distancerunners,sogetusedtoashort,fastdashfollowedbyamoreregular-pacedwalk.Dogs in the working groupwere bredwhen humansmoved from a

hunting-and-gathering lifestyle intovillages,and theirname isaprettygood description of their purpose. These dogswere used for their sizeandstrength—forguarding,pulling,andrescuing.Naturally,thesedogsexcelatpulling,andlettingthemtowacartonthewalkisanidealuseof this instinct. Remember, working dogs do not look at pulling as achore.Itisaphysicalandpsychologicalchallengethatmakesthemfeelusefulandvalued.Theherdinggroup,withitsinstincttocontrolthemovementsofother

animals,isnaturallyexcellentatherding.However,ifyoudon’thaveaherd of sheep or cattle handy, don’t worry. These breeds are alsoexcellent at agility training and, oddly enough, are world-championflyingdisc(orFrisbee)dogs.Dogs in the terrier group were bred to chase down small prey,

frequently following rodents into their burrows to kill them.Althoughsmaller,theywerebreddownfromworkingandherdingdogs,somanyof the same activities that fulfill those breeds will work for terriers,particularlythosewithhighenergy.Thetoygroupdogsmayhaveoriginallybeenbredtohuntverysmall

animals,butevidenceindicatesthattheyquicklybecamejustcompanionanimals;theimageofarichwomanwithateacupterrierinherpurseisnothingnew,andthisgroupstemmedfromthehumantendencytofallin love with animals that are cute and that resemble juvenile forms.With their tiny faces and large eyes, toy dogs fit this descriptionperfectly. Although members of the toy group have been bred fromvariousothergroups, theywerenotbredforanyspecific tasks.That iswhy it is even more important with toy dogs that you treat them asanimals and dogs first. This group,more than any other, contains thedogsthatshouldbeallowedtobedogs.You’renotdoingyourtoydog

any favors by carrying her everywhere or letting her go off leash. Letyourdogoutofthebagandputaleashonher,soshecanbeadogandwalkaroundonherownfeet.Finally, the nonsporting group is somewhat of a catchall description

that could have also been called “none of the above.” This groupincludes the poodle, bulldog, Boston terrier, bichon frise, Frenchbulldog, Lhasa apso, shar-pei, chow chow, Shiba Inu, and Dalmatian.Depending on the specific breed, you can find an appropriate activityamongtheprecedinggroups.Althoughdogbreedsarediverseandwerecreatedtocarryoutvarious

tasks,rememberthatalldogsrequiresomeformofexercise,preferablyvia the walk. The suggestions here are designed for further bondingopportunities with your dog, as well as suggested routes forrehabilitationifyouarestillhavingissues,particularlythoseinfluencedbyyourdog’snaturalinstincts.

COREPRINCIPLE#6:“Nose,Eyes,Ears”—inThatOrder.

Aswehavelearned,dogsareinstinctual,andtheirrealityisformedbytheir senses; a dog’s strongest sense is her sense of smell, followed bysight, then hearing, and this follows the order in which these sensesdevelopinapuppy.Dogslearnthemostabouttheworldthroughtheirnose.We have also learned that humans approach the world throughsightfirstandsmell last,whichmakesitveryeasyforustoforgetthisprinciple.However,thisisoneofthemostimportantthingstorememberinallofyourdealingswithanydogs,whetherornot theyare inyourownpack.Humansanddogshavesharedspaceforso long—10,000orpossibly

20,000years—that it isalmost secondnature forhumans togreetnewdogsthesamewaytheydootherpeople.I’msuremostofyouhavedoneit.Youvisitafriend’shouseandmeethisnewdogforthefirsttime,andyou greet the dogwith a big hello and a pat on the head the secondyou’reinthedoor.Maybeyouevenleanovertoletherlickyourface.Afterall,itwouldberudetojustignorethedog,wouldn’tit?

Actually,no. Ifyou ignoreanewdogat first,you’renotbeingrude.Instead, you’re being considerate of her needs. After all, you’re a newperson,andthatcanbeintimidatingtoadog.Whenyoufirstenterherterritory,shedoesn’tknowwhetheryou’reafriendoranenemy.Awell-balanceddogwilllooktoherPackLeaderforcluesandactaccordingly.At the same time, shewill try to figure you out through her senses—throughNose,Eyes,Ears,inthatorder.Thefirstthingsheislikelytodoissniffthefeetofanewhumanshe

encounters. By doing this, the dog is learning your scent and sensingyourenergy.Whilethedogischeckingyouout,practicing“NoTouch,No Talk, No Eye Contact”willmake sure themeeting goes smoothly.This practice respects theway thedogperceives theworld, aswell asrespectsherspace,anditgiveshertimetoexploreyoufirst(seeChapter2).It is very important to remember and use this Core Principle, as it

affectsalmosteveryinteractionyouwillhavewithyourdog—fromthefirsttimeyoumeettoyourdailycomingsandgoingsathome.Buttakeamoment to observe your dog on thewalk—seewhat she responds to.Howdoesaninterestingsmellaffectherbodyandenergy?Whatkindsofsightsandsoundsengageher?Youwill learn somuchaboutyourdogjust through this careful observation—and the more you know aboutyourdogandhowsheseestheworld,thebetterPackLeaderyoucanbeforher.

COREPRINCIPLE#7:AcceptYourDog’sNaturalPackPosition.

Innature,therearethreepositionsinthedogpack—inthefront,inthemiddle, and in the back—and each dog will gravitate to its naturalposition. The weaker dogs will wind up at the rear, and the moredominantdogsinthemiddle.Thepackleadersarealwaysinfront.Eachpositionhasitsownfunctionwithinthepack.Dogsinthethree

positionswork together to find food andwater, and ensure the pack’ssurvival by defending the pack against danger. The dogs in front(includingtheleader)providedirectionandprotectiontothepack.They

determinewheretheentirepackwillgo,andtheyfendoffanydangersfrom the front. The dogs in the rear are primarily concerned withalerting to danger approaching from behind, and their function is towarn the rest of the pack. The dogs in the middle are mediators,communicatingbetweentherearandthefront.Everyfunctionisimportant.Withoutthedogsinthefront,thedogsat

thereardon’tknowwherethey’regoing.Withoutthedogsintheback,thedogsupfrontarenotawareofanyproblemscomingupfrombehind.And without the dogs in the middle to relay messages, the front andbackofthepackareisolatedfromeachother.

ThePackLeadershouldbeinfront,withthedogsalongsideorbehind.(illustrationscredits3.2)

The canine pack leader may be able to smell that fresh water andavailablepreyareontheothersideofadarkandscaryforest,andmoveonwardtowardit.Meanwhile,thedogsattherearknowonlythattheyareallenteringadarkandscaryforest.Theirnormalreactionwouldbeto alert todanger and start barking.Thedogs in themiddle sense thecalm energy from the front of the pack, and they in turn calm thefrighteneddogsattherearthroughtheirowncalmenergy.However,ifthepackisbeingstalkedfromtherearbyalargethreat,thedogsintherearwill remain agitated and continue to alert todanger.Thedogs inthemiddle, in turn,willpickuponthisenergyandcommunicate it to

the front. The pack leader will turn the pack around to provideprotectionagainstthisnewthreat.By communicating through energy and having an establishedhierarchy, the entire pack functions as one unit. Each dog knows hisplacewithinthathierarchy,andthereisnojumpingaround.Adogthatnaturallygravitates to the rearof thepackwillnot try tomove to themiddleorfront,andadoginfrontwillnotgiveupherpositionwithoutbeing forced to by another dog; this generally will not happen unlessthatleaddogbecomesunstable.Asresponsibledoglovers,itisuptoustolearnwhereourdogwouldnormallypositionherselfinthepack.Byobservingherenergyandbodylanguage,youcanseewhereyourdogmightmostlikelyfitin.Itisalsoup to us to respect our dog’s own position in the pack and not try tochangeit—becausewecan’t.ItwouldviolatetheNaturalDogLaw:Dogsaresocial,packanimalswithaleaderandfollowers.Ifyoutrytoputadog from the rear ormiddle in a leadership position (or force him toleadbecausenooneelseisdoingit),thedogwillbecomeunbalanced.Thevastmajorityofdogsarenotborntobeapackleader,andthesedogs, if raised properly by humans, will never try to assume thatleadershipposition.Whenyoudonotunderstandandrespectyourdog’sposition in the pack—either by trying to change it actively, or forcingthe dog to change by not providing leadership—then you are notworkingwithMotherNature,andtheoutcomewillnotbepleasant foryouoryourdog.

COREPRINCIPLE#8:YouCreatetheCalm,SubmissiveState.

Thepointoftheprevioussevenrulesistobringyourdogtoaplaceofcalm,submissiveenergy.I’llshowyouhowtodothatinmoredepthinthenextchapter.Everythingbeginswithyou,though,andifthereisonethingthatismostimportantinthisprocess,itisyourenergy,yourstateof mind, and your approach. You are the source of your dog’s calm,submissive state, and your dog is looking to you for guidance. If yourenergyisanxious,nervous,overexcited,angry,frustrated,orsomeother

negative, then your dog will reflect back that energy. If you areinconsistentinapplyingyourrules,thenyourdogwillbegintotestyoutoseewhatshecangetawaywith.Butifyouarecalmandassertiveinyour energy and consistent in teaching and enforcing your rules, youwillearnyourdog’s trust,andshewill followyouand looktoyouforguidance.If you are having troublemastering calm, assertive energy yourself,youmay find it helpful to create an intention in your head, and thenimagine it happening. For example, if your dogpulls on thewalk, seeyourselfwalkingwithyourdognexttoorjustbehindyouandimaginewhat that feels like. What is your state of mind without having toconstantly pull your dogback?Howmuchmore enjoyable for bothofyouisthewalkthisway?Youcanalsoconnectwithyourdogandhelpyoubothachieveacalmstatebymeditating together.Todo so, sit or lie downwith yourdog,thenplaceonehandonher chestand theotheronherback,nearherhindquarters.Payattention toyourdog’sbreathing, and thenbegin tomimicit.Breathetogetherforaslongasyou’recomfortable.Afterafewdays, your dog should startmimicking your breathing and the two ofyoushouldfindaconnectioninthosemoments.Meditationingeneralisalsocalmingforbothofyou.Most of all, don’t be intimidated. This may seem like a lot ofinformation to take in, but start simply, and build on each successfulmoment.Themoreoftenyousucceed,themoreconfidentyouwillbeincontinued success and the less discouraged you will be by a setback.Remember, though:Youarenot theonlyonewhowants tosucceedatreaching a calm, assertive state and achieving balancewith your dog.Yourdogwantsyoutosucceed,too.

EmbracebeingaPackLeader,andyourdogwillfollow.(illustrationscredits3.3)

COREPRINCIPLE#9:YouNeedtoBethePackLeader.

Everything comes back to these four words: “Be the Pack Leader.” Agreat majority of the issues I see people having with their dogs stemfromalackofstrongpackleadershipfromthehumansinvolved.Aswehavelearned,dogsaresocialpackanimalswithaleaderandfollowers.Inthewild,mostdogsarefollowers,but if theydon’thavea leadertofollow, then a dog will attempt to take control of the situation. In ahumanhousehold,thiscancausethedogtoshowallkindsofunwantedbehaviors, including anxiety, destructiveness, excessive barking, andaggression. Not having a strong leader leaves a dog in an unbalancedmentalstate,andshewillthendowhatshethinksshehastoinordertofulfillherneeds.For comparison, imagine this scenario: You are abruptly taken fromyourhomeandbroughttotheOvalOffice.ASecretServiceagenttellsyou,“You’rethePresidentnow.Goodluck,”andthenleaves,offeringnofurtherinstructions.Onlyararepersonwouldn’tmaketerriblemistakes

in adayor two.Adogwithout strong leadership is stuck in the samesituation.Thatstrongleadershipisoftennottherebecausepeople,especiallyintheUnitedStates,havea tendencyto loveandpampertheirdogs,andthey think of any kind of discipline or correction as being “mean.”Insteadofprovidingdirectionandprotection,whichisthePackLeader’sjob,manypeopletrytoreasonwiththeirdogs, liketheywouldwithafive-year-oldchild.

Puppiesfirstexperiencecalm,assertiveenergywiththeirmothers.(illustrationscredits3.4)

The only problem is that you cannot explain things to a dog inintellectualtermsbecausedogsareinstinctualbeings.Yourdogwilljustmeetyouwithapuzzled lookwhenyou say, “Bella, itmakesMommyreally upset when you chew on her nice things, so please don’t do itanymore.”ThedoghasnoideawhatMommyistalkingabout.Acaninemotherwould be silent and direct, using her energy, eye contact, andtouchtogetthemessage—“Stop”—acrosstohererrantpuppy.ThePackLeaderalsodoesn’tcommunicatewithemotionalornervousenergy,butisalwayscalmandassertive,usingthatenergytoinfluencethebehaviorofthepack.Now,youmaybewonderingexactlyhowyou

projectcalmandassertiveenergy.OnethingIfrequentlytellpeopleistoimaginesomeonetheylookupto—afavoriteteacher,ahistoricalfigure,afictionalhero—andthentocarrythemselvesasiftheyarethatperson.Thismental imagewill influenceyourbody language,andproject thatcalm, assertive energy. It’s hard to slouch when you’re imaginingyourselfasCleopatraorKingArthur.Ifyouthinkthisideasoundssilly,look at a calm, confident dog sometime, and notice how he moves—proudly,withheadandearsup,andalwayswithintention.ItisalsoveryimportantasthePackLeaderthatyouclaimownership

of your territory, which you can do by asserting yourself in a calm,confidentway.Thismakesitcleartoyourdogthatyouownthespaceinwhichshelives,andwillhelphertorespectyourauthority.Alongwithclaiming ownership, you must teach your dog to work for food andaffection by taking her for awalk before you feed her. In addition tomaking your dog work physically, you should also make her workpsychologically by having her wait until she is in a calm, submissivestatebeforeprovidingfoodoraffection.Mostimportant,asaleader,youmustknowyourpackandwhattheir

needs are, then help fulfill those needs by creating a structured,consistent environment with Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations.Dominanceisnotadirtyword.Infact,becausemostdogsdonotwanttobeleaders,yourdogwillappreciateyouallthemorefortakingcontrol.

TheCorePrinciples inthischaptercovera lotofdifferentareas.Thereareprinciples thatcenter squarelyonyour stateofmind,yourenergy,andyourintention.Othersrelyuponyourrecognitionofintrinsictruthsaboutyourdogandhowheexperiences theworld.Putting these ideastogether lays a powerful foundation upon which we can build aframeworkforourdogsandourlivestogether.Thenextchaptertakesusthrough practical, simple, and powerful techniques that, again, I relyupontocreatebalanceandhappinessinmydogs.

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CHAPTERFOUR

PracticalTechniquesforEveryPackLeader

hejourneytotransformingyourselfintoastrongPackLeaderisdifferent for everyone.For some, itmightbea long trip,while itmayfeel like a walk around the block for others. Either way, it all beginswith one simple step: seeing your dog forwhat she really is. And thebestwaytodothatisbyrelyingonyourknowledgeoftheNaturalDogLawsandtheCorePrinciples.Next,let’sputtheseintoactionwithsomepracticaltechniques.Knowledgeisjustonepartoftheequationincreatingbalanceinyour

life. It’swonderful tobearmedwith information,but youhave tousethoselessonstosetuptheproperframeworkforyouandyourdog.ThefivePackLeaderTechniquesdescribedinthischapterareallbasedonasolidfoundationoftheNaturalDogLawsandCorePrinciples.Don’tbedeceivedbythesimplicityofthesetechniques—theyarepowerfultools,andtheirusewillresultinamuchmorerewardingrelationshipbetweenyouandyourdog.

PACKLEADERTECHNIQUE#1:ProjectCalm,AssertiveEnergy.

Becauseenergyissoimportantinthedogworld,humanshavetoknowandunderstandwhatkindofenergytoprojecttohaveahappy,healthydog. Projecting calm, assertive energy is one of the essential parts ofbeingaPackLeader. Ifyou’re looking foragreat rolemodel forcalm,assertive energy, think of Oprah Winfrey or the Olympic swimmerMichael Phelps. Their strong leadership in their respective fields iscommunicatednot only inhow they speakbut also inhow they carrythemselves—self-possessed,confident,andincontrol.Your dog’s energy is different than yours. Your dog should be calmandsubmissive,thenaturalstateofa“follower”inadogpack.Whenadog embodies this calm, submissive energy, she relaxes her posture,holdsherearsback,andrespondseasilytoyourcommands.Often, the first energy that a puppy experiences after birth is hismom’scalm,assertiveenergythatgivesthepuphisfirsttasteofsafetyandsecurity.Later,thepuppywillmostlikelyfollowapackleaderwhoprojects the same calm, assertive energy out of association. As packfollowers,dogsreturnacalm,submissiveenergythatcompletesthepackbalance. It is important to understand that most dogs are born to besubmissive,becausetherecanonlybesomanypackleaders.When you couple a calm, assertive person with a calm, submissivedog, it creates a natural balance that nurtures stability and creates abalanced,centered,andhappydog.Butwhenanaturallysubmissivedogliveswithahumanwhodoesnotlead,shewillattempttorightthepackbalancebyfillingwhatsheseesasavacantpackleaderrole.Thisishowbehaviorproblemsdevelop.To establish yourself as the Pack Leader, youmust always project acalm, assertive energy. For instance,whendogs come into our homes,manyofthemareencounteringintensehumanemotionalenergyforthevery first time.We shower themwith affection andbabble at them inhigh-pitchedbabytalk,sotheyseeusasexcitedenergy—notcalmandassertive.Thisiswhymanydogsdon’tlistentotheirhumancaretakers.Theirmothersneveractedthisway.It’sunnaturaltothem.Forevidence,youneedlooknofurtherthanmypartnershipwithmyfour-year-oldpitbull,Junior.JuniorandIhavebeentogethersincehewas a puppy. We spend all of our time together. Junior has morefrequent-flier mileage than most people—over 200,000 milescrisscrossingtheworldhelpingtoeducate,rescue,orrehabilitatedogsin

need.Irarelyhavetospeaktohim,yetheknowswhatIwanthimtodo.Ourcommunication isalmostallnonverbal.When Iam ina largecitylikeNewYork,IwilltakeJuniorforanighttimewalkoffleash.Juniorstaysrightbymyside,andpeopleareamazedathow“intune”Junioristo me. There is probably no other city in the world that is moredistracting thanManhattan, but duringournightlywalks, Junior staysrightbymyside,readingmyeverymove.Last summer, Junior and I went to New York City for a press trip.Duringthetrip,Ireceivedafranticcallfromaverywealthyclientwhohad a problemwith herAiredale terrier, named Paris.Her owner haddecided to throw a big tenth birthday party for Paris in the poshHamptons. It was going to be one of the biggest social parties of thesummerseason.TheonlyproblemwasthatParishadbecomefearfulandrefusedtocomeoutfromunderthediningroomtable.Thiswentonfortwodays,andtheproblempersisteduntilthedaybeforetheparty.Theownerwasdesperate,soJuniorandIstoppedovertohelp.Paris’s energy was that of severe fear, which was resulting inaggression. I led Junior into the house, and he sensed the potentialdanger.Ijuststoodback;JuniorknewwhatIwantedhimtodo.After15minuteswithParisunderthetable,hewasabletobringParisoutwhereIcouldworkwithher to relieveheranxietyand fear.Needless to say,Juniorwasinvitedtothebirthdaypartythenextday.Without having the luxury of language, dogs have to rely on theiradvancedintuition,senses,andinstincts.Andwehumansneedtolearntorecognizethem.Whenwedothat,wecanachieveamazingresults.

TECHNIQUESINACTION:HowtoChangeYourEnergy

AsI’vesaid,yourenergywilldeterminehowyourdogseesyouinyourroleasPackLeader.Allyourenergy—goodandbad—isareflectionofyour state of body, mind, and intention. Calm, assertive energy, forinstance,reveals itselfwithaconfidentdemeanor,straightshoulders,adeliberate gait, and the clear-sightedness that comes from knowingexactlywhat youwant from thismoment. The following exercisewill

help you identify your current energy and the energy of those aroundyoubyfocusingontwoopposingstates:positiveandnegative.

IDENTIFYINGPOSITIVEENERGY

Ithelpstohaveapartneroramirrorforthisexercise:

1 Standing in front of a trusted friend (ormirror), think about a timewhen you have felt truly positive about life. Picture yourself at ahappy,expansivemomentandchannelthatenergy.Closeyoureyesifithelps.Foraminuteortwo,doyourbesttoputyourselfbackinthatpositivestateofmind.

2 Adjust your body to match the positive state in your head. Noticewhat’s happening to your arms, chest, shoulders, and facialexpression.Howareyoubreathing?

3 Ifyou’rewithsomeone,ask thatpersontomirroranychangesheorshenotices. Like I’ve said, energy is contagiousand influences thosearoundyou.Askthatpersontodemonstratetoyouthewayyourbodychangedasyoufilledyourselfwithpositivethoughts.

4Beingawareofyourenergyisthefirststeptowardchangingit.Inthehoursordays after this exercise, try to replicate thepositive energystate you created. Even if you are not feeling good, adjusting yourbodyandmindinapositivedirectioncanhaveapowerfulimpactontheenergyyouconveytotheworldandtoyourdog.

IDENTIFYINGNEGATIVEENERGY

Dothisexercisewithapartnerorinfrontofamirror:

1 Picture yourself at a time when you were feeling down, angry, orfrustrated.Foraminuteortwo,putyourselfinthatnegativestateofmind.

2Adjustyourbodytomatchthenegativestateofmind.Noticewhat’s

happeningtoyourarms,chest,shoulders,andfacialexpression.Howhasyourbreathingchanged?

3 Ifyou’rewithsomeone,ask thatpersontomirroranychangesheorshe notices in your body language. Negative energy is just ascontagious as positive energy and influences those around you. Askthat person to showyou theway your body and energy changed asyoufilledyourheadwithnegativethoughtsandfearoranxiety.

4Takeadeepbreathandreturntothepositivestatefromthefirstpartof the exercise. For aminute or two, bring yourmind back to thathappy, powerful, inspired state. Notice howmuch control you haveoveryourpositiveandnegativestatesofmind.

Youmay try repeating these exercises with your dog near you to seewhatkindofreactionoccurswithyourdog.Howdoesheactwhenyourenergychanges?Youcanalsopracticewithyourchildrenora spouse.Once you understand how you are directly affecting others, you willbecomemore conscious of your own energy and how it can influenceyourdogandothers.

PACKLEADERTECHNIQUE#2:GiveExercise,Discipline,andAffection—inThatOrder.

If you’re at all familiarwithmywork, thenyouknowmy “fulfillmentformula” for dogs: “Exercise, Discipline, and then Affection… in thatorder.”Unfortunately,people inmanyplacesgive theirdogsaffection,affection,andaffection.Theendresultofthisisanunbalanceddog.I hear a lot of excuses from people who don’t provide their dogsenough exercise through thewalk: “I don’t have time towalk thedogeveryday”;“Mydogplaysintheyardalldaylong,sohedoesn’tneedawalk”;“Ihavemobilityissuesandcannotwalkmydog”;andsoon,andsoforth.Thetruthis:Ifyoutakeresponsibilitybyadoptingadog,thenyoumustacceptresponsibilityforallaspectsofherlife,andexerciseisoneofthem.

Ifyoudon’thavetime, thenmakethetime. Ifyouphysicallycannotwalk your dog yourself, thenhire a professional dogwalker or, at theleast,investinatreadmill.Evenifyourdoghasayard,hestillneedstobewalked—running around the yard all day is not the proper type ofexercise, as it is not focused and it is not natural for a dog to remaintrappedinonelocation.Remember,thewalkisnotaboutthedoggoingtothebathroom;thewalkisn’toverjustbecauseyourdoghasdoneherbusiness.Thepurposeofexercisingyourdogthroughthewalkistwofold.First,

itdrainsyourdog’sexcessenergyinanatural,focusedway.Whenadogiswalkingandmovingforward,hismindisalsodirectedforward,asitwould be in natural pack migration to hunt for food. This providesmental stimulation, aswell aswork for thedog todobefore receivingfood.Anotherpurposeofthewalkistobondwithyourdog,andIwillhavemoreonthissubjectlaterinthischapter.The second part of the formula, discipline, is intimidating to some

people,probablybecausethewordcanhavenegativeconnotations.Alotofpeopleinterpretdisciplinetomean“punishment,”butitdoesnotmeanthis.Abetterdefinitionistrainingtoactinaccordancewiththerules.A“well-disciplined army” does not mean a bunch of soldiers who havebeen whipped; it means a group of people who work well togetherbecausetheyfollowthesamerules.Thatisthegoalwiththedisciplinepartoftheformula,toensurethatyouandyourdogworkwelltogetherundertherules.The most important thing to teach your dog is to enter a calm,

submissivestatewhenyourequestit,andthequickestwaytoensurethisbehavioris,ofcourse,todrainyourdog’senergythroughexercise.Thisis why discipline is the second part of the formula. Once your dog istired, her mind will turn toward rest, and moving her into calmsubmissionwillbemucheasier.Itisalsoessentialthatyourdogisinacalm,submissivestatebeforemovingontothelastpartoftheformula.Afteryourdoghasbeenexercised,hasfollowedyourrequests,andis

inacalm,submissivestate,onlythenisittimetogiveaffection.Thisisan ideal time to feed your dog, because she hasworked for it on thewalkandbyfollowingtherules.Youcanalsooffertreats,orpetting,butyou should stop immediately if your dog moves out of the calm,submissivestate.Ifyouofferplaytimeasareward,thenstopifyourdog

startstobecomeaggressiveoroverlyexcited.Although I constantly have to teach people about exercise and

discipline,Irarelyhavetoexplainhowtogiveaffection.That’swhyitissoimportanttolearnthistechniqueandrepeatittoyourself:“Exercise,Discipline,andthenAffection…inthatorder.”

PACKLEADERTECHNIQUE#3:EstablishRules,Boundaries,andLimitations—andEnforceThem.

Soyou’re living in themoment, projecting calm, assertive energy, andworkingwithMotherNaturebyrememberingthefiveNaturalDogLawsandfollowingtheCorePrinciples.You’repracticingExercise,Discipline,and Affection. Now what? To completely establish your status as thePack Leader, you need to give your dog Rules, Boundaries, andLimitations, and then enforce themconsistently so youdonot confuseyourdog.Thisstructureplusconsistencywilldowondersforyourdog’sstateofmind.Inthenaturalpack,apuppy’smotherbeginsdoingthisfromthevery

beginning,usingtouchandscenttocontrolwherethepuppygoes,whenheplays,andwhenheeats.Ifthepuppyismisbehaving,themotherwillgentlytakethepuppy’sheadinhermouthasacorrection,andshewillpick the pup up by the scruff and carry him back to the den if hewanders too far.Abalancedmotherdog isnever emotionalor excitedwhendealingwithherpuppies.Adult dogs alsoneed to knowwhat they can and cannotdo, and as

theirPackLeader,youneedtoteachthem.Attheveryleast,youshouldteachyourdog thebasiccommandsof “sit,” “stay,” “drop it,” “come,”“down,” and “heel.” When training, begin by using your energy andgestures rather thanwords. “Sit” is a perfect command to beginwith,because you’d be surprised how many dogs naturally sit when youapproach themwithcalm,assertiveenergyand lean in slightly towardthem.Whenadoghasperformedthedesiredcommand,rewardherwitha

treat, praise, orwhatevermotivates that particular dog.As you repeat

thetrainingandthedogbecomesbetteratcomplyingwiththecommandimmediately, you canbegin to add the spoken command if you’d like.Keepinmind,though,thatitdoesn’tmatterwhatwordsyouuse.Adogcanjustaseasilylearntositatthesoundofthewordpencil.During training, if your dog begins to show signs of distraction byglancing around, yawning, or becominghyperactive, then it is time tostop forawhile.Puppieshavea lowerendurance thanadultdogsandwillbecomeboredordistractedmorequickly.“Sit” and “stay” are essential commands for teaching your dogboundaries—or, inotherwords,claimingyourspaceanddefiningtheirterritory.Ifyoudon’twantyourdogtogointoacertainroom,havehersit and stayoutside thedoorwayasyougo into the room,andcorrectherifshetriestoentertheroom,usingyourbodylanguagetomakeherstep back. Be consistent. If you don’twant the dog ever to enter thatroom,thenyoucanneverletherenter.Ifshecanentersometimes,thenitcanonlybeuponyourinvitation.Wheneverleavingthehouse,youmustbethefirstonetowalkoutthedooraswellasthefirstonetowalkinthedooruponreturning.Again,use“sit”and“stay” togetyourdog towaitquietlywhileyougo first,theninvitehertofollow.Thiswillhelpteachyourdogthatyouownthespace, and reinforce the idea that youmake the rules. It also teachesyour dog to wait for you before receiving a desired outcome,emphasizingthesourceofthatoutcome—herPackLeader.Remember,most dogs arenot natural-born leaders, and theydonotwanttobe.However,iftheyarenotgivenanydirection,thentheywilltry to do whatever they can to restore balance to the pack.Unfortunately,adoginsuchastatefrequentlyactsoutoffrustrationandanxiety,andsowillactoutwithunwantedandfrequentlydestructiveoraggressivebehaviors.Mostdogsdonotknowwhattheyaresupposedtobedoing.Theyneedtobetold.ByprovidingstrongleadershipthroughcreatingRules,Boundaries,andLimitations,yougiveyourdogthegiftofdirection.Shewillthankyouforitbybeingcalmandsubmissive,andlookingtoyouastheleaderofthepack.

PACKLEADERTECHNIQUE#4:

MastertheWalk.

Thesinglemostimportantactivityyoucantakepartinwithyourdogisthewalk. Itprovidesexerciseandmentalstimulation foryourdogandaffirms your position as the Pack Leader. In addition to maintainingcalm, assertive energy, you should always use a short leash, with thecollar located at the top of your dog’s neck. This allows you to givecorrectionswithaquicktugtotheside,whichwillredirectyourdog’sattention.Onthewalk,yourdogshouldalwaysbenexttoorbehindyou.Ifyourdogisinfrontofyou,thensheisbeingthePackLeader,notyou.Thereareseveralwaystotrainyourdogtostayintheproperposition.Oneisnottoallowyourdogtomoveforwardifshegetsinfrontofyou.Giveacorrection and stop, or change direction, and continue to do so untilyourdogwalksbehindyou.Youcanalsouseawalking stickor cane,andholditinfrontofyourdogtokeepherinplace.

ThewalkisanimportantdailyritualforJuniorandme.(illustrationscredits4.1)

Morningsareanidealtimeforthewalk,becauseyourdogwillhavewokenupwithfullenergy,butitisessentialthatyouallowenoughtime

for thewalk—at least 30minutes to an hour—to properly drain yourdog’s energy.This timemayvary,dependinguponyourdog’sageandneeds.Seniordogsmaybetiredoutafter15minutes,whileyoungandenergetic dogs may take 90 minutes or more. If your dog has anymedicalconditions,consultyourveterinariantodeterminesafelimits.Rememberalsothatthewalkisnotaboutyourdogsniffingaroundor

relievingherself.Tomaintaincontrol,keepmovingforwardforatleastthe first 15 minutes, and then reward your dog by allowing her toexploreorgo to thebathroom.Keep this reward timeshorter than thewalk time, however, and continue the pattern for the duration of thewalk.Don’tforgettocontinueyourleadershipwhenyoureturnhome.Enter

thehousefirst,theninviteyourdogtofollow,andmakeherwaitasyouremove and put away her leash. This is an ideal time for feeding,becauseyourdoghasjustworkedforameal.Takingthetimetowalkyourdogisthesinglebestmethodtogiveher

exercise and help hermaintain balance. It is also the bestmethod forassertingyourpackleadershipinapositiveway.Youshouldgoonthewalkatleasttwiceaday,allowingenoughtimeeachwalktodrainyourdog’senergyandtomaintainhercalm,submissivestate.Withthewalk,youcanpracticeallofmymethodsformaintaininga

balanceddogatthesametime.Itprovidesexerciseanddiscipline,withopportunities for some affection. It helps you to establish Rules,Boundaries, and Limitations, and can put you and your dog in touchwithnature.Finally, it’sagreatopportunity foryou to learn to live inthemomentandadjustyourownenergy.Whenyoubegintoput italltogether, you will find that the walk is the most rewarding andproductivetimeinyourrelationshipwithyourdog,andyouwillbothbebetterforit.

PACKLEADERTECHNIQUE#5:ReadYourDog’sBodyLanguage.

Energy is the unspoken language of communication, and one of theprimary ways dogs use energy to communicate is through their body

language.Dogsinstinctivelyunderstandeachother’sbody language.Atthesametime,theyinterpretourbodylanguageintheirway.Ifwedonot take the timetounderstandhowdogsusebody language, thenweriskmiscommunication.To start, think of two good (human) friends meeting after a long

separation. As soon as they see each other, theymay both perk up—standingtaller,showingtheirteethinbroadsmiles,walkingalittlebitfaster. They may raise their arms and wave enthusiastically. As theyapproach,theymaytrotorevenrun,andtheywillcometoeachotherhead-on, probably greeting in a tight hug, or at the very least with avigoroushandshake.Remember—humansperceivetheworldbysightandtouchfirst,while

sightissecondarytodogsandtouchcomeslast(seeChapter2).So, forhumans, this kindof face-to-face, direct contactupongreeting is quitenormal. In the humanworld, itwould be considered very rude to notlookatpeoplewhenmeeting them,andmakingeye contact is seenasshowinginterestorattention,andrarelyasathreat.Evenwhenhumanstrangersmeet,theybeginbyfacingeachother,makingeyecontact,andvocalizing—speakingingreeting.If two strangedogsmet thisway, itwouldprobably lead to a fight.

Everythingintheirbodylanguageinthisencounter—approachingface-to-face, making eye contact, vocalizing at each other—indicatesaggression. Even two familiar dogs can resort to instinct and snap ifeitherperceivestheotherasapproachingaggressively.

HOWDOGSGREETEACHOTHER

So thenext timeyou’reat thedogpark, takea close lookathow twodogs approach each otherwhen theymeet. If themeeting is friendly,they will use their primary sense—smell—to “say” hello. They willapproach each other indirectly and sniff toward the side or rear untiltheyaresureofeachother’senergy.Observetheirgeneralpostureandenergy,andhowtheyholdtheirheads,ears,andtails.Dogsexpresstheirbody language primarily through these body parts, and generally, theheightofeachcorrespondstotheirlevelofassertiveness,aggression,ordominance.

Dogsgettoknoweachotherthroughtheirstrongestsense:smell.(illustrationscredits4.2)

Ofcourse,youneedtobeawareofthephysicalspecificsofyourdog.Insomebreeds,theearsalmostalwaysstandupstraight;inothers,theyarealwaysfloppy.Ifyoupaycarefulattention,though,you’llbeabletotellwhenyourdog’searsaretensedandwhenthey’rerelaxed.Tensionisthesameastheearsbeingheldhigh,andrelaxationisthesameasthembeingheldlow.It’ssimilarwithtails.Somebreedsalwayscarrytheirtailcurledover

their back, and other breeds are tailless or are (unnecessarily andcruelly)croppedsoonafterbirth.Ineithercaseit’shardtotellifthetailis inahigh,middle,or lowposition,unlessyoupracticebeingable toreaditssubtlemovements.

Acalm,submissivedogisoftenseensittingorlyingdown.(illustrationscredits4.3)

Now,let’slookatsomeexamplesofhowhead,ears,andtailprojectadog’sbodylanguage.

CALM,ASSERTIVE

Whenadogiscalmandassertive,herhead,ears,andtailwillbeheldup,buttherewillbealackoftensioninthebody.Ifshewagshertail,itwillbeslowtomoderateinspeed,andrhythmic.Adoginthisstatewillbedeliberateinhermovements,eitherremainingstillwithoutpacing,ormoving forward with purpose. Remember, though, because very fewdogsareborntolead,youwillmeetveryfewdogsinthisenergystate.

CALM,SUBMISSIVE

Whenadog is calmand submissive,her earswill liebackagainstherheadandthetailwilldrooptothemiddleposition.Herbodywillappearrelaxed.Acalm,submissivedogwillalsofrequentlysitorliedown,withthemost submissive dog placing her chin onher paws or the floor.Asubmissivedogmaybeginwagginghertailwhenyoumakeeyecontact.

AGGRESSIVE

An aggressive dog shows all the signs of a calm, assertive dog, exceptthatherbodywillbeverytenseandtight,almostasifshewereleaningforward against a physical restraint. An aggressive dog will alsomaintaineyecontact.Someaggressivedogsshowthemoreobvioussignsofgrowling,baring

their teeth,orbarking,butdonot let theabsenceof these things leadyoutobelieve that thedogwon’t snaporbite. If thebody language istightandtense,leavethedogalone.Ifthetailiswagging,don’tassumethismeansthedogisfriendly.Aggressivedogswilloftenraisetheirtailveryhighandwagitveryfast.

FEARANDANXIETY

A fearful dog, if he doesn’t run away, will try to become smaller. Hedoesthisbyloweringhisheadandears,slouchinghisbody,andbendinghis legs.A fearfuldogwillusuallyholdhis tail at the lowestposition,oftenbetweenthebacklegs(that’swheretheexpression“runningawaywithhistailbetweenhislegs”comesfrom).Aswithanaggressivedog,thetailmayalsowagrapidly,butwhileinthisloweredposition.Insomebreeds,afearfuldogmayraisehishackles,awideridgeoffur

down the center of the back that stands on end. This was originallyintendedtomake thedog lookbiggerandscareoffpredators. Insomecases,afearfuldogmaysquint,toprotecthiseyes.Thisactionmayevenextendtotheupperlipcurlingtoexposetheteeth.However,aswithanaggressivedog’sfastwaggingtail,thissigndoesnotmeanwhatitmightappear to. In the case of a fearful dog, the teeth baring is a sign ofsubmissionandtheresultofthedog’sentirefacescrunchingup.

“LEAVEMEALONE”

Regardlessoftheircurrentenergyormood,somedogsjustdon’twanttobeapproachedbyahumanat times,andtheywill letyouknow.Mostfrequently,adogwilljustturnaroundandwalkawayfromyou.Ifadogdoes this, do not follow after it. Remember: Followers come to theirleader. Ifyou follow thedog, thenyouarenotbeing thePackLeader.

Youarealsonotrespectingitswishes.Otherwaysadogwillletyouknowsheisnotinterestedisinavoidingeyecontact,byturningherheadtotheside.Shemayalsoraisehertailbut be inconsistent with the position of her head and ears, due touncertainty.Adogthatdoesnotwanttobeapproachedmayalsoremainverystilland stiff, as if bynotmoving shewill become invisible to you.At themostextreme levelsofwarning,adogmaysmackher lipsorgrowl tosendthemessage,“Leavemealone.”Bylearningtoreaddogs’bodylanguage,youwillimproveyourabilitytocommunicatewiththembyunderstandingwhattheyaretellingyou,aswellasbeingbetterabletouseyourcalm,assertiveenergytoredirecttheirinstinctsandgetthebehavioryouwant.

ACompleteSetofTools

All of these techniques—plus the laws and principles from earlierchapters—are at the heart of my work with dogs. Establish thisframework and stick to it. Both you and your dogwill benefit from aconsistentroutineandapproach.You’llbefulfillingyourroleasthePackLeader,andyourdogwillembraceacalm,submissivestatethatcomesalongwiththat.

(illustrationscredits4.4)

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CHAPTERFIVE

Ain’tMisbehavin’

ypically,misbehaviorsindogsmanifestthemselvesinoneoftwoways:Either theyappear suddenly,or theyarebadhabits. Ifyourdoghas always had behavior issues, first begin to address the problem bylooking at yourself. How are you not fulfilling your dog’s needs, orfailing to provide necessary pack leadership?Wewill be dealingwiththosequestions—andsolutions—inthischapter.Ifyourdog’sbehaviorchangesabruptly,thenyourdogistryingtotell

yousomething,andyouwillneedtoaddresstheproblembylookingatyourdog.Asyoufigureoutthemessageyourdogistryingtosend,youwillbeabletofigureoutwhatisnecessarytosolvetheproblem.Hastheproblem happenedmore than once? Are any patterns emerging? Doestheissueseemoutofcharacterforyourdog?Forexample,ifyourdogneverdoesherbusinessinsidethehousebut

youcomehomeonedaytoagiftonthecarpet,itmaynotbeacauseforconcern. Ask yourself whether youmissed a regular walk that day orchangedsomethinginyourdog’sdietrecently. If the incidentdoesnotoccur again without a clear cause like those mentioned, then youprobablydon’thaveaproblem.Ifitsuddenlystartshappeningmultipletimesaweek,thenit’stimetogettoworkfixingit.

Inthesecases,firstruleoutanymedicalexplanations.Forexample,ahousebroken dog that suddenly starts regularly urinating in the housemay have a bladder infection. Sudden aggression, growling, or shyingawayfromtouchmayindicatethatyourdogisinphysicalpain.Ifyourdog’s eating or drinking habits suddenly change—for example, she iseating lessordrinkingmore—thengo to theveterinarian first togetacheckup.Ifyourdogisingoodhealth,thenaskyourself,“Hasanythinginourlives changed recently?” Dogs are very sensitive to change. They canbecomeinsecureiftheyfeelconfusedorthreatened.Evensomethingassimple as a change in your daily schedule—like leaving home 30minutesearlierorlaterinthemorning—canthrowoffyourdoguntilhegetsused to anew routine.Thegoodnews is that if youare fulfillingyourdog’sneedsotherwise,withExercise,Discipline,andAffection(seeChapter4),andbyprovidingpackleadership,thensheshouldadapttoanychangesratherquickly.Foreachmisbehaviorinthischapter,Idescribetheproblemathand,talk about its potential causes, and then offer solutions to help bringbalancebacktoyourdog.One final note before we begin. If your dog’s behavior—whetherhabitualorsudden—iscausingseriousdisruptioninyourpack,youmaywant to consider calling in a professional trainer or dog behaviorist.Their knowledge and skillswill help you understand the problem andcomeupwithaplan toaddress thebehavior.And Imust stress that ifyour dog is showing aggression without a physical cause, foodaggression toward any human members of the pack, or has bitten ortriedtobiteanyone,thencallinaprofessionalimmediately.

MISBEHAVIOR#1:Overexcitement

We’veallseenoverexciteddogs.They’retheonesthatstart jumpingorspinningwhentheirpeoplecomehome.Theyjumponguestsandrunalloverthehouse.Theypullaheadonthewalk,puffingandpanting,eagerto get to the next thing to smell. They tear around the dog park like

they’regreyhoundsonaracetrack.Thesedogsaretheverydefinitionof“hyperactive.”A dog exhibiting such excitement is not in control, which can bedangeroustoboththedogandhumans.Ajumpingdogcansliponthefloorandinjurehislegsorback.Hisclawscanscratchpeople.Ifthedogisbigenough,hecanknockfurniturearoundorknockpeopledown.Asthe Pack Leader, you should fill your dog with confidence and calm,submissive energy when you return home. Your dogmay not look ashappy,buttrustme—adogthatsitsquietlyandlooksatyouwhenyoucomehomeismuch,muchhappierthanadogthat isbouncingoffthewalls.

OVEREXCITEMENT:THECAUSES

This kind ofmisbehavior is caused by a combination of excess energyandmisdirectedaffection.Anoverlyexciteddogisgenerallynotgettingenoughexercise,ofcourse.ButIfrequentlyfindinthesecasesthatnotonlyhave thedog’s peoplenot done anything to curtail theunwantedbehaviorinthefirstplace,buttheyhavemanagedtodotheoppositebyunknowinglyencouragingit.It is a natural tendency of humans to ascribe our own emotions todogs,andsoourfirstthoughtuponseeingourdogjumpingupanddownupon our return home is that he is very happy to see us. And whywouldn’twethinkthat?Happyhumansjumpupanddownwhenthey’vebeenpickedonagameshowortheirteamhasscoredthewinninggoal.Humans also jump up and down when they dance, and humansgenerallydanceonlywhenthey’rehappy.Sowecomehomeandourdoggreetsusbyjumpingupanddownorspinning,andournatural reaction is tobehappytoo,andtogreet thedogwithassurancesthatwemissedherjustasmuch.Whatwearereallydoinginsuchacaseisgivingaffectionandattentiontoanunstabledog,andthedoggetsonlyonemessage:“Ilikeitwhenyouactthisway!”

OVERCOMINGOVEREXCITEMENT

Thefirststepindealingwiththeproblemistoignoreyourdogwhenhe

is exhibiting unwanted behavior. When you come home, if your dogstarts jumping or spinning, practice my technique of “No Touch, NoTalk, No Eye Contact” (see Chapter 2). Do not acknowledge your dogwhileheisoverexcited.Instead,goaboutyournormalroutineofcominghome. Put down whatever you’re carrying, take care of whateverbusinessyouusuallywould,andwaituntilyourdogrelaxes(bywearinghimselfout)beforesayinghelloandgivingaffection.Thismethod is also necessary if your dog jumps on guests, but you

willneedtotrainyourvisitorsaswell.Visitingdogloverstendtohavethe habit of putting up with excited behavior and giving affection,probably out of fear of appearing rude. As the host, you can educateyour guests by asking them to ignore your dog while she is excited.Assurethemthatneitheryounorthedogwilltakeitpersonally,butthattheyarehelpingyoutotrainyourdog.Uponreturninghome,ingeneral,isalsoagoodopportunitytocheck

your own energy. Your dog is your mirror. Do you tend to be easilyexcitable or generally boisterous? If you are constantly exhibitingoverexcitement,thenyourdogwillreflectthis.Talkingloudly,dashingaroundtheplace,gettingupsetatlittlethings—allofthesewilltellyourdogthatthisishowthispackbehaves.Ofcourse,youshouldburnupyourdog’sexcessenergybytakinghim

on a long, vigorous walk. This is a healthy way to focus all of thatenergyonmovingforwardwithyou,andthenusingitup.Ifyourdogishyperactiveonthewalk,givinghimajobbyputtingabackpackonhimwillhelptowearhimoutmorequickly;theweightofthepackwillalsofocushisattentiononcarryingit.Oneotherthingtotrytocalmanoverexciteddogistoappealtoher

strongestscentorgan,hernose.Somescents,likelavender,aresoothingtohumans.Dogsarethesame,exceptwithmuchmorepowerfulnoses.Consultyourveterinariantofindoutwhatsmellsmayworkforyourdogandwhichdispersalmethodsarethesafestforher.Although overexcitement may seem like a relatively harmless

problem,inthelongrun,itisbettertoteachyourdoghowtogreetyouwith calm, submissive energy, and it is healthier to allowyourdog touseupthatexcessenergyinapositiveandfocusedmanner.Ajumping,spinning,runningdogmayappearhappy,butthat’sahumanperception.Acalmandbalanceddogisfarhappier.

MISBEHAVIOR#2:Aggression

Aggression in dogs is probably one of the most common issues I amasked to address. Aggression takes many forms. Some dogs areaggressiveonlytowardotherdogsoranimals;some,onlytowardpeople;still others showaggression only around food or high-value treats andtoys.Aggression in dogs is a very noticeable and identifiable behavior,particularly for thoseon the receivingend.Thebody languageof suchdogs is tenseand focused,and theyoftenmakenoise:Aggressivedogswillgrowl,bark, snarl,bare their teeth,and frequently snaporbiteatanypersonoranimal that comeswithin range.Frequentlywhilebeingwalked, aggressive dogs are difficult to control, pulling at the lead,barkingateveryotherdogorhumanthattheysee.This issuecanbeoneof themostdifficult to resolve,particularly inthecaseofbiters,ordogsthatareinthe“redzone”—thatis,dogsthatgo into attackmode and cannot be brought out of it. In nature,whendogs show aggression, they show it only until they have won the“argument.”Ared-zonedog,though,isouttokill,andwillnotstopuntilhehassucceeded.People with an aggressive dog in the household naturally feelconstantlynervous,butthiscanonlymaketheproblemworse.Anxiety,nervousness, and uncertainty are all weak forms of energy, and thesestatesofbeingjustservetoremindthedogthatthereisnostrongPackLeader around. If any member of your household is feeling fearfulbecauseofyourdog’saggression,thenitistimetocallinaprofessionalimmediately.Dogscansensefearinhumansandotheranimals,andanaggressive dog will take advantage of this weak energy state. Also, ifyour dog is showing food aggression with anymember of the humanpack,callaprofessional.

Becausetheyoftenpullandlunge,aggressivedogscanbedifficulttocontrol.(illustrationscredits5.1)

AGGRESSION:THECAUSES

Aggression is often caused by a combination of frustration anddominance.Thedogmay feel frustrationbecauseofa lackofexercise,andsoisfullofpent-upenergy.Thedogbecomesdominantbecauseofalack of leadership from thehumans aroundhim.Combined frustrationanddominancecauseadogtolashoutandtrytotakecontrol.WithoutRules, Boundaries, and Limitations, a dog has no idea what he issupposed to do (see Chapter 4). This can be a very confusing andfrightening thing for a dog, especially if the dog would not normallyassumealeadershippositioninthepack—and,asIhavesaidbefore,thelargemajorityofdogsarenotnaturalpack leaders.Theyareperfectlyhappybeingfollowers.The effect of an unrehabilitated aggressive dog on its people and

householdcanbedevastating.Ihavemetfamilieswhohavepracticallybecome hermits in their own homes, never allowing any visitors, ornever letting theirchildren’s friendscomeover toplay. Inmultiple-pethouseholds,everyonehastoplaythegameof“keeptheanimalsapart,”with the aggressive dog shunted from one place to another and kept

behind closed doors. With the problem left untreated, someone isinevitablybitten,whichescalates the fearfulness and frustrationof thepeopleandmakesthedogexertfurtherdominance.Afterasecondbite,the humans in the household far too often feel they have only twochoices: get the dog out or put the dog down. So for me, solving anaggressionproblemisoneofmymost importantchallenges,because itkeepsdogsinhomesanditkeepspeoplesafe.

OVERCOMINGAGGRESSION

The root causes of most aggression are the same, and so are thesolutions.Todealwithadog’saggression,allhumansinthehouseholdhavetoestablishthemselvesasthePackLeader,andthedogneedstobegivenconsistentRules,Boundaries,andLimitations.Duringtheprocess,consideryourdog in the samewayyouwouldahuman in rehab—thedoghasanissuetodealwith,anduntilhehasdealtwithit,hedoesnotget to have the same privileges or freedoms that a nonaggressive dogwould.Thisisnotpunishment.Thisisstructure,anditwillsimplifyyourdog’s lifeduring the rehabilitation. Inparticular,beverycareful aboutgiving affection. You should do so only when your dog is in a calm,submissivestate.Never showaffectionwhenyourdog isexhibiting theunwantedbehavior,particularlyaggression—this just teachesyourdogthatshecanuseaggressiontogetaffection.Establishrulesandboundaries.Ifyourdognormallyspendshertime

onthesofa,makeitoff-limits,fornow,andmakesurethatthedogstaysdown.Don’tworry thatyourdogwill feel insultedby this.Dogsdon’tthink that way. In fact, dealing with the new rule will probably beharderforthehumans.Whenpeoplemovearoundthehouse,makesurethat the dog is never the first one to go through a door into anotherroom;thedogmustwaitandgoafterthehumans.Ifyourdogdoestrytoleadyou,turnaroundatthedoorandwalktheotherway.Ifyouhaveenoughroomsathometodoso,establishoneastemporarilyoff-limitstothedog,withall thehumans in thepackconsistentlynotallowing thedogintothatroom.Alsoduring the rehabilitation,pickupandputawayallof the toys,

bones,andotherdogplaythingsaroundthehouse,withthegoalbeing

to teachyourdog that theseallbelong toyouandcanbeplayedwithonlyonyourterms.Oftentimes,adogwillbelievethatheispowerfulifhe gathers a large collection of things, so having all these items lyingaroundforanaggressivedogtohoardcanmaketheissueworse.Donotletyourdoggiveyoucommands.Dogswilloftentrytogetourattentionbynudgingus,puttingtheirheadsonourlaps,orjumpingup.Whenyourdogdoesthis,ignoreher;donotevensay,“No.”Justdon’tacknowledgethebehavior.Otherwise,yourdoghas just toldyouwhattodo,andyoudidit.Duringthisentireprocess,ofcourse,themostimportantthingyoucandoiskeepyourdogwellexercised,ideallywithlongwalks.Remember,partofthecauseofaggressionisexcessenergy,andyouneedtodrainthatenergy.Ifjustwalkingdoesn’tseemtobeenoughforyourdog,haveherwearabackpacktogiveherajobandhelpdrainenergy,orhavehertowyouonin-lineskatesorrunalongsideyouwhileyourideabicycle.(Youshouldconsultatrainer,however,toteachyouandyourdoghowtodothissafely.)Theotherimportantaspectofthewalk,particularlywhenitcomestoaggression,ispackbondingandestablishingleadership.Inthewild,dogpacksmigratetogether—insearchoffoodandwater,andtoexploreandestablishtheirterritory.Thefarthertheytravel,themorelikelytheyareto finda lotof foodandwater,and the larger their territorybecomes.Whenyouexhibitcalm,assertiveenergyandtaketheleadonthewalk,you provide the pack leadership and direction that an aggressive dogneeds. Through using a leash, you also have the ideal opportunity tocorrectunwantedbehaviorsjustbeforetheyhappen.As pack animals, dogs are mainly concerned with the entire packrunning smoothly, and most dogs would rather be followers thanleaders. Aggression within the pack is unnatural, and more dominantmembersquicklyputanaggressivedoginhisplace.Toooften,whenwebring dogs into our human packs, we forget to fulfill their needs bybeingtheleaders,andinsteadindulgethemaschildren,givingthemtoomuchunearnedaffection.Withnostrongleadership,dogsarethrustintoaroletheyneitherwantnorcanhandle,sotheylashoutateverythingbecause of their frustration. However, aggression is usually not anunsolvableissue,andyourdogwillthankyouwithherownloyaltyandaffectiononceyourestoreherproperplaceinthepack.

I

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Teddy

have dealtwithmany aggressive dogs, and Teddy, a nine-year-oldyellow Lab mix, was a typical case. His caregivers, Steve and LisaGarelick,adoptedTeddyasapuppy.Henaturallyhadhighenergyandwas aggressive, but because theGarelicks did not provide strong packleadershipfromthebeginning,Teddy’saggressioncontinuedunchecked,directedtowardpeopleandotheranimals.Theytoleratedhisaggressionfornineyears.However,withthebirthof theirdaughter,Sara (whowas twoandahalfat the time Ivisited),theybecameincreasinglyconcerned.ThelastthingtheywantedwasforTeddy to bite Sara. Interestingly enough, though, Sara was the onepersontowardwhomTeddyshowednoaggression.ThiswasbecausetheGarelicksdidtherightthingbeforeshewasborn:TheypreparedTeddyforanewarrivalinthehouse,andthenmadeitcleartothedogthatthisnewhumanhadahigherstatus.TheymanagedtomaketheirdaughterTeddy’sPackLeaderwithoutknowingit,andyetcouldnotdothesamethingforthemselves.The Garelicks did what many people do when their dog showsaggression—theyavoidedsituationsthatcouldcauseaggression,insteadofdealingwith theproblem.Theywereafraid that theywouldnotbeabletocontroltheirdoginthosesituations.WhenIshowedthemthatIcouldcontrolTeddy’saggressionbyredirectinghimoutofthatstateasitwashappening,theyrealizedthat itwaspossible.OnceIshowedthemthey could do it themselves, their nervousness and anxiety lessened,their confidence increased, and they were on their way to beingsuccessfulPackLeaders.

MISBEHAVIOR#3:Anxiety

In the animal world, there are two natural reactions to a threatening

stimulus: fightor flight.Wesaw“fight” inaggression,butnotalldogsreact this way. It’s perfectly natural for a dog to fear somethingthreatening to them, but unnatural anxiety occurs when dogs showextreme fear toward things that cannot hurt them. Fearful dogs mayexhibit a range of behaviors, from running off and hiding at the firstsudden stimulus to staying in place and quaking in terror. It isn’tuncommon for such dogs to suddenly exhibit submissive urination ordefecation,soitcanbeanunpleasantsituationforthehumansaswell.Suchdogscanbecomeskittishabouteverything,fromfallingobjectstopeoplemovingtoreflectionsintheirwaterbowl.Manydogsarefearful,andtheirfirstinstinctistorunawayandhide

fromanythingnew.Atanextreme,therunningawaybecomesentirelypsychological. Ever hear the expression “paralyzed with fear”? Thishappenswhenanimalsbecomesofrightenedbysomethingthattheyloseanyabilitytocontroltheirbodyandrunawayinself-preservation.Themindrunsaway first. In thewild, such fearfulanimalsusuallybecomesomeotheranimal’slunchratherquickly.Don’t assume that a fearful dog cannot be dangerous, though. Any

animals that feel sufficiently threatened, even if seemingly paralyzedwithfear,canstill lashoutandattackwitheverythingthey’vegotinalast-ditch effort to survive. If left uncorrected, a dog can become fear-aggressive,which can be a very badmatch for thosewith the humantendencytofeelsorryforandtrytocomfortfrightenedanimals.It canbedifficult, if not impossible, for humans and fearful dogs to

haveafulfillingrelationship.Trustisatthecenterofresolvingthisissue.Everything may seem fine, but then the dog can be set off with onewrongmovebyahuman.Establishingabondoftrustcanbeextremelyhardinsuchcases.Inaddition,livinginaconstantstateofanxietycanbe unhealthy for the dog, leading to an elevated heart rate, rapidbreathing,andasteadyflowofadrenalineinthesystem.Wewouldsaythatahumanexhibitingthesamesymptomsis“stressedout,”andit’snodifferent for a dog. Constant, unrelieved anxiety can be physicallydangerous,ifnotfatal.

ANXIETY:THECAUSES

Extremeanxiety and fearfulness areusually related to low self-esteem,which,fordogs,meansthattheyareuncertainoftheirstatus.Thiscanhappen for various reasons. Perhaps theywere taken away from theirmothers too early, and so did not learn to experience the world firstthroughnose,theneyes,thenears.Theyalsowouldhavemissedoutonpropersocializationthroughtheirmother’sactionsoffeeding,cleaning,and correcting. Dogs can also have low self-esteem if they experienceabuseorisolationearlyinlife.Becausetheproblemisrootedsodeeplyandearly in thedog’s life,casesofanxietytakea lot longer toresolvethanotherissues,likeaggression.Iusuallyseeresultswithanaggressivedoginthefirsthalfhour.Casesofanxietycantakemonths.

OVERCOMINGANXIETY

Thebestwaytodealwithadog’slowself-esteemisthroughthepowerof the pack—in these cases, the power of the dog pack. Structuredtrainingwith other dogswill helpwith socialization, andwill give ananxious dog examples of how to behave. This means working with atrainer,soyoushouldchooseonewhowillalsohelpyoufindtherightenergyinyourselfandhelpyoulearnhowtotrainyourselfasyoutrainyourdog.Asananxiousdog’sself-esteemstartstoimprove,youcanthenbegin

toexposethedogtodifferentstimuli.Atreadmillisidealforthissortofwork. Once the dog is comfortable with walking on a treadmill at asteady pace, you can begin to introduce sounds or objects that triggerherflightresponse,withthegoalbeingthatshedoesnotreacttothem.Thereasonthisworksisbecausetheactionofwalkingonthetreadmillengagesthedog’sbraininmovingforward,whichistheoppositeoftheflight response. This conditions the dog to then associate the formerlyterrifyingstimuluswiththeactionofmovingtowardit.Further along in the process, begin exposing the dog to different

situations,movinginlittlesteps.Ifpossible,haveafriendortrainerwithanotherdogonhand,thenwalktogetherinareaswithotherdogs,thenotherpeople;findplaceswithunusualnoisesorsmells;walknearabikeorskatepath.Withcalm,assertivehumansandanotherbalanceddoginthemix, theanxiousdogwillbegin to trusthimself in such situations.

ThisisalsooneofthefewtimeswhenIrecommendusingaretractable-typelead,althoughsparinglyandwithcaution—youwanttoencourageananxiousdogtobeabletomoveawayfromyoutoexplore,whilealsocomingbacktoyoushouldhebecomefrightened,orwhenyoucallhimback.Anxiousdogsfrequentlydowellwithagilitytraining,becauseitgives

themaclear setofgoals toaccomplish.Begin small,withonlyoneortwo sets of challenges, and then gradually expand the course. Andremember—you’re not training the next world champion agility doghere;thatisn’tthepoint.Youaregivingyourdogaseriesofsmallgoals;yourdog’sconfidencewillincreasewitheachonesuccessfullyreached.If yourdog isnot anxious athome,but shows fearfulbehavioronly

when outside of the home, then you can try to use the dog’s nose torelievethebehavior.Startplacingadroportwoofapleasantscent,likelavender oil, on yourhandbefore events that are pleasurable for yourdog,likefeedingtime.Letthedogexplorethescentandgetusedtoit.Then,associate this smellwith theexperienceofgoingon thewalk inthe sameway, by placing a couple of drops on your hand before youpickuptheleash.Onceonthewalk,ifyouseeasituationcomingthatwould normally make your dog panic, get out the scent (before thepanic),anduseittodistractyourdog’smindthroughhissenseofsmellandthepleasantassociationyouhavecreated.Finally,whenever yourdogmoves into a fearful state, donot try to

make her feel better with affection. Instead, maintain your calm,assertiveenergy,andpracticemytechniqueof“NoTouch,NoTalk,NoEye Contact.” Unlike humans, when dogs receive affection, theyinterpret itasapprovalofhowtheyarebehaving in thatmoment,andnotasanattempttomakethemfeel“better.”Soifyoupetyourdogandtellhim,“It’llbeOK,”whenheisinafearfulmode,whatheunderstandsis that you are telling him, “It’s OK to be this way. I will give youaffection because you are scared.” This only reinforces the undesiredbehavior.Fearisapowerfulemotioninhumansanddogs,butdogsdonothave

the ability to rationalize it away. They have only two instinctivereactions to fear: attack the source or run away from it. In a packsituation, somedogs areprotectors. Thedogs that aren’t protectors donot worry about whether they should be when danger approaches.

O

Outsideofthepack,though,dogscanwindupwithnoideawhattheirrole is supposed to be. When this uncertainty is combined with athreatening stimulus, the dog can panic, and then lose all self-trust inknowinghowtoactatanygiventime.Althoughitisadifficultproblemto resolve, even the most timid and anxious dog can be rehabilitatedwithtime,patience,andtherighttools.

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Luna

neofthemostanxiousandfearfuldogsIeverworkedwithwasLuna,ayear-and-a-half-oldyellowLabmix.ShehadbeenadoptedfromthePasadenaHumaneSocietyasapuppybyAbelDelgado,whochoseher because she reminded him of himself when he was young. HeexplainedtomethathegrewupinalargefamilyofMexicanimmigrantsinLosAngeles,andbothofhisparentsworkedall thetime,sohewasleft to take care of his younger siblings, but with the constant worryaboutwhathewasdoingorwassupposedtobedoing.Abel is nowamusic teacher, conductor, and flutistwhoworkswith

schoolchildren through his own nonprofit foundation, and he hasmanagedtoconqueranyanxietyissueshehadwhenyoung.Luna,ontheotherhand,wasnotdoingsowell.AsAbeldescribedit,shewasterrifiedofanythingthatmovedormadeanoise—basicallyanythingliving.Anyobjectswithwheels—bicycles,skateboards,trucks—wouldsendherintoa panic on walks, and her only concern was running away, with noregardforherownsafety.Onedayonawalk,Luna’scollarbrokeandshetookoffdirectlyinto

traffic,whereshewasgrazedbyacarandthendisappearedontheotherside of the street. Luckily,Abel found her, uninjured. But itwas clearthatLuna’sproblemdemonstratedthemostextremeformofthiskindofanxiety: Her flight response completely overrode her sense of self-preservation,andsheliterallyfledfromonedangerrightintoanother.Ittook two solid months at the Dog Psychology Center, but LunaeventuallyreturnedtolifewithAbel,andnowcanevengowithhimto

work, to calmly watch him conduct a large and very loud studentorchestra.

MISBEHAVIOR#4:FearofLoudNoises

Thunder is one of themost awesome sounds in nature. If you’ve everbeen outdoors and away from a big city during a thunderstorm, thenyou’veheardthedeepboomthatseemstoexplodefromeverywhereandrolls past in waves. It’s almost a living sound, and can be quitewonderfultolistentoifyouhavenofearof itandunderstandthatit’sproducedwhen lightning strikes and heats the air. But tomany dogs,thisnoiseisterrifying.Itisnotuncommonfordogstoshowextremefearinthepresenceof

loud,unexpectednoises. In addition to thunder, fireworks, gunshots, acar backfiring, or any number of abrupt sounds can also cause thisreaction. It’s no accident that, in theUnitedStates, theFourthof Julyanditsfireworkscoincidewiththehighestnumberofrunawaydogsfortheyear.It’s not fun towatch an otherwise calm and happy dog turn into a

nervouswreckduringasuddenstormorbecauseofafestivecelebration.Unfortunately,onceadoghasreachedthisstate,itcanbeverydifficultto calmhimdown.As I’vementioned elsewhere, affectionwill not doanything except reinforce the unstable state. And, unfortunately,althoughwecanpredicttheFourthofJuly,peoplecannotreallypredicttheweatheraccurately.Ifyoucan—thenyoucanprobablygetyourownTVshowasastormwhisperer!

FEAROFLOUDNOISES:THECAUSES

Humans know that thunder is a completely natural phenomenon.However,formanyanimals,dogsincluded,aloudnoiselikethundercaninduceaprimal fear.Theydonotassociate the flashof lightningwiththeburstofsound.Tothem,thenoisecomesfromeverywhere,sothereisnowheretohide.Italsocomesfromabove,whichisthedirectionfrom

whichpredatorsgenerallyattack.

OVERCOMINGFEAROFLOUDNOISES

Unlike other issues, dealingwith a fear of loud noises can be difficultbecause the noises are either unpredictable or comeonly once a year.YoucanplanaheadfortheFourthofJuly,however,anditisnevertoosoontostart.Preparingyourdognowforfuturefireworkswillpreventalot of issues, aswell as helpmitigate problemswith other unexpectedloudnoises.Youcanbeginatanytimebyslowlygettingyourdogusedtonoises.Download sounds of fireworks, thunder, explosions, and other loudnoises, and then start playing them at low volume while your dog isengaged inpleasurable activity, like eatingorplaying. Slowly increasethevolumeeachdayuntilyourdogseemscomfortableandundistractedbythesounds.Ifanunexpected stormcomesup, trydistractingyourdogduring it.Work with her on obedience behaviors, like sitting or shaking, andrewardherwithtreats.Putabackpackonher,orputheronatreadmill.Thegoalhere is to focusyourdog’sattentiononsomethingotherthanthe thunder.Youcanalsouseyourdog’snose todistracther fromthenoise by exposing her to pleasant scents, like lavender or pine. Ifnecessary,keepyourdogonaleashnexttoyou,eveninthehouse.Thiswillhelppreventherfromrunningawayandkeepherinthepresenceofyourcalm,assertiveenergy.Rememberthatyouhaveoneadvantageasahuman—youcanusethelightning to tell you when the thunder is coming, and then maintaincalm and assertive energy as youwait expectantly for the loud noise,turning it intoagamewithyourdog.Tellher, “Here it comes,here itcomes,”andthen,whenthethunderstrikes,celebratewithher.Thiswillbegin to associate the loud noisewith affection, andwill demonstrateyourlackoffearwithyourpositiveenergy.Onanydayinwhichyouknowfireworksaregoingtooccur,takeyourdog for a longwalkwell before the celebrations begin, and drain herenergy.Ifyounormallywalkforahalfhour,gofortwohoursinstead.Youwantyourdogtobesoexhaustedthatherbrainwon’tevenregister

the fireworks.You canalso considerusingdog-safe earplugs to reducethe intensity of the noise, which may be enough to prevent a flightreaction.And,ofcourse,besurethatyourdogisalwayswearingIDand,ideally, has an IDmicrochip, in case the noise does cause her to runaway.

Insecurefencescanbeirresistibletemptationstodogswholiketoroamorchase.(illustrationscredits5.2)

Althoughloudnoisesdooccurinnature,manydogsarefrightenedbythem andwill attempt to flee, if possible. However, by draining yourdog’senergywithexercise,engagingherattentionelsewhere,orslowlygetting her used to the sounds, you can go a long way towardminimizing any negative reactions, so that a summer storm or afireworksshowbecomesjustanothernoise.

MISBEHAVIOR#5:RunningAway

Somedogsarerunners,andwilltakeoffatthefirstchancetheyget.Insomecases,thebehaviorisopportunistic,andadogwilltakeadvantageofanopeneddoororunlockedgatetogoexploring.Othertimes,adogwill actively try to escape, burrowing under or leaping over a fence.You’ve probably even seen similar behavior at an off-leash dog park,withapersonfranticallychasingafteradogwhenit’stimetogohome,and the dog refusing to come, nomatter howmany times her personcalls,turningitintoagameof“catchmeifyoucan.”It is actually more dangerous for a dog to run away in the humanworld than it is in thewild. The dog can become lost, or be killed orinjuredrunningintothestreet.Thedogmaybefoundbyotherhumans,andwithoutproperidentificationoramicrochip,mayneverbereturnedtohisoriginal family.Dogs that takeeveryopportunity to runoffwillprobablywindup thinking they are in charge of the pack andwill beimpossibletocontrolordisciplineathome.

RUNNINGAWAY:THECAUSES

Aswithmanyothercaninemisbehaviors,therootcausesofdogsfleeingthe den are lack of leadership and mental stimulation, plus excessenergy.Unlikehumanswholeaveforworkorschoolandleavethedogsbehind,itisveryunusualinnatureforoneormoremembersofapacktoleavetherestandwanderoffontheirown.There’snoreasonto.Ifadogspotssomethingtochase,itwillalertthepack,andtheywillhunttogether.Although any dog can exhibit runaway behavior, certain breeds—particularlyfromtheworking,hound,andhuntinggroupsofdogs—canbemore likely to takeoff,as they followtheir inbred instinct tochaseprey.

OVERCOMINGRUNNINGAWAY

First, spaying or neutering your dogs will reduce their tendency towander,especiallymaledogs.Havingyourdogs fixed,especiallyatanearlyage,willeliminatethehormonalsignalsthatcaninducewanderinginsearchofamateorthedesiretoclaimtheirownterritory.Neutered

dogsarealsolesslikelytomarkinsidethehome,becomeaggressive,orgetintofights.Next,itisnecessarytocreateboundaries,buildinganinvisiblebarrierineverydoorway.Todothis,thehumansinthehouseholdmustclaimthese doorways as their own, training dogs so that theywill not passthroughwithoutpermission.Thebeginningofeachofseveraldailywalksistheidealtimeforthistraining.First,thedogmustbeinacalm,submissivestateandsitquietlybefore you even put on the leash.Next, lead the dog to the door andopen it, but do not allow the dog to go out.Make the dog sit on theinside of the open door and wait. You go out first. The dog is notallowedtofollowyouuntilyougiveheraclearanddefinitesignaltodoso. When returning home, repeat the procedure in reverse. Open thedoor,butdonotallowthedogtoenterfirst.Dothisconsistentlyeverysingle timeyouwalk thedog, andalwaysvary the lengthof timeyoumakethedogwaitbeforegoinginandout.Especiallyearlyon,makethedog wait until she has stopped making any moves in anticipation ofgoingoutthedoorandisfocusedonyou.On thewalk itself, keep the dog close to your side, anduse a shortlead to keep his head up. Do not allow him to sniff at or investigateanythingonthegroundforthefirstpartofthewalk.Youkeepmovingforward,andthedogmoveswithyou.Whenyoucanwalk forawhilewiththedogatyoursideandnotpulling,thenyoumayrewardhimbyallowinghimtosniffat thegroundbriefly,beforereturningtomovingforwardwiththedogatyourside.Youshouldsetboundariesonthewalkaswell,particularlyatcornersbeforecrossingstreets.Stopatthecornerandmakethedogstopnexttoyouuntilsheiscalmandsubmissive,sittingifpossible.Yourdogisnotallowedtocrossthestreetuntilyougiveherpermission;onlywhenyoubegintocross thestreetcanshe follownext toyou. Itmaytakea fewtriesatfirsttogetyourdogtostopandrecognizethecurb,butifyouareconsistent anddo this at every street crossing, eventually thedogwillstopbeforeyoutellherto,recognizingtheboundaryyouhavedefined.Whileyouareworkingoncreatingtheseboundaries,youshouldalsobeworkingwithyourdogon“recall,”which isa termtrainersuse forcalling your dog to come back to you. This will help reduce a dog’stendencytoturnherrunningawayintoagameof“catchmeifyoucan.”

For recall training, youmay use a long lead. Move as far as possibleawayfromthedogandcallher.Ifthedogdoesnotreturn,reelherin,andthenmoveawayandrepeattheprocedure.Whenshecomestoyouwhencalled,rewardherwithaffectionoratreat.Eventually,whentheboundaryofwaitingbeforegoingoutthedooris

secondnature foryourdog,workwithheronwaiting justoutside thedoor.Youcanusethelongleadforthisexerciseaswell.Haveyourdogsitinaspotbythedoor,andthenmoveaway.Ifthedogbeginstomovefromthespot,correctherandmakehergoback to thespot.Continuethis for as long as necessary until the dog remains in the spot.Often,whenthedogunderstandswhat’sexpected,shewilljustliedowncalmlyinthespot.Reinforcethiswaitingbehaviorateveryopportunityyouhave.Ifyou

takeyourdog toastrangeplacewithadoororagate, thenmake thedogwait.Youshouldalsodothesamewiththecar,lettingthedoggetinoroutonlywhenyougivepermission.Ifyouareconcernedaboutyourdogrunningoff,thenaGPStracking

device is a worthwhile investment. Worn like a collar, these devicesinclude a tracker and wireless link. If your dog moves outside of adesignated area, the device activates and will send a signal to yoursmartphoneorcomputershowingthedog’scurrentlocation.As pack animals with a territorial instinct, dogs are not naturally

inclined to flee from home. However, without the proper exercise,discipline,mentalstimulation,orrules,anydogmayrunoffsimplyoutofboredom, looking forsomethingmore interestingsomewhereelse. Ifyou provide for your dog’s needs and make sure he is balanced andfulfilled,thenhewillhavenoreasontorunoff.Ifyoucreaterulesandboundariesregardinggoinginandoutofthehouse,yourdogwillbefarlessinclinedtotakeadvantageofanopendoor.

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Chula

hula,a two-year-oldShiba Inu,wasaclassicexampleofa runner,and

Cshewouldboltoutthefrontdoorwhenevershefounditopen.Thiswas

a great concern to her people, Rita and Jack Stroud, becauseChulawould just take off, not lookingwhere shewas going. If

theytriedtochaseher,shewouldturnitintoagamebyrunningfartheraway. On the walk, Chula would pull, trying to investigate or chaseanythingthatcameacrossherpath.Athome,shewouldjumpfromonepieceoffurnituretoanother,claimingeachasherown.In Chula’s case, I soon determined that Rita and Jackwerewalking

heronlyonedayaweek,andwerenotdiscouragingherfromjumpingon the furniture. Because the Shiba Inu was bred as a hunting dogspecializinginflushingoutsmallprey,Chula’snaturalinstinctswerenotbeing fulfilled. The Strouds admitted that they spoiled her; withoutdiscipline,Chulawasreallyrunningthehousehold.Everythinginsideofthe housewas her kingdom, and sowas everything outside. Once theStroudsestablishedRules,Boundaries,andLimitations,Chula’sbehaviorinside the house improved and her tendency to run away faded. Theycanevenleavethefrontdooropennow,andChulawillstayinside.

MISBEHAVIOR#6:Obsession

Obsessionindogsisdifferentthaninhumans.Weoftensaythathumansareobsessediftheyexhibitastronginterestinahobby,amoviestar,ora sports team—except for extreme cases, this sort of human obsessiondoesn’tinterferewithday-to-daylife.Becausedogsdonotintellectualizeor rationalize their behavior, however, obsession can andusually doesinterferewiththeirlives,andwiththelivesoftheirowners.Whatdowemeanby“obsession”indogs?Thisiswhendogsbecome

fixatedonacertainbehavior, lockedinamentalstatethatkeepsthemfocused on that one thing. Obsessive behavior can take many forms:chasing shadows, lights, or reflections; running ormoving in constantcircles;and lickingorchewingon themselveswithoutaphysicalcausesuch as a skin condition or a cut. When dogs reach this level ofobsession,snappingthemoutofitcanbeverydifficult.

OBSESSION:THECAUSES

There are twomain causes of obsession in dogs.One is excess energythat the dog needs to release. In this case, the dogwill engage in thebehavioruntilheexhaustshimself.Thistypeofobsessionisusuallytheeasiesttocorrect.Thesecondandmoredifficultcauseisinsecurity.Thiscan develop in a dog because of a trauma or panic-inducing event,particularly if the event occurs when the dog is young. When dogsexhibitinsecure,obsessivebehavior,theyarelettingusknowthattheylackstrongleadershipanddirection,andsoarefocusinginanunhealthywayonsomethingthatmakesthemfeelafalsesenseofsecurity.At times, insecurity can lead to excess energy and fuel the cycle of

obsession.When a dog is in a state of constant alert, he is producingexcess energy, as if he is wired on caffeine—always anxious, alwayshuntingforanobjectofobsession.Sodogsthatareobsessedbecauseofinsecurity will often also work themselves up into a state of excessenergy, and this becomes a feedback loop: Insecurity fuels obsession,which leads to a heightened state of anxiety, which creates excessenergy,whichfuelstheobsession,andsoon.Whentheweathergetstoohot,thiscyclecanactuallybedangerous,

leadingadogtooverheat.Animpropermentalstatecantrulybecomeaphysicaldanger—buttheproblemcanbedealtwith.

OVERCOMINGOBSESSION

Tohelpyourdogregainhisbalance,firstyoumustfigureoutthecauseofhisbehavior.Isyourdoginsecure,doeshehaveexcessenergy,orisitacombinationofboth?Zeroinginonthecausewillhelpyoudeterminethebestsolutionforyourpet.Ifyoubelievethecauseisexcessenergy,thenmakesurethatyourdog

isgettingplentyofexercisewithlongwalks,andthatyouthenredirectattentionawayfromanysignoftheobsessivebehaviortowardadesiredcalm, submissive state of mind. Dogs that constantly dig in theirbackyardsareusuallyfrustratedbecausetheydon’tgetenoughexercise.If you have a strong breed that likes to run and can outlast you on awalk,trystrappingabackpackonthedogbeforethewalk.Alternatively,your dog can pull you on a bike or in-line skates to help exhaust her

beforeyoubecometootired.Youcanalsohelpredirecttheobsessionbyprovidingmentalchallenges,likearubberchewtoywithatreathiddeninside.Torehabilitateanobsessivedog,itisnecessarytosnapthedogoutof

theobsessivestateofmindasitisabouttohappen,andthewalkisanidealvenuetobegin.(Ifyourdogdoesnotexhibitobsessivebehavioronthewalk,congratulations.You’rehalfway there.)You’ll requirea shortleadanda correcting collar that sits highupon theneck, suchas theIllusionCollar.Usethis togiveacorrectionwithashort,gentle tugassoonasthedogshowsanysignofmovingintotheobsessivestate.Ifyougive the tug too early or too late, the techniquewill notwork. It’s allabouttherighttiming.In obsessions that involve chasing things, your dog will try to

investigate the groundwith her eyes. Your goal is to keep your dog’shead up, eyes ahead,moving forward with you. As soon as your dogtriestolowerherheadorlookarounddistractedly,givethecorrection.It’simportantthatyoudothistheinstantyousenseyourdogstartingtomoveintotheundesiredmentalstate,andvital thatyouareconsistentwiththecorrection.Atfirst,yourdogmaytryto“win”byoutlastingyouandgettingwhat

shewants.Donotgiveup,anddonotgive in.Most important,donotfeel frustrated if your dog doesn’t get it at first. Maintain a calm,assertive energy at all times and remember: Your dog will not feelresentmentwhen you show strong leadership. In fact, an insecure dogwillappreciateit,becausethatisexactlywhatsheneeds.Continuewiththisprocessonthewalkuntilyounolongerneedtogivethecorrectiontosnapyourdogoutoftheobsession.Meanwhile, youwill also need to dealwith your dog’s obsession at

home,andinasimilarfashion.Withthesameleadandcollar,takeyourdogaroundthehousetotheplaceswheresheengagesinherobsessivebehavior, againmaking the correction just as your dog starts tomoveinto theobsessive state.Youwillneed todo this inevery roomwherethedogisallowed,toteachherthatsheisnottoengageintheobsessionjustbecause,forexample,she’sinthekitchen.Eventually,insteadoffocusingontheobsession,thedogshouldbegin

tofocusonyou,showingcalm,submissiveenergy.Thisiswhenyoucanofferpraise,a treat,orwhateverpositivereinforcementworksforyour

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dog. As Pack Leaders, we have to redirect that energy, and teach ourdogs that they do not have to chase reflections or spin in circles foreverythingtobeallrightintheirworld.

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Brooks

hy does insecurity lead to obsession? Control. Having beenfrightened by something beyond their control, dogs can becomeneurotic,searchinguntiltheyfindthatonethingtheycancontrolorthatat least cannot turnaroundandattack. Idealtwithexactly this in thecaseofBrooks,afive-year-oldEntlebucher,orSwissmountaindog,thatwould chase any sort of light or reflection, often running into people,furniture,orwallsinhisobsession.When I met with Brooks’s owners, Lorain and Chuck Nicholson, I

quicklydetermined the cause of the problem.As a puppy,Brookswasfrightenedfirstbybeingintroducedtooquicklytoaneighbor’sdog,andthenbyacarbackingoutofadriveway.Hebecametimidandfearful—andthenLorain’sbrother-in-law introducedhimto thegameof“chasethelaserpointer,”whichBrookstookto,butwaytoomuch.Havingbeenfrightenedbylargethingsbeyondhiscontrol,Brookshad

discoveredsomethingsmallandharmless.The light luredhim into thechase because he learned that he could take control of it and bedominant.Whenthelightwasn’tthere,hewouldactivelysearchfor it,indulgingintheobsessionatanythingsimilar,eventheglossyshineofawoodenfloor.Evenonthewalk,Brookswasatconstantalert,searchingthe ground for any sign of a light to chase. Brooks responded almostimmediately to redirection fromhisobsessionwhen Ibegancorrectinghim,andtheNicholsonswereabletoresolvetheprobleminamonthortwoofconsistentcorrection,andbyestablishingRules,Boundaries,andLimitations.

MISBEHAVIOR#7:

Hoarding

Somedogswillengageinhoardingbehavior,hidingfood,toys,ortreatsby “burying” them in furniture (such as under bedclothes or sofacushions), or hiding them in corners, closets, or other out-of-the-wayplaces.Morethanonedogownerhasgonetobedonlytofindapileofkibble under the pillow, or has swept under the bed only to discoverevery“lost”dogtoy.Allowing a dog to hoard like this can cause a dog to become

possessive or aggressive over hidden food, protecting his stash fromanyone who comes near it. It can also be messy and unsanitary,especiallyifyoufeedyourdogwetorrawfoodorgivehimunstrippedbones. You can only imagine how unpleasant it can be to have anunidentifiedsmellaroundthehouse,only to findmonths later that it’sbecause of a pile of wet food hidden in a closet. (Well, the smell isunpleasant forhumans. Insectsandrodentswouldanddoconsider itabanquet,whichisanotherreasonitisnotagoodpracticetoallow.)Finally,althoughtheinsideofahouseisnotlikeaforestwithsoftdirt

everywhere, your dog won’t necessarily perceive it that way. A sofacushion can feel like dirt to a dog, and so can a carpet. A dog seesnothingwrongwithquicklyrippingthroughupholstery.Hedoesn’tcareifit’s$3,000Italianleatherora$300specialfromIKEA.Inthemoment,he’s just indulging inanatural instinct todigandbury.Adogcandosomeseriousdamagetoacarpetaswell,butcarpetcanalsodoseriousdamagetoadog’snoseifhetriestorootitup.

HOARDING:THECAUSES

Hoarding has its roots in the behavior of wild dogs, and it is anevolutionaryholdover.Inthewild,thereisnosecuresourceoffood.Thepackhunts.Sometimesitwillfindlittletonofood;sometimesitwillhitthe jackpotandhaveanoverabundance. Itwasquitenatural, then, forthewildpacktohideextrafoodtohavearoundforthosetimeswhenthehuntwas not successful, and themost commonhidingmethodwas todigaholeandburyit.Ourmodernhouseholddogsgenerallydonothaveaproblemwithan

irregularfoodsupply.Wearetheretogivethemtheirkibbleorwetfoodonamore-or-lessconsistentdailyschedule.However,theinbreddesiretoensurethattherewillbefoodintimesofaleanhuntcandrivesomedogstostoreawayextra.Especiallybecausethereisalwaysanadequatefoodsupply,dogswiththisdrivemayevenhidesomefoodbeforetheybegintoeat,grabbingamouthfulandrunningintoanotherroom.Theydon’tdothisbecausetheydon’tlikebeingwatchedwhentheyeat.Theydoittoprotectthatimaginedsurplus.

OVERCOMINGHOARDING

Todealwithhoardingbehavior for toys,youalsomust takecontrolofthe toys.Similar topartof theprocessofdealingwithaggression,youneed togatherup toysyourdog ishoardingandput themsomewhereoutofyourdog’sreach.Allowyourdogtohaveonlyoneortwotoysatatime—shecannotplaywithmorethanoneatatimeanyway.Becauseshehasnoextratoys,shewillremainfocusedontheonesinfrontofherandresist theurgetohidethembecauseshewillhavenoextratoys ifshedoes.Thebestwaytostopthefood-hoardingproblemistotakecontroland

structure your dog’s mealtime. Always take your dog on a long walkfirst, which allows her to work for her food.When you return home,prepare the food, and thenmakeyourdog sit andwaitbeforeyou fillher bowl. When she can remain sitting quietly, projecting calm,submissiveenergy,placethebowlinfrontofher.Whenshestopseatingandwalksawayfromthebowl,mealtimeisdone.Removethebowlanddonotfeedheragainuntilyouhaverepeatedallofthesesteps.By removing the food when your dog stops eating, you are also

removingthetemptationforyourdogtocomeback laterandhidetheextra. Therewill always be just enough food, but never somuch thatthere’sanytosavefora“rainyday.”Hoarding is one of those behaviors where a dog’s most ancient

instinctscollidewiththemodernworld.Theironicresultoffeedingourdogs sowell is that it can trigger in thema faminementality becausedogs live inthemoment.Theydonotrememberthatyougavethemahugebowlof foodyesterdaynordotheyknowyouaregoing todoso

tomorrow.Rather, theyseeahugebowlof food in frontof themnow,andanopportunitytonotgohungryiftheymanagetosaveawaywhatthey don’t eat. Taking control of the rules of eating will eliminateunwanted hoarding behavior. It will also help to keep your dog frombecomingobese.That’stwobenefitsforthepriceofonesolution.

MISBEHAVIOR#8:ExcessiveBarking

It’s a simple fact of life. Dogs bark. It’s one of their forms ofcommunication, with many possible causes and meanings. It can besimplyaresponsetoasuddenstimulus,likethemailmanatthedoor,orit can be an alert asking for help. In the pack, though, dogs do notnormallycommunicatewitheachotherbybarking.Rather,whenapackstartsbarking, theentiregroup isrespondingtoanoutsidestimulusorthreat.Adog’sbarkingshouldnotbecompletelydiscouraged,ofcourse,and

it is veryuseful in theproper timeandplace. Ihaveheardmore thanonepoliceofficersaythatadogwithadeep,aggressive-soundingbarkisthebesthomesecuritysystemintheworld.Dogshaveusedtheirbarktowarn humans of other dangers, such as house fires, and some servicedogsusebarking towarn theirhandlersofmedical conditions, likeanimminentepilepticseizureorlowbloodsugar.Theseareexamplesofproper timesandplaces.However,wedonot

wantourdogtobarkconstantlyfornoapparentreason,ortocontinuebarking long after an appropriate moment has passed. Such excessivebarking can causedamage toyourdog’s vocal cords. It canalso causeproblems with the neighbors, and lead to fines or confiscation of thedog.

EXCESSIVEBarking:THECAUSES

Like I said, dogs bark for many reasons, but excessive barking has avariety of causes, including pent-up energy, frustration, separation

anxiety, or boredom. Obsessive barking is the manifestation of a dogsaying,“Myneedsarenotbeingmet”overandoverandoveragain.Youjust need to figure out which needs these are, provide the correction,andfulfillthoseneeds.

OVERCOMINGEXCESSIVEBARKING

First, look at the situation when the barking occurs. If your dog isbarking nonstop when you aren’t at home, then it may be a sign ofseparationanxiety,whichisdealtwithnextinthischapter.Thekeytoreducingoreliminatingbarkingwhenyouaren’thomeis tomakesurethat your dog is balanced through my fulfillment formula: Exercise,Discipline, then Affection, in that order. Exercise your dog with avigorouswalkbeforeyouleavethehouse,provideaplaceforthedogtogowhenyouaren’thome,andthenprovideaffectionwellafteryou’vereturnedandwhenyourdoghasreachedacalm,submissivestate.Ifthedogisbarkingwhileyouarepresent,there’salotmoreyoucan

dotodealwiththeproblem,beginningwithstayingcalmwhiletryingtoprovide correction. All too often, Iwill see a person correct a dog byloudlyyelling,“NO!”Especiallyinthecaseofbarking,thiswillgetyounowhere. Why? Because an already excited dog isn’t hearing acorrection.Rather,heishearingyoujoininginthebarkingbymakingaloudnoiseyourself.Bytryingtofixtheproblembyaddingtothenoise,youarejustencouragingthebehavior.Startbycorrectingyourdogandstoppingthebarkingwithalook,a

sound like “Tsch!,” or a touch. As long as the barking continues, thecorrections continue, but in a calm and assertive manner. You canactuallygetbetterresultswithaverylowandquiet“No”thatisclearlydirectedatthedog,becausethissoundsclosertoawarninggrowlthanaloudbark,anditdoesnotexhibitexcitedenergyonyourpart.Ifyourdogcontinuestobarkat thesamestimulusevenafteryou’ve

tried correcting her, then claim that stimulus as your own. In otherwords,useyourenergy,bodylanguage,andintenttodirectyourdog’sfocus away from it, effectively creating a barrier between her and thecause of the barking. Also, by directing your attention away from thecauseofthebarking,youaretellingyourdogthatitisofnoconcernto

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you.Thecauseof thebarkingalsoprovidesanimportantclueaboutyourdog’sstateofmind.Ifshe’soffattheendoftheyardincessantlybarkingat the neighbors, it means that she is being intellectually fulfilled bywhateverisgoingonoverthereandsheisnotbeingfulfilledathome.Sheislookingforexcitementandachallenge,andfindingitelsewhere.Once again, it is time to make sure she is getting enough exercisethrough thewalk and has enough to interest her at home so that shedoesn’tgolookingfor itelsewhere. Ifyoufindyourselfnothavinganyluck stopping theexcessivebarkingyourself,don’thesitate to call inadogprofessional.Like chewing, barking is a natural behavior for dogs, but it canbecomeaproblemwhenitisexcessiveorcomesatinappropriatetimes.Depending on the underlying cause, you should be able to correct thebehavior by providing your dogwith fulfillment through the Exercise,Discipline,Affectionformula,andyourcalm,assertiveleadership.

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Kuma

dealt with a typical case of excessive barking for Jason Zulauf, aperformer for Cirque du Soleil’s Las Vegas show KÀ. His AmericanEskimodog,Kuma,wouldbarkateverything,particularlyvisitors,andwouldnotstopwhencorrected,onlyquietingdownwhenshehadwornherself out. Jason describes his character in the show as a somewhatbuffoonish but lovable clown, an exaggerated version of himself.Unfortunately, he was bringing that character and that energy homewithhim, leavingKumato fill the leadershipgap. Ibeganby teachingJasonhowtousecalm,assertiveenergytoclaimownershipofhisspace,particularly around the front door. He had also not been exercisingKuma enough, although Iwill admit that this can be a challenge in aplacelikeVegas,withitsextremesummerclimate.JasonandKumadidshow improvement. A few months later, although she was notcompletelyrehabilitated,herbarkingbehaviorwasminimized,andmore

underJason’scontrol.

MISBEHAVIOR#9:SeparationAnxiety

In thewild, it isunnatural formembers to leave thepack, so it isnotnormal for dogs when their people leave home. Although many dogsmayshowmildsignsofanxietywhentheirpeoplewalkoutthedoor,itdoesnotescalate further,andtheyareable tooccupythemselvesuntiltheirpackreturns.Forsomedogs,though,theabsenceoftheirhumansistoomuch,andtheydevelopwhatisknownasseparationanxiety. Inseverecases,adogmayevenshowsignswhenapersonleavestheroom.

Separationanxietyismorethanjust“missingyou.”(illustrationscredits5.3)

Separation anxiety shows itself in symptoms such as excessivesalivation,whining,barking,destructiveness,escapeattempts,defecatingor urinating in the home or crate, or scratching at walls or doors. Insomeextremecases,dogshaveevenjumpedthroughwindows.It is important to treat separation anxiety as soon as you become

aware of it, because it can be a very destructive thing, both for yourhome andproperty and for your dog.A dog suffering from separationanxiety can destroy furniture, shoes, clothes, papers, computers, andmore.Thedogcandamagewalls,doors,andfloors,andbreakwindows.Hecandefinitelyinjurehimselfinhisfranticeffortstoescape.Finally,adog’sincessantwhiningorbarkingcanleadtocomplaintsbyneighborsandavisitfromanimalcontrol.Insomeareas,dogsthatmakeexcessivenoisecanbetakenawayandimpounded.

SEPARATIONANXIETY:THECAUSES

Separationanxietyhappenswhenadoghas excess energybuthasnotbeen given direction on how to behave when apart from the humanpack. Consequently,when the pack leaves, the dogwill do everythingshe can to call the pack back or to follow where it went. Separationanxiety can be made worse if, instead of providing discipline, thehumansgive thedogaffectionon thewayout thedoor.With thedogalready in an unbalanced state, affection just reinforces the negativeenergy.Ineffect,youaretellingthedog,“Remainanxious,becauseit’sagood thing.” You are not insulting your dog by not saying goodbye.Whentwodogsinteract,theyendthemeetingbysimplywalkingawayfromeachother.Thatisthenormalwayfordogs.

OVERCOMINGSEPARATIONANXIETY

Thebestthingyoucandoforyourdog’sseparationanxietyistodrainthe energy fueling it. When your dog wakes up in the morning, herenergylevelmaybeata10.Yourgoalistodrainittozerowithalongwalkorexercisebeforeyougoanywhereelsefortheday.Whenadog’senergylevelhitszero,thissignalsthatitistimetorest.Youcanprepareadogforthisbytrainingherto“gotoyourspace,”lettinghersettleinherbedorcrate,andthenwalkingaway.Thegoalisforyoutobeabletoleavetheroomwithoutthedogmovingfromthatspace.Startsmall, leavingforaminuteorso,andthenworkyourwayup. When you can get the dog to stay in the space quietly for 15minutes,startleavingthehouse,againworkingyourwayup.Startwith

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5minutes,then10,15,30.Youmayfindthatyourdogdoesnotstayinthespacewhenyouaregonefor longertimes.However, ifyouhaveassociatedthatspacewithyourabsence,thedogwillnotleavetotrytofindyou.Rather,shemayget up to investigate a noise, get a drink of water, or just to stretch,returningtothatspaceafterward.Whenitcomestoactuallyleavingthehome,saygoodbyetoyourdoglong before you go. When she is calm and submissive, and after herexercise,it’sallrighttogivealittleaffectionandtellheryou’llmissherwhile you’re gone. Of course, this ismore for your benefit than hers.Remember, dogs don’t naturally say goodbye to each other. After youhavedonewhatyou’vehadtosothatyoufeelbetter,goabouttherestof your routine, practicing the “No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact”approach.Ifyoudon’tmakeabigdealaboutgettingreadytogo,yourdogwon’teither.Innature,dogsarealmostneverawayfromtheirpack,soseparationfrom their humans can be very stressful. It is our job to reduce theenergy that fuels separationanxiety,and tocreatea safeplace forourdog to be in our absence.When using the previous tips, remember toprojectcalm,assertiveenergy.Thiswillbuildyourdog’sconfidenceandhelptofurtherminimizeheranxiety.Aboveall,makecleartoyourdogyourexpectationsofwheresheshouldbeandwhatsheshoulddowhileyouaregonebycreatingasafeplaceassociatedwithrestfulenergy.

FROMCESAR’SCASEFILES

Fella

wasoncecalledintodealwithadog’sseparationanxietybecauseitwas literally endangering the entire family’s living situation. Afterneighbors had complained multiple times about the dog’s incessantwhining, Cindy Steiner and her daughter Sydney were one complaintaway from being evicted. Their dog, a year-and-a-half-old terrier mixnamedFella,exhibitedextremeseparationanxietywheneverhewasleftalone. He was also aggressive toward other dogs, and exhibited

protective behavior whenever Cindy was holding him, growling andnipping at anyonewho approached her. Luckily, using the techniquesI’mabouttodescribe,CindyandSydneywereabletoteachFellatogointo a resting state before his human pack left the apartment, and Ishowedthemhowtouseacratetocreateasafespaceforhimtogointo.IttookthemaboutthreeandahalfweekstoturnFellaaround,buttheyarestilllivinginthesameapartment,andtheneighborscannotbelieveit’sthesamedog.

MISBEHAVIOR#10:UnwantedChewing

Chewingispracticallysynonymouswithnormaldogbehaviorand,doneintheproperwayandwithappropriateobjects,isactuallyagoodthingtoencourage.Itcanhelpstrengthenandcleanyourdog’steeth,giveanintellectualchallenge,andinthecaseofpuppies,alleviateteethingpainandeasethetransitionfrominfanttoadultteeth.However, when dogs unleash their teeth on inappropriate objects,thensuchbehaviorbecomesoneofthebiggestheadachesfordoglovers.Youmayhaveexperienced the feeling—cominghometo findpiecesofyour favorite pair of shoes scattered all over the living room; thatirreplaceable needlepoint pillow wedding present from Aunt Maggieshredded; the charger for your laptop turned into a cordless lump ofplastic.In such situations, though, disciplining the dog on the spot does nogood.Chancesare,thedoghasalreadyforgottenaboutwhathechewedup,andhewon’trelateyoursuddenscoldingtothefeathersscatteredallover thehouse. In fact, disciplineheremaymakemattersworse.Youryellingathimfornoapparentreasonmayjustmakehimnervous,andchewingmaybehiswayofcalmingdown.Ifyoumis-timethediscipline,youmaybesayinggoodbyetoanotherfavoriteshoe.Inappropriate chewing can also be very dangerous for a dog. A dogmaybreak something into small pieces and swallow them,where theycan cause problems in the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. Shemayget hold of a power cord that’s plugged in, possibly burning or

electrocuting herself or starting a fire. Beyond physical danger to thedog, therearealso the financialcostsofreplacingexpensive itemsandemotionalcostsoflosingitemsthatarenotreplaceableatall.So thechallengehere is tomakesure thatanabsolutelynaturalandhealthyactivity foradogremainstargetedat therightobjectswithoutyouhavingtostickeverythingyouowninhighplacesorbehindlockeddoorswheneveryouleavethehouse.

UNWANTEDCHEWING:THECAUSES

Most frequently, adult dogs use chewing to calm themselves and givetheirmindssomethinginterestingtodo.Itmaybeaholdoverfromtheirteethingbehavioraspuppies,duringwhichtheactionofchewingwouldhavehelped soothe the pain in their gums fromnew teeth coming in.The association with “ending an unpleasant feeling” from puppyhoodmay be enough to bring an adult dog back to a calm and submissivestate. Calm and submissive is very good; it’swhat youwant. You justshouldn’thavetogetitattheexpenseofyourstuffbeingdestroyed.

OVERCOMINGUNWANTEDCHEWING

It is easier to correct this behavior if you catch your dog with theinappropriate object in her mouth, as you can then associate thecorrection directly with the behavior. This is not to encourageentrapping your dog by leaving a sock out, however. It just explainswhattodoifyoudocatchyourdogchewingsomethingheshouldn’tbe.I’vealreadydiscussedtheimportanceofremainingcalm.Givethedoga correctionwith a light, gentle touch of your fingers on the neck orhindquarters.This ismeanttoturnyourdog’sattentionawayfromtheobject.Donottrytotakeawaytheobjectunlessyourdogdropsituponcorrection. If she doesn’t drop it, then redirect her attention with anappropriateobject, likeachewtoyora treat,whichshouldgether todroptheobjectandtaketheapprovediteminstead.Once your dog has dropped the object, claim it as yours. Use yourenergy and body language to establish a connection between you andtheobject,andmakeitcleartothedogthattheobjectisyours.Ithelps

ifyouimagineaninvisibleboundaryaroundyouandtheobject.Youcanalso pick it up and hold it close to your body while showing calm,assertive energy, physically saying quite clearly, “Mine.” If you everobservetwodogsdecidingwhichonegetsalonetoy,you’llseethatthedog thatwinsusuallydoes sousingnothingmore thanbody languageandenergy,without resorting togrowlingoraggression.Thatdogwillsimply position herself over the object and then give the other dog awarninglook.Thisisthedog’swayofsaying,“Mine.”Ifyourdogorpuppyisachewer,thenbyallmeansprovideherwithsafe,appropriatechewtoys.Consultyourveterinarianregardingedibleobjects,suchasbones,rawhide,orotherchews.Makesureotherrubberorplastictoysarebigenoughthatyourdogcannotswallowthem,andthat they are not large enough that your dog can get her face or jawstuckinside,especiallyiftheyhaveaholeinthem.Beespeciallycarefulabouttoysdesignedtohidetreatsinside.Thoughtheyaretypicallyfine,beabsolutelycertainthatthetoyhasholesinbothends—oneforyourdogtotrytogetthetreatoutof,andanothertoletairflowinsothatthere’snochanceofcreatingavacuumandtrappingyourdog’stongueinside.Theairholeshouldbeatleastthediameterofyourpinkie.Adulthumanshave32teeth,butadultdogshavetenmorethanthat.Additionally,adog’sfrontteetharepointierandsharperthanours,andtheirjaws,backwherethegrindingmolarsare,aremuchmorepowerfulthanahuman’s.Ahumanbeingmaycrackamolarbybitinganicecube.Dogscaneasilysnapabone inhalfwiththeirmolars.So,biologically,it’sobviousthatdogsarequitecapableofchewing;psychologically,dogsfindtheactioncalmingandinteresting.Youshouldnotdiscourageyourdogfromappropriatechewing,butyoushouldneverletadogcontinuethehabitofchewinginappropriateobjects.

ASolidFoundation

Alldogswillmisbehave from time to time.Butwith the techniques inthis chapter, you’ll bewell on yourway to addressing problemswhenthey comeup.Coupledwith the laws, principles, and techniques fromearlier chapters, you should have a solid foundation and methods forcreatingbalanceinyourpack—nomatterwhatcomesup.

Allofthesetoolscomeintoplayineveryaspectofyourrelationshipwith your dog. But did you know that you can use them in your lifebeforeyouevenhaveadog?Inthenextchapter,I’mgoingtoshowhowtoapplyallthesepracticesasyousearchfortheperfectdogtofityourlifestyleandenergy.

(illustrationscredits5.4)

I

CHAPTERSIX

ChoosingtheRightDogforYou

gotacalloneSaturdayafternoonfrommygoodfriend, themovieproducerBarryJosephson.IhaveknownBarryforabouttenyears.Wemetintheparkinglotofarestaurantbackin2000,waybeforeIhadaTVshowandbeforeanyoneknewwhoCesarMillanwas.Hebecameoneofmyveryfirst“celebrity”clients.I had a pack of about 12 dogs in the back ofmy old van. I hadn’t

noticedBarry,buthenoticedmeasIgaveeachdogacommandtojumpout of my parked van. Each dog waited patiently until I gave thecommand.Barrywasimpressed.IhavetrainedallofBarry’sdogssince.Two of Barry’s dogs had recently passed away, and Barry was still

hurtingfromtheloss.Barry’sthirddog,apurebredpitbullbythenameofGusto,wasalsosad.Barrywentontoexplainthathiswife,Brooke,felt that Gusto was in such pain that she needed to get another dog.BarrypleadedwithhertowaituntilIreturnedfromanoverseastripsoIcould help the family find the rightmatch. However, Brooke couldn’ttake it anymore andwent to a rescue organization to adopt a puppy.UnfortunatelyforBrooke, therescuersgaveherahigh-energydogthatwasn’t compatiblewithGusto.WhenBrookebrought thepuppyhome,he began nipping at their three-year-old daughter, Shira. Of course,Gustowouldn’t stand for thatandstepped in toprotectShira fromthepuppy. From that day on, Gusto ignored the puppy. Although the

Josephsons realized that the puppy was not a good match for theirfamily, theydecided to foster it (keeping it safelyaway fromShira,ofcourse)untiltheycouldfindhimtherighthome.This kind of story is repeated thousands of times because humansdon’tunderstandthefullprocessofhowtoselectadogthat’srightforthem. It’s not as simple as going to a shelter and picking out a dog—thereare lotsofvariables toconsider.Forexample, compatibleenergyattracts.Incompatibleenergycanbeadisaster.Combineincompatibilitywithimproperlyintroducinganewdogtoyourpack,andyouhavetheformula fora sadbutall-too-commonsituationofa rescueddogbeingreturned to the shelter. When you adopt a dog, you are making apromise tocare forhimforhis life.Youowe it to thatdog todoyourhomeworkandchooseverycarefully.AsIseeit,choosingadoghasthreekeyphases:self-assessment,dogassessment,and,ultimately,homewardbound.

PHASE1:Self-Assessment

This phase begins with an honest look at yourself and your life. Youmustconsidermanydifferentpartsofyourlifeandhowadogcanbestfitintoit.

SELF-ASSESSMENT#1:It’saFamilyAffair

When you decide to get a new dog, that decisionmust involve everymemberofyourhumanpack,becauseeachofyouwillhave tobe thePackLeader.Everyoneshouldbeinagreementaboutgettinganewdog.IfDadhaspromisedadogforthekidsbutMomobjectstothatdecision,this can cause problems down the line, particularly if the kids growbored with their responsibilities and Mom winds up being the onefeeding and walking the dog she didn’t want in the first place. Havefrank conversations with each other about a dog and what family

memberscanrealisticallybeexpectedtocontribute.Herearethekindsofquestionsyoushouldbethinkingabout:

• If youhave children, are theyold enough for the responsibility ofsharinginleadershipandcaretakerroles?Iftheyarenotoldenoughforthat,aretheyoldenoughtounderstandthatadogisnotatoyandtorespectthedog’sspace?•Dothechildrenunderstandthatthedogispartoftheentirefamilyanddoesn’t“belong”toonechildmorethantoanyother?•Will there always be someone at homewith the dog, or does theentire family take off early in the morning and return in theevening?• Is the familyused to takingregularvacations? If so,willyoualteryourmethodsof travelandaccommodations soyoucan takeyourdogwithyou?Whatwillyoudoifthedogstayshome?Doyouhaveresponsible friends, family, or a trusted kennel that can care foryourdogwhileyou’reaway?•Doesanyoneinthefamilyhaveallergiesthatwouldmakeadoptingcertain kinds of dogs impossible? (If so, you should investigatehypoallergenicbreeds,suchasthePortuguesewaterdog.)

SELF-ASSESSMENT#2:LookatYourLivingSpace

Before you begin your search, you’ve got to understand the “rules,boundaries, and limitations” of your living space.Make sure that youwill be allowed to have dogswhere you live. Check your lease if yourent or read the bylaws of your homeowners association for any petrestrictions. Lastly,make sure that you know the local laws regardingdogsinyourcommunity.Next, take a quick look around you. What is your living situation?Tiny apartment or large house and yard? A suburban or ruralneighborhoodwithgreatwalkingtrailsandlotsofnature,orabigcitywith sparse patches of grass and lots of traffic?When thinking about

yournewdog,trytoimaginewhatkindofdogwillfitinwellwithyourlivingspace.Ahigh-energydogincrampedquarterswillmostlikelybeabadmatch.Then consider the layout of your home. Do you have rooms in the

house that will be off-limits to a dog? If so, what is your plan forrestricting access? Will your dog be allowed on the furniture or not?Wherewillthedogspendmostofhertime?Comingupwithyour“houserules”beforeyoustartsearchingwillhelpyougetabettersenseofwhatkindofcompanionyou’relookingfor.

SELF-ASSESSMENT#3:ConsiderYourEnergy

Youalsoneed to consider your family’s lifestyle and energy level.Areyou a pack of couch potatoes who prefer time in front of the TV,computer, or video game right after dinner and don’t move untilbedtime?Orareyouanactivefamily,upatdawneveryweekendandoffforahike,ortothebeachorotheradventure?Youshouldneveradoptadog with a higher energy level than your own pack—unless you arewilling to change your lifestyle to accommodate that dog’s energy. Ahigh-energyDalmatianorJackRussellterrierwouldbeabadchoiceforalow-energyfamilybutwouldthrivewithearly-risinghikers.Take an honest look at the emotional state of your family. This is

probably themost important factor of all, because the energy in yourhouseholdwillgreatlyaffectyourdog’sbehavior.Onmanyofmycases,I could take one look at the dog and instantly know that there wastroubleintheprimaryrelationshipinthehousehold.You have to be honest and determine whether there are any

unresolved issues in the family dynamic, whether between spouses,betweensiblings,orbetweenparentsandchildren.Dogswilleasilypickup on unbalanced energy and, sensing trouble in the pack,will try totake a leadership role. This frequently plays out as the dog trying to“protect” the stronger human pack member from the weaker one bybecomingpossessiveand,sometimes,aggressive.

O

FROMCESAR’SLEADEROFTHEPACKCASEFILES

Rosie,theStressed-OutStaffie

nemonthbeforewebeganfilmingtheshowCesarMillan’sLeaderof the Pack, Executive Producer Gregory Vanger and my trainingassistant, Cheri Lucas, flew to London to begin dog selection for theshow.TheirfirststopwasAnimalHelplineinPeterborough,England.Asatmanyshelters,thevolunteerstafftheredoesn’tpossesstheknowledgetoresolvemanyofthebehavioralissuestheyhavetocontendwith.Duringatourofthefacility,CherimetRosie,agorgeousStaffordshireterrier.Relinquishedtoahigh-killshelterbyherfirstfamily,Rosiewasscheduledtobeputdownwithinafewdays,butAnimalHelplinepulledherfromthepoundandtookherin.However,thestressonRosiewasbeginningtotakeitstoll.Rosiehaddeveloped a noncontagious form of mange from the stress. She wasplacedagainintoalovinghome,buthernewhumandevelopedasevereallergy to her and ended up in the hospital for anaphylactic shock.Reluctantly,RosiewasreturnedtoAnimalHelpline…again.So,thankstoCheri,RosiebecamepartoftheLeaderofthePackcrew!Afewweekslater,RosiewasonaplanetoourDogPsychologyCenterinSpain,withnoideaoftheadventurethatawaitedher.Onceshearrived,we started the serious effort of tackling Rosie’s mange. Rosie’sbehavioral issues were mild, but she had become very skilled atmanipulatinghumans.Before,shehadnorulesandnoboundaries,andifshedidn’twanttowalk,well,shewasgoingnowhere.My staff and Iwereable to rehabilitateRosieveryquickly. It didn’ttakeanytimeatall forustoturnheraround—all ittookwasastrongleader. But now, we needed to match Rosie with a new family. Thequestionwas:Whofitthatprofile?SeveralcandidateswerecompetingtoadoptRosie,includingacancersurvivornamedDebbieandafamilywithtwochildren.Debbiewasonajourneytoturnherlifearound—notonlyhadshebattledcancerbutshehadalso faceddownobesity and severedepression.Debbiedecided toappearonLeaderof thePack tofindadogtobepartofherbrand-newlife.Theproductionteamfavoredthefamilywithtwoadorablechildren,

astheywantedRosietohavetheloving,stablefamilyshedeserved.However, I decided that Rosie would be a better fit for Debbie. I

believed thatDebbie andRosiewere of a singularmind—bothneededrehabilitation, and theywould be just enough of a challenge for eachotherthattheirloveandappreciationwouldgrowthroughtheprocessofhealing.IamhappytoreportthatasIwritethis,RosieandDebbiearedoingverywelltogether.DebbieiscommittedtotheprocessofhelpingRosie become the perfect canine companion, and Rosie seems to begivingnewpurposetoDebbie.

SELF-ASSESSMENT#4:What’sinYourWallet?

It is supposed tobe impolite to talkaboutmoney,butyoudohave toseriously considerwhether the family can afford a dog. Taking propercare of a pet costsmoney. In addition to the initial costs of adoption,microchipping,licensing,accessories,andspayingorneutering,youwillhavemonthlyexpensesforfoodandannualexpensesforveterinarycare.These canvaryby typeand sizeofdog, andbyyour location,but theAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)estimatestheaveragemonthlyexpensefordognecessitiesatabout$70.Thisfiguredoesn’tincludeveterinaryexpensesorpetinsurance.Ifyou

don’t have pet insurance, then you should at least have a savingsaccount set asidewith a few thousanddollars in disposable income incaseofasuddenemergency.Likepeople,petsdogethurtandtheydogetsick.Havingthatsafetynetcantakesomeworryoutoftheequationwhileyourdogisrecovering.

PHASE2:DogAssessment

Once you have made an honest assessment of your family lifestyle,energylevel,anddynamics,thenitistimetostartconsideringwhatkindofdogyoushouldbringintoyourpack.

DOGASSESSMENT#1:AgeIsMoreThanJustaNumber

Puppies are cute and adorable and hard to find at shelters becausethey’refirsttobeadopted,buttherealityisthatpuppiesalsorequireamuch bigger investment of time, energy, and money to bring into ahousehold.Many behavioral issues that later require professional helphave their roots in how a puppy is raised. Unless you or a familymemberisabletobearoundallthetimeforacoupleofmonthstoovera year, and is able to spend that time in consistent training, then apuppyisnottheidealchoice.Dogs reach adulthoodbetween a year and18months of age, and if

they’vebeenproperly raised to thatpoint, theyare less likely tocomewithissues.Attheveryleast,youshouldbeabletospotpotentialissuesinameetandgreetat the shelteror rescuegroupanddecidewhetheryou’rewillingtodealwithfixingthem.Adultdogsarealsomuchmorelikelytobehousebroken,anddependingupontemperamentandbreed,their energy levels are generally lower than those of puppies. If youdon’thaveasmuchtimetodedicatetoadog,thenanadultundersevenyearsofageisagoodchoice.Don’t count out senior dogs, though. Generally the last ones to be

adopted from a shelter, they will still be with you for years, and arefrequently more balanced and lower energy than their youngercounterparts.Ifyouhavelimitedspaceandnotasmuchtimetodedicateto training and walking a dog, then a mellow old senior may be theperfectmatch foryourhousehold.The trade-off is thatyou’re likely tofacehigherveterinaryexpenses—butanolderdogis idealforsomeonewith no children in the house, like a single person ormarried couplewhosekidshaveallmovedout.Don’tforgettotakeyourownageandenergylevelintoaccountwhen

consideringadogtoadopt.Ahigh-energypuppymightbetoomuchfora senior citizen to handle,whereas an older dogmight not be able tokeepupwithanenergetic20-something.Again,youshouldonlyadoptadog with the same or lower energy level than your human pack.Considering all the options when it comes to age will maximize yourchancesoffindingtherightdog.

DOGASSESSMENT#2:KnowYourBreeds

I’ve explained that dogs should be seen as animal, species, breed, andthen name, in that order, but breed can move higher in importancewhenadoptingandmaking lifestylematchingdecisions.Thepurer thebreed,themorelikelyadogwillstronglyexhibittraitsparticulartothatbreed,andthereforehavespecificneeds.InChapter3, I discussed the seven groups of dogs: sporting, hound,working,herding, terrier, toy,andnonsporting.To fulfilldogs inallofthesegroups,itmaybenecessarytogivethemajobappropriatetotheirbreedinstincts.Sportingdogsmayrequirealotoftimeplayingfetch,forexample,whereasworkingdogsmaybehappiestwearingabackpackonthe walk. Terriers frequently need stimulating mental challenges andlovetoworkforrewards,sotheymayneedtoysthatallowthemto“findthetreat.”Houndscanbetirelessrunners,sotheymakeagreatmatchifyoulovetojog,skate,orrideabicycle.When considering a new dog, it helps to do your homework,particularlyifyoufindyourselfdrawntoaparticularbreed.You’llfindmanypublished sourcesondogbreeds, both inbook formandonline,and American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standards regardingtemperamentareanexcellentguideonwhattoexpect.Unfortunately, we live in a world with breed-specific laws; manyapartment buildings and homeowners associations will not allowparticular breeds, so you need to do your research in this area, too.Althoughaggressionisatraitofananimalwithunbalancedenergy,itissadly also often attributed to a handful of breeds, regardless of aparticular dog’s behavior or temperament. Sometimes it doesn’t evenmatterwhetherdogsarepurebredmembersofaparticularbreed;iftheylook like an aggressive breed, they are considered aggressive, period.Lennox was a mixed-breed dog in the United Kingdom that vaguelyresembledapitbullandhadnoreportsofaggressivebehavior.Hisbreedstatus alone was enough for the Belfast City Council to seize and,ultimately,destroyhimin2012,despiteinternationalprotests.Again,doyourhomeworkfirsttobeinformedaboutanydogsthatmayrunafouloftheseperceptionsandlaws.

Finally,considerpossiblemedicalissuesthatcertainbreedsareproneto—for example, hip dysplasia in German shepherds, or thyroidproblems in Pomeranians. Again, the purer the breed, themore likelythey are tohaveproblems typical of that breed.Research thepossibleexpensesof treatment inaworst-case scenario, and thenadd that intothelikelyfinancialcostsofadoptingadog.If you take the time to learn about breeds—their needs, issues, andenergy levels—then you’ll have a much better idea of what you’relookingforonyoursearch,andadoptresponsibly.

DOGASSESSMENT#3:SelecttheRightEnergy

I’vementionedseveraltimesinthisandotherchaptersthatyoushouldadoptadogwiththerightenergyforyourhousehold,buthowdoyoudeterminewhatadog’snaturalenergylevelis?Visitingashelter,wherethedogsarekept incages,canbemisleading,becauseadoginsuchasituationcanbuildupfrustrated,edgyenergythatisnotreflectiveofhisnormalstate.Take advantage of the volunteers and staff at the shelter, and askquestionsaboutdogsyou’reinterestedin.Chancesare,theyhavespentagoodamountoftimewithallofthedogsandhaveabetterideaoftheirgeneral temperament and behavior. Shelter workers don’t get acommissionforadoptingoutdogsandtheyknowthatbadmatcheswillprobablywinduprightbackintheshelter,soit’stotheirbenefittobehonestandinformative.Questions to ask include the following:Howdoes thedog get alongwith staff members and other dogs? How does the dog behave atmealtimeandonthewalk?Howdoesthedogreacttovisitorscomingupto the cage?Does she seem tohave any issueswithparticular people,suchaschildrenormen?When you think you’ve found a possibility, then your entire familyshouldvisit the shelter for the aforementioned “meet andgreet.”Mostshelters are happy to have you do this, and have a designated areawhere everyone can gatherwith the dog off leash. Observing the dog

outsideofthekennelandwithsomedegreeoffreedomcanalsotellyoualot.Isthedogeasilydistractedbyeverything?Doesheinvestigateeachnewpersonorseemtofixateononlyone?Doesheimmediatelybegintomark all around the meeting area? Is he outgoing or timid? Is heconstantly inmotion, or does he settle down quickly and demonstratecalm,submissiveenergy?Finally, if the shelter or rescue allows it, the best way to gauge

whetheradog’senergyandpersonalitywillbeagoodfitistotakeheronawalk; thinkof thisasa“testdrive.”Thiswillgiveyouanideaofwhetherthedoghasissueswithpullingortryingtoleadyou.Ifyoucantakeasufficientlylongwalktodrainthedog’senergy,youwillalsogetanideaofherrealtemperamentoutsideofthekennel.Mostimportant,youshouldremainasobjectiveaspossibleduringthis

process.Youwillhaveplentyoftimetofall inlovewiththedoglater,butthatwillbealoteasierifyoufindtherightdoginthefirstplace.Itcanbeeasytofallforthefirstdogthatcatchesyoureyeandthenadoptoutofguiltbecauseyoudon’twanttoleaveherintheshelter,butthiscanleadtobadchoices.Youreallydon’twanttobringhomethathigh-energySaintBernardpuppyifyouliveinastudioapartmentandwork12-hourdays.A dog is not a toy or a piece of furniture. A dog is a lifetime

commitment. It is far better to turndown theoptions thatwill not begoodfitsandfindthedogwiththerighttemperamentandenergylevelforyou than toadopt thewrongdogand laterhave tomake theharddecisiontogiveheruporbringherback.Withtherightquestionsandobservations—andpatience—youcanmaximizeyourchancesoffindingthatperfectmatch.

FROMCESAR’SLEADEROFTHEPACKCASEFILES

Sofia,theFearfulItalianDog

ofiawasoneof themostheart-wrenchingcasesweeverdealtwithonLeaderofthePack.CheriLucasflewintoRomewithamere24hourstofind the perfect canine candidate for the show. An Italian producer

SwhomwehadhiredtoshootfootageoftheItaliandogsfortheshowmet

herthere,andtheydroveanhouroutsideofRometoashelterinthe Italian countryside that housed over 400 dogs. Of these 400

dogs,nearlyhalfwereseniordogs.Anotherquarterofthedogswerepitbullsorpitmixes—highlyundesirabledogsinItaly.Theresthadsevereissues:eitherdogorhumanaggression,fear,orantisocialbehavior.AndthentherewasSofia…Sofiawasnotonthe“shortlist”—alistofdogscompiledfortheshow

prior to visiting Italy.We already had a “fear case,” sowewere on aquesttofindadifferentkindofissuethatwouldaddmoreinteresttotheshow.As Cheri tells the story, “When I walked by Sofia’s run, she was

surrounded by other runs full of dogs that were barking incessantly,throwing themselves at the fence, or spinning in their runs. She wasterrified.Sofiahadthebiggest,mostsoulfuleyesIhadeverseen.Iwassmitten.OnelookatSofiaandallyouwantedtodowashelpher.“OneoftheshelterstaffallowedmetoenterSofia’srun.Iattempted

togetaleashonSofia,butshewasinacompletepanicbymypresence.I knewwhat todo—noeye contact, noattempt to touchher, nobabytalking, but it didn’t matter. Sofia’s level of terror was so intense, Ithoughtatonepointthatshewouldcollapse.”Sofia’sbackstorywasvery sad.Herownerhadbeen incarceratedon

unknown charges. Authorities then found over a dozen dogs in hisbackyard.All of themwere adults, and each seemed to be part of thesamelitter.Allofthesedogshadbeenequallyneglected—eachofthemwasterrified.TherestofSofia’ssiblingsremainedattheshelter.Cheri finallygota leashonSofiaandbegantheprocessofremoving

herfromtherun.“Shewascompletelyshutdown,buteventuallyIgotherout.Atthispoint,shecollapsed.TheonlywayIcouldreturnhertoher runwas to carry her. Sixty-five pounds of deadweight is a lot tocarry,buteventuallyIgotherbackinherrun.”Fortunately, the showagreed to takeonSofia.OnceSofiaarrived in

Spain, she began to change almost overnight. The serene, peacefulatmosphere at Centro Canino in Madrid began to work its magic onSofia.Withina fewdays,we filmedmy first attempts at rehabilitatingSofia.Ifoundthatbringingthebalancedpackofoveradozendogsintothe

mixwithSofiawaspartoftheanswertoherrecovery.AllthatSofiahadeverknownwasotherdogs, so itwasonly logical touse themtohelpSofiamoveforward.Out of the three couples that applied for Sofia, I was particularly

interested in one young couple, Danilo and Sara, from Bologna, Italy.Danilowasa“catperson”andhadneverreallyhadadogbefore.Iwasfascinatedby the fact that thismanwas so in lovewith cats, his ownveryspoiledcat,inparticular.Danilowasconcernedthatadoptingadogwouldupset thecat. I found thiskindofamusing,butalso recognizedthe seriousness of bringing a dog into a home with a rather spoiledfeline.In thisparticularcase, theother twocandidateswereclearlynotcut

out foracase thatwasgoing torequire lotsofcommitment.Theyhadveryactiveandbusy lives,andtheywere lookingforadogtoprovidecompanionship. Sofia’s fearwas going to improveonly if her adoptivefamilywaswillingtoputtimeandeffortintoherrehabilitation.Needlesstosay,SaraandDaniloaredoinggreatwithSofia.However,

after visiting a veterinarian upon arrival to her new home, it wasdiscovered that Sofia has a rare condition called pulmonaryhypertension.Theconditionisimpossibletodetectwithoutanextensiveveterinaryexam,butourproductionteamisstandingbehindSofia’scareandofferingassistancetotheyoungcouplewhoadoptedher.

PHASE3:HomewardBound!

Soyou’vegone throughall thepre-adoption steps, visited the shelters,and found the perfect match. Congratulations on the new member ofyourpack!Hereare threeothervery important thingsyouneed todonext.

HOMEWARDBOUND#1:SpayorNeuterYourDog

Nowwe’re going to talk about the bird dogs and the beagles, so youmightwanttosendtheyoungonesoutoftheroom…Inmanyplaces,alldogsadoptedfromcityorcountysheltersmustbe

spayed or neutered before they will be released, and this is usuallyincluded in the adoption fees. There are exceptions for registered andlicensedbreeders,butthelicensefeesforintactdogsarealsogenerallyalothigher.InthecityofLosAngeles,forexample,theannuallicensefeeforaspayedorneutereddogisonly$20,butthefeeforadogthatisnotfixedis$100,plusa$235permitfee,andmicrochippingismandatory.Unlessyouareaprofessionalandresponsiblebreeder,thereisnogood

argumentfornothavingyourdogfixed.Unlikehumans,whomaymateatanytime,maledogsonlyfeeltheurgestronglywhentherearefemaledogs in heat nearby, and females go into heat only twice a year—typically between January andMarch, and again between August andOctober.Otherwise, your dogs reallywon’t knowor carewhat they’remissing. Despite the existence of products like Neuticles, which aremeant to replace a male dog’s missing parts, Rover really won’t sitaround feeling sorry forwhat’s gone, and such cosmetic “un-fixes” arereallymoreforthehuman’sbenefitthanthedog’s.Havingyourdogfixedcanalsobehealthier for themdownthe line,

particularly for female dogs. Early sterilization can prevent mammarytumors and urinary tract infections. For both male and female dogs,eliminating hormone signals can lead to amore even and predictabletemperament. It will also prevent them from trying to escape duringmating season and then presenting you with an unwanted andunexpectedlitterofpuppies.Financially, sterilization is a small investment with a bigger payoff

down the line, and many shelters and clinics offer low-cost or freesterilization programs. Again, many shelters include the procedure aspartoftheadoptionfees.The most important reason to spay or neuter, though, is pet

overpopulation. Four to five million unwanted dogs and cats aredestroyed every year due to overpopulation in the United States.Worldwide,therearesixhundredmillionstraydogs.Sterilizationisthesinglemost effectiveway to deal with this problem. I saw the resultsfirsthandwhilevisitingGermanyduringproductionofLeaderofthePack.Inthatcountry,peoplewithdogs—exceptforbreeders—arerequiredto

have their pets sterilized; because of this, Germany does not have thestray dog problem that theUnited States has. In fact, the country hasreducedtheproblemsomuchthatitisnowtakinginshelterdogsfromothercountries.

(illustrationscredits6.1)

When it comes to being a responsible dog owner, youmust providemany things—food, shelter,guidance, training,and leadership.But thekindestthingyoucando,foryourdogandforyourself,istoguaranteethatyouwillnotcreateagenerationofunwantedpups.Thedecisiononwhethertospayorneutershouldbeano-brainer.It’sasimple,safe,andinexpensiveprocedurethatwillpreventmanyproblemsthroughoutyourdog’slifetime.

HOMEWARDBOUND#2:MicrochippingIsaMust

Onceuponatime,theonlyavailableIDsystemsfordogsweretagsontheircollarsortattooing,whichwasneveraspopularorcommon.Bothmethodshavedrawbacks.Runawaydogscaneasilylosetheircollarsortags,orthievescanremovetheseIDs.Likewise,tattooscanberemovedoraltered.In the 1990s, this changed with the advent of the RFID (radio

frequencyidentification)chip,atiny,implantabledevicethatcanlastupto25years.Thechipisencodedwithauniquenumberthatwillidentifyyourdogandhelpreuniteherwithyou incaseshe is lost.Whenyourdogismicrochippedandregistered,itisveryeasytoestablishownershipifsomeonefindsorstealsherandtriestoclaimthedogforthemselves.

Likespayingandneutering,microchippingwillultimatelyhelpreducethestraydogproblem.Althoughsomepeoplearedisturbedbytheideaof implantable identification, the benefits really do outweigh thedrawbacks.Afterall,wedon’t complain that carshave tohave licenseplates,andyourdogisalotmorevaluabletoyouthanyourcar,right?Thechipsthemselvesareharmless,passivedevices.Unlikecellphonesorotherelectronics,RFIDchipsdonottransmitanythingontheirown.Theyneveremitanykindofharmfulradiation.Theybecomeactiveonlyinthepresenceofascanner,whichsendsoutasignaltowhichthechiprespondswiththenumberencoded in it.Thisprocess takesonlya fewseconds.As the chips become more common and technology in generalimproves, we are beginning to see some interesting alternate uses forthis form of ID. For example, one company now manufactures a dogdoor that uses its own scanner to read the RFID chip. If it recognizesyourdog,thenthedoorunlocks;otherwise,itdoesnot.Now,insteadofaninvitingflapprovidingentryfortheneighbors’dogs,rovingraccoons,or opportunistic burglars, you can in effect give your dog his ownpersonalkey.There is another, very humane reason to seriously considermicrochipping—adogwithsuchanIDcannotbeabandoned.Inthepast,peoplewhowantedtodumpadogwouldonlyhavetoremovehiscollarandtags,drivehimtoaremotearea,andlethimoutofthecar.Adogwith a microchip, though, will lead authorities right back to theregistered owner. RFID also provides a way to track down peopleresponsiblefortrainingdogsforfightingortobehuman-aggressive.Likeagunwithaserialnumber,anownerofadogrecoveredfromafightingringor captured in connectionwith a crime canbe trackeddownandheldresponsible.The process ofmicrochipping is quick, as painless as a vaccination,andcheap; like spayingandneutering, it isbecomingmore commonlyincluded in thecostofadoption.Lookat it thisway: Ifyouhaveyourdogmicrochipped,youwillnever regretdoing it,but ifyoudon’tandyourdoggetslost,youwillforeverregretthatyoudidn’t.

HOMEWARDBOUND#3:

MeetingYourHumanPack

You’velocatedtheperfectdogwiththerightenergyforyourfamilyandlifestyle. You’ve researched the breed, decided you can handle anyspecialneeds,andhaveeveryoneinthehouseholdreadytotakeontherole of Pack Leader. You go through the adoption process, includingmicrochippingandspayingorneutering,andtodayisthebigday—timetobringhomeyournewdog.This is thepoint in theprocesswhenmanypeoplemake thebiggestmistake,frequentlyoutofexcitementoverhavinganewfamilymember.They drive home, bring the dog out of the car and to the front door,throwthedooropen,takeofftheleash,andletthedogloosetoexplorehernewhome…andthepoordoghasnoideawhat’sgoingonorwhereshe is. It may look like she’s excitedly investigating as she runs fromroomtoroom,sniffingeverywhere,butsheisn’t.You’vejustthrownherintoacompletelyalienenvironmentwithnodirection,andtheseearlyassociations are going to stick. The place is unfamiliar, it smellsdifferent, and there doesn’t seem to be any way out. If you havepreviouslyhadpetsinthehouse,itwillsmelllikethem,andyournewdogwillbeuncertainaboutinvadingsomeoneelse’sterritory.Solet’sbackupfromthefrontdoorandbacktothecar,andbacktothe shelter. Before you even bring the dog to the car, take her on anenergeticwalk.Thiswillhelpuseupthepent-upenergyfrombeingintheshelter.Onceyouare in thecar, stopa fewblocks fromhomeandtakeyourdogonanotherwalk,thistimetoyourdoorstep.Thisallowshertogetusedtothesmellsandsightsofthenewneighborhoodandtobegintofeelconfidentaboutbeingthere.Shewillalsogettoknowyouandyourenergy,andyouwillbegintoestablishtrust.Finally,whenyouarrivehome, it’snot time to letyournewdoggoboundinginsideyet.Leadhertowhicheverdooryouenterthrough,andthen make her sit, waiting until she shows calm, submissive energy.Whenyouopenthedoor,youandthefamilymustenterfirst.Onlythen,invite your newdog in, but keep her on the lead for now—andmakesurethateveryonepractices“NoTouch,NoTalk,NoEyeContact”(seeChapter2).Theideaisthatyouslowlyintroduceyournewdogtohernewplace,

oneroomatatime,andyoushouldbeginwiththeroomwhereshewillfindherfoodandwater,makingherwaituntilyouhavegonethroughthe door and invited her in. Have her sitwhile you get her food andwaterready.Aftershehaseaten,sheshouldbeevenmorerelaxed.Nowyoucangiveherthetouroftherestofthehouse,avoidingroomsyoudonotwanthertoenter.Aswiththatfirstroom,makeherwaitatthethresholdtoeveryroomuntilyouinviteherin.Keepingheronthelead,lethersniffandexploreeachnewplacebeforeleadinghertothenext.Whatyouaredoingwiththisprocess is telling thedog,“This ismyterritory. Iown it,but Iamallowingyouin.”Itwillhelpbuildyourdog’srespectforwhatisyoursfromthebeginning.Onceyouhavecompletedthetour,itwillbetimeforyournewdogtomeet each of the humanmembers of the pack, one at a time. Let hersmellthemfirst,anddon’tallowanyonetoshowaffectionuntilthenewdog comes to them. Pack Leaders do not go to their followers; theirfollowerscometothem.

HOMEWARDBOUND#4:IntroductionstoYourCaninePack

Ifyoualreadyhaveadogathome,youneedtomanagetheintroductionof the newdog to your current pet.Don’t just throw the twoof themtogether.Althoughthekidsmaybeexcitedtohaveanewpuppyinthehouse, your existing dog may not be so thrilled. In fact, such anintroduction can make your older dog defensive and your newer doginsecure,leadingtoproblems.Lookatitfromyourolderdog’spointofview: She’s just hanging out in her place, minding her own business,whensuddenlythisstrangedogcomesrunninginandthehumansseemveryexcited,sotheremustbesomethingterriblehappening.That’stheformulaforfailurerightthere.Introducinganewdogtoanexistingpackwilltaketheassistanceofafriendorfamilymember,buttheresultsareworthit.Simplyput,eachofyoushouldarrangetomeetinneutralterritorywhilewalkingoneofthedogs—youwithyourcurrentdog,andtheotherpersonwiththenew

W

one. You should encounter each other casually and begin walkingtogether with the dogs on the outside. Theymay ormay not becomecuriousabouteachotherrightaway,butit’simportanttokeepmovingforward for a while, and walk until both dogs have had their energylevelslowered.At this point, you can bring both dogs back to their home, humansenteringfirstandthenbothdogsinvitedin.Therestoftheintroductionprocess is the same,except thatyoucannowallowyourolderdogoffleash,unlessshetriestoinstigateplaywiththenewdog,inwhichcaseboth should remain leashed. Although trying to play would be anexcellentsignthatthey’regoingtogetalong,savetheplayasarewardfor after the newdog has done thework of following your leadershipandlearningthenewspace.By following these procedures when bringing a new dog into yourpack,youwillstartoffontherightpawtogetherbydemonstratingpackleadership and setting Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations from thebeginning.Youwillhaveplentyoftimeforaffectionandfunandgameslater—alifetime’sworth,infact.Buteverythingyoudoonthatfirstdaywillaffecteverythingthathappensfromthereonout.Itiswortheveryounceofefforttodoitright.

FROMCESAR’SLEADEROFTHEPACKCASEFILES

Janna,theBelgianMalinois

e traveled to theNetherlands on our search for dogs for thenew show. While visiting a shelter outside of Amsterdam, we cameacross a gorgeous, four-year-old female Belgian Malinois, a herdingbreedthatresemblesGermanshepherds.Jannahadbeenpickedupasastray.Shehadbeenmicrochipped,sothesheltercalledtheowners,butthey refused to come pick her up, stating that they no longerwantedher. Shewas subsequentlyplaced inahomewithanelderlymanwhopassedawaythreeyears later.Onceagain,JannafoundherselfbackattheshelterDierenopvangcentrumEnschede.(Yes,thespellingiscorrect!Dierenopvangcentrum is Dutch for “animal shelter.”) Only this time,

Jannahadchanged.Jannahadbecomehighlystressedat theshelternow.Shedeveloped

an obsessive behavior of biting her entire hindquarters, hip, and tail,becoming very vocalwhen starting this behavior. Shewould continuefor several minutes and would not stop until exhausted. This self-mutilating behavior left her covered in her own saliva. We knew wecould help Janna overcome her obsession andmatch herwith a goodhome,soshewasselectedtobeonCesarMillan’sLeaderofthePack.WhenJannaarrivedinSpain,herbehaviorbegantoescalate.Whilein

Cheri Lucas’s home for anovernight stay, Jannaopened cabinet doorsand“nested”inside.Shedugholesinthebackyardandcurledupinsideof them. This behavior made us concerned that Janna might bepregnant,becausemostsheltersintheNetherlandsdon’tpracticeregularspayingorneutering.AtriptothevetdeterminedthatJannawasn’tpregnantbutsuffering

fromaveryintensecaseoffalsepregnancy,duetohavinggonethroughseveral heat cycles over the previous four yearswithout having had alitter. The vet determined that the nesting behavior was Janna’sdeterminationtofindaplacetohaveherimaginarypuppies.Itwasanodd syndrome but,more than that, an almost intolerable condition tohavetolivewith.WestartedJannaonholisticmedicationsandgotherinvolved in agility exercises to work off her excess energy. Belgiansbelong toaveryhigh-energybreed thatabsolutelymustbechallengedonadailybasis.OutofthethreecandidatefamiliesthatappliedforJanna,Iwasvery

drawn to one family in particular. This couple from Belgium had oneadorable, precocious son. Sven, the father, was disabled due to anindustrialaccidentandwasunabletowork.Hewalkedwithacaneandhad chronic pain that left him severely depressed. The young child’sunrelentingsupportofhisfathertouchedme.Icouldseethatthisfamilygenuinelysupportedoneanother.AlthoughJanna’scasewasverychallengingduetothelengthoftime

shewould need for rehabilitation, I felt that this familywas the rightchoiceforher.IwasconvincedthatSvenwouldrallytohelpJannafullyrecover,justashewastryingtorecoverhimselffromchronicpain.Theywould be a team.Many tears were shed during the selection process.Eventhecandidateswhowereeliminatedweretouchedbythisfamily’s

strugglesandwerethrilledthatSvenandhisfamilyhadbeenselectedtoadoptJanna.

C

CHAPTERSEVEN

LifeChanges,YourDog,andYou

hangeisaninevitablepartofanyone’slife.Anewhome,anewbaby, a new partner—these are just a few of the events peopleexperience. During times of change and uncertainty, it’s important tokeeplookingaheadasyoumoveforward.Remembertokeepyourdoginyourplans—transitionsaffectdogstoo.Butithasbeenmyexperiencethatdogstendtohandlewhateverlifethrowsatthemalotbetterthanhumansdo.Dogs are one of themost adaptable creaturesGod ever created, but

humans,however,areanotherstory.Weholdontothingslikeemotionsandmemories.These“things”makeusstucksothatweeitherliveinthepastorwe’re fearfuloranxiousabout the future,andthepresent…isignored.People often wonder how I get such quick results with the dogs I

rehabilitate. The simple answer iswhatwe talked about inChapter 3:Dogsliveinthemoment.Theylackanxietyorfearofthefuture.That’stheessenceoftheirsurrenderstate.Ifwehumanscanlearntoappreciateand focusonwhat’shappening in thehereandnow,evenwhenwe’renotsurewhatthefuturewillbring,we’llexperiencearichnessoflivingthatothermembersoftheanimalkingdomenjoy.YoumaybewonderingwhyIamtalkingabouthumansinachapter

dedicatedtohelpingyourdogthroughlife’stransitionsandchanges.It’sbecausehumans areoneof themain reasonswhydogshavedifficulty

adjustingtochange.Whenbigchangesoccurinourlives,weprojectouremotions, our sorrows, or our excitement onto our dog. The dog, inessence,becomesourmirror.That’swhywhenIamworkingwithanewclientforthefirsttime,Isaythatthehumantellsmethe“story”withallthe emotions, drama, and judgments while the dog tells me the truthaboutwhat’sreallygoingon.WhenIapproachadogwithaproblemfortheveryfirsttime,Iusuallyseethefollowingpattern:

Humans=story+emotions+energy+judgment+past/future

Dog=truth+mirrorofhumanenergy+nonjudgment+present

Divorce, death, birth, and new relationships are just some of life’stransitions.Theyaffecthumans,andinturn,thehumansaffectthedogs.Dogs do not know what your situation is; they just know that yourenergyhaschanged.Althoughhundreds, ifnot thousands,of self-helpbooksexist tohelppeople through these transitions, few books have beenwritten to helpdog owners transition their dogs through these life-changing events.Withalittleadvanceplanningandconsideration,youcaneaseyourdog,andyourself,throughanytransition.Here are some commonsense tips to help you maintain a healthy,balancedstateofmindwhiletheworldchangesaroundyou.

TRANSITION:LeavingtheHouse

Leaving the house might not seem like a big transition to you. It’sprobablysomethingyoudoeveryday.Butfordogs,whoareverysocialanimals,beingleftalonecanbeunsettling.Itisunusualfordogstoleavethe pack in nature. Being left alone in the house can even cause

separationanxietyinsomedogs(seeChapter5).Whatfeelslikeasmalltransitiontohumanscanfeellikeabigtransitiontodogs.Tomaintainbalance,you’vegottohelpyourdogunderstandthatthispart of your daily routine is a normal thing and is nothing to worryabout:

1 Rehearse your hellos and goodbyes. Practice going out and comingintothehousemanytimesbeforeyouactuallyleavethedogaloneforextendedperiodsoftime.Whenleavingyourhomeforworkorschool,don’tmakeabigdealof it. Ifyourdog sees thatyou’re relaxedandconfident,hewillmorelikelyfeelthatwaytoo.

2Keepyourdog’senergycalm.Makesurethedogiscalmandrelaxedbeforeyouleaveorenterthehome.Takeyourdogforalongwalkorplayavigorousgameoffetchinthebackyardbeforeyouleaveinthemorning. The exercise will help calm your dog down and help himstayrelaxedwhenyouleave.

3Alittlecompanyhelps.Ifyoumustleaveyourdogforlongstretchesoftime while you work, your dog will benefit from some companyduringtheday.Ifyou’reabletocomehomeforlunch,usethattimetoexercise together. If your schedule doesn’t allow that, then hire aprofessionaldogwalkertoletyourdoghavesomeexerciseandhumancontact.Theactivitywillkeepyourdogcalm,andthecompanionshipwillkeepherhappy.

4 Boredom is the enemy.While you’re gone,make sure your dog hasplentytokeephimentertained.Aboreddogcanbecomeanxiousanddestructive,sokeephisfavoritetoyswherehecaneasilyfindtheminyourabsence.Ifhe’sabletoplay,he’ll feel lessanxiouswhileyou’regone.

TRANSITION:YourNewRelationship

About one year aftermydivorce, Imet a beautifulDominicanwoman

named Jahira Dar. She was working as a celebrity stylist at Dolce &Gabbana clothing store, where I buy some of my clothes for the TVshow. I was taking the elevator up to the men’s department when itstoppedonthewomen’sfloor.Theelevatordoorsopenedup,andIsawher.Soeventhoughtheelevatorstoppedinthewomen’sdepartment,IsteppedoutandintroducedmyselftoJahira.Afterabriefconversation,Iasked her to dinner. A few days later, I began sending her photos ofJuniorandCoco,ourfamily’sChihuahua.After several months of dating, I decided it was time to introduce

Jahira to the pack. It takes a very specialwoman to remain calm andassertive when she meets my pack. I introduced her to Junior first.Jahira recalls themeeting: “Iwas a little nervousbecause I thought ifJuniordoesn’tlikeme,thenmyrelationshipwithCesarwouldcometoaquick end. But Junior came up to me very deliberately, and he waswagginghistail.Thenhesniffedmeandlaydownnexttomyfeet.OnceJunior accepted me, the rest of the pack followed his lead. I wasrelieved.”

Afterasmoothintroduction,JahiraandJunioraremembersofthesamepack.(illustrationscredits7.1)

The start of a new romantic relationship is an exciting time for any

person.Tomakesurethatyourdogacceptsanewpartner,you’vegottohave a plan. Here are some simple rules to follow when it’s time tointroduceanewfriendtoyourpack:

1Go slow.Don’thideyournew relationship fromyourdog,butdon’tforce your dog into a new relationship either. From the beginning,practice “No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact” until the dog gainsfamiliaritywithyournewrelationshipandexhibitsacalm,submissivestatearoundyournewpartner.

2Worktogether.Aftercompatibilityhasbeenestablished,begintosharedutieslikefeedingandtakingthedogforwalks.Startbydoingthesethingstogetherandgraduallytransitionsomeoftheseresponsibilitiesovertothenewmember.Becarefulnottomakeyournewpartnerthe“outsider” in the household. Establish Rules, Boundaries, andLimitationsonhowyourdogparticipatesinyournewrelationship.Beconsistentinrulesetting.

3Keepitpositive.Ifyourdogandyournewpartnerarehavingabumpystarttotheirnewrelationship,don’tfightoverthedog,especiallynotin front of the dog. Even though your dog doesn’t understandlanguage,hemayassociatethenewmemberofyourhouseholdwithnegativeenergyandfighting.

TRANSITION:ANewBaby

Becauseourdogsareveryintunewithus,theyknowthatsomethingisunusual when a baby is on theway. Parents-to-be are typically in ananxious state, and their dogs will pick up on that. Many prospectiveparentsworryabouthowtheirdogwilladjusttothepresenceofanewbaby.And theyshould. I’veworkedwithsomanydogswhose familiesdidn’thandlethetransitionwell.Mybiggestpieceofadviceistomakeaplanandfollowthesetipsforasmoothtransitionforpreparingyourdogandeveryoneelseforthenewarrival:

1Focusonleadership.Ninemonthsismorethanenoughtimetoworkthrough most issues and establish the Rules, Boundaries, andLimitationsofanewbaby,sousethistimetoshoreupyourpositionas Pack Leader and make sure your dog is regularly in a calm,submissivestate.

2 Be aware of your energy. A pregnancy affects the entire household.Youmayfeelexcited,anxious,orworried—orsomecombinationofallthree.Remember,yourdogwillmirroryouremotions.

3Claimyourbaby’sscent.Beforeyoubringthebabyhome,introduceanitem that contains your baby’s scent—such as a blanket—into thehome.Duringthisexercise, it’scrucial thatyousetclearboundaries.Challengethedogtosnifffromadistance,whileyouholdtheitem.Bydoingthis,youarecommunicatingtoyourdogthattheitemisyours;thengive thedogpermission to sniff the item.Youare showing thedogthat thisnewitembelongs toyouandthat thedogwillneedtofollowyourruleswhenaroundit.Thisbeginstheprocessofcreatingrespectforthebaby.

4 Establish boundaries around the nursery. I recommend starting byhaving thenurseryoff-limits.Conditionyourdog tounderstand thatthere is an invisible barrier that she may not cross without yourpermission. Because your dog will have become acclimated to thebaby’sscent,shewillbelesslikelytoviolatethatrule.Eventuallyyoucan allow your dog to explore and sniff certain things in the roomwithyoursupervision.Repeatthisactivityafewtimesbeforethebabyarrives.

Calm,assertiveenergyiskeywhenintroducinganewbabytothefamilydog.(illustrationscredits7.2)

5Controltheintroductionofthebaby.Beforeyourdogmeetsthebaby,takethedogonalongwalktodrainallherenergy.Uponreturningtothehouse,don’tletthedoginuntilsheisinacalm,submissivestate.Thepersonholdingthebabymustbeinacompletelycalm,assertivestate. The dog should be allowed to sniff the baby but must berespectfulofdistances.Duringthisfirstmeeting,donotbringthebabytooclose.Eventually,thedogcanbeallowedtogetcloserandcloserto thebaby,providedsheremains inacalm,submissivestate. If thedog shows any agitation, then end the introduction. Try again laterwhenthedoghascalmeddown.

6Don’tforgetaboutthedog.Anewbabycanoverwhelmahousehold,soit’simportanttotaketimetopayattentiontoyourdog.Adogdoesnotneedtoysorspecialattentiontofeelwanted;yousimplyneedtotrytomaintaintheroutineofdailywalksandfeeding.Thiswillhelpyourdogfeelsecureandallowhertorelaxaboutthenewadditiontothefamilyandalltheattentionthenewbabyisreceiving.

TRANSITION:

BacktoSchool

Every September,whenmy two sons,Andre andCalvin, head back toschool,ourwholeschedulechanges.Ittakesafewweekstoreadjusttothedemandsofgettingupearlierinthemornings,tothestressofbeingontimeforschool,andtotheafter-schoolroutineofsports,homework,andplay.Afterthefreedomofsummervacation,AndreandCalvinhavetoreturntotheeverydayrules,boundaries,andlimitationsthatschoolnaturallygivesthem.Butthey’renottheonlyones.Althoughgoingbacktoschoolisusuallyanexciting,funtimeforthehumansinthehome,itcanmeanlonelinessandboredomforyourdog.Allsummerlong,someoneismostlikelyhomewithyourdog.Nowthateveryoneisbacktotheirfallschedules,yourdogmayfeelneglectedandcanevenfallintodepressionordevelopseparationanxiety.Symptoms of depression to watch for include listlessness, lack ofenergy, loss of appetite, hiding or cowering, and notwanting to play.Unlikedepression,separationanxiety(seeChapter5)manifestsitselfinerratic behavior, including excessive barking and whining, franticclawing at doors, windows, or fences to get out, destructive chewing,andgoing to thebathroom in thehouse.Dogswith separationanxietywill be ecstatic when familymembers return home, while a dogwithdepressionmaynotevengetupfromhisbed.Ifyourdoghastroubleduringback-to-schooltime,herearesometipsformakingthistransitionsmoother:

1Makeyourdogpartofthemorningroutine.Asimpleroutinecanhelpalleviatethestressyourdogfeels.Createaschedulewithyourfamilythatinvolveseveryone.Eachmorning,someoneshouldgetupalittlebit early, even just 15minutes, to take the dog out for awalk or arompinthebackyardbeforethedaystarts.Notonlywillthisletyourdogknowyoustillcare,butreleasingthatextraenergywillmakeherlesslikelytobedestructivewhileyouaregone.

2Practice“leavingthehouse.”Inthefirsttransitioninthischapter,weoffered steps for how tomake leaving the house stress-free for yourdog. Your kidsmay feel sorry that they’re leaving their dog for theday,buttheyneedtorefrainfrombeingemotionalwhentheyleave.If

the dog senses that they’re upset, then hewill bemore likely to beupsettoo.Wheneveryonecomeshomefromschoolandwork,again,don’tmakeabigdealofit.

3Haveaneveningroutine.Attheendofalongday,it’seasytoforgetthe dog. There’s dinner to cook, homework to do, and everyone istiredfromtheday’sactivities.Butyourdoghasbeenwaitingforyoualldayandmostlikelyhasunspentenergy.Afterherdinner,besuretotakeheroutforsomeexerciseandplaytime.

TRANSITION:SeparationandDivorce

Breakupsinevitablycomewiththedividingupofmaterialassetslikeahouse,cars,andfurniture.Anydivorcelawyerormarriagetherapistwilltell you these thingsareusually theeasiest todealwith inabreakup.However,childrenandpetsarenot.Unfortunately,custodyfightsoccuralltoooften.Aftermyformerwife,Ilusion,andIdivorced,ourtwosonschose to live with different parents—Andre chose to live with hismother,whileCalvinchosetolivewithme.Thesekindsofchangesaredifficultforanyfamily,andtheycanbeverydifficultonyourdog,whowillsenseyourtensionandunease.If youandyourpartner are splittingup,here are some strategies tohelpkeepthetransitionsmoothforyourdog:

1 Avoid custody fights. The divorce laws of most states treat dogs asproperty. This means that they can be divided up like cars orfurniture.Don’tleaveittothecourttodecidewhogetsthedogs.Trytoworkitoutwithyourex-spousebeforethedogsbecomeacasualtyofthefight.Ifyouhavechildrenfromthemarriageandthesechildrenare close to thedog, Ioften recommend that thedogs staywith thechildren.Manypeoplehaveevenbegunto includedogownership intheirmarriageagreementstoavoidafightintheeventofabreakup.

2Thinkaboutthechildren.Researchhasshownthatchildreninfamilieswithdogsexperiencelessstressafteradivorcethanthoseinfamilies

withoutadog.Itstandstoreasonthatdogsaslivingcompanionsareindispensableintimesoftransitionsandchange,andchildrenseemtobenefitmostbytheircontinuedpresenceinthehome.

3Watch for behavior problems. Dogs who experience a divorce oftenshowaggressionwhen theyneverhadbefore.The tense energy inahousehold of divorce can affect dogs in the same way that it doesfamilymembers. It’s important that dogs get lots of exercise duringthe breakup so they can relieve anxiety and have a break from thestressfulenvironment.

4 Your circumstances will be different. Be honest with yourself aboutyourlifechoicesandhowyourlifewillchangeafterdivorce.Alltoooften, I see dogs from divorced families brought into the shelters.Spouses who wanted the dog during the divorce discover that theycannot handle the dog postdivorce because they have to work full-time,ortheymeetanotherpersonwhodoesn’tlikethedog.

5Try tostaycalm.Themost important thing torememberaboutyourdogduringabreakupisthatyouremotionswillbemirroredinyourdog’sbehavior. Learninghow to calmyourself andproject a relaxedandassertiveenergyaroundyourdogwillnotonlybeagoodthingforyourdog’sbenefit,butitcanalsohelptherestofthefamily.

TRANSITION:MovingandTravel

Onaverage,Americansmove every fiveyears.Thatmeans thatwithinanaveragedog’s life, youmaymove twoor three times.Psychologistssaythatmoving isonthe listof thetenmost traumaticevents inyourlife. If that’s so,youcan imagine theeffectmovingmayhaveonyourdog.Here are some commonsense tips to help ease the transition to anewhome,particularlyifthemoverequireslong-distancetravel:

1Getacheckup.Consultwithalocalveterinariantofindoutifyourdogcanhandle the tripandwhatmedicalprecautionsmaybeneeded to

ensureyourdogmakesitsafely.Generally,dogscanlastmorethan72hourswithoutfood.JuniorandIhavetraveledallovertheworld,andIdon’tfeedhimonthemorningsthatwe’retraveling.

2 Practice. Practice. Practice. Thinkof yourdogs as astronauts. Beforetheyblast off, astronauts practice spending time in a confined spacewithlimitedfoodoptions.Theygetusedtocontrollingtheiranxietyofbeing behindwalls for such a long period of time in space. Do thesameforyourdogusingacrateorcarrier,preferablythesamekennelor carrier that the dogwill travel inwhen it’s time for the journey.Graduallyincreasethetimeshespendsinit.

3Makethecrateagreatplacetobe.Helpyourdogassociatethetravelcratewith positive things. Don’t feel sorry for her or get upset. Shewillimmediatelysenseyouremotionsandthiscouldcauseanxiety.

4Doyourhomework.Ifyou’removingtoaforeigncountry,besuretoresearch theregulationsaboutquarantine. Insomecountries,certainbreeds are outlawed, and you don’t want your dog confiscated atcustoms.Ifyourdogisputintoquarantine,trytovisithereverydayifyoucan.Asktheanimalcontrolauthoritiesforpermissiontotakeherforwalks.

5Getaroom!Ifyouaremakingthejourneybycar,besuretoresearchpet-friendlyhotelsalongyour route.Donot leave thedog in thecaraloneovernight.Ifyourdoghowlsorbarksinyourhotelroom,heisprobablynervousandjusttryingtocommunicate.Donotrewardthebehaviorbygivinghimaffectionorsympathy.Trytakingyourdogoutforalongwalktodrainhisenergy.

6Exercisebeforeyouhittheroad.Nomatterhowyouaretravelingwithyourdog,makesuretotakeyourdogforanextralongrunorwalkonthemorningofthetriptodepleteherenergy.Thejourneywillbelessstressfultoherifshehaslowenergylevels.

TRANSITION:

DeathintheFamily

The story of aGerman shepherd namedCapitán captivated the nationback in 2011. Capitán ran away from home after his owner, ManuelGuzman, died in 2006. A week later, Guzman’s family, who live inCórdoba, Argentina, found the heartbroken dog grieving at thegraveside. The dog spent the next six years in the cemetery and wastakencareofbycemeteryworkerswhofedandlookedafterthedog.A dog that has lost a companion ormember of the packmay show

signsofdistress,includingalackofappetite,aloofbehavior,andevenademand for attention and affection. Confidence and a feeling ofbelonging to a pack disappearwith the loss of a packmember. Somedogs may wander around the house, trying to reconcile the lingeringscentofdeceasedpackmemberswiththefactthattheycannotbefoundanymore.Here are some tips for helping dogs move through the grieving

process:

1Dogsdomourn.Expectyourdog toexhibit somesymptomsofgrief,likelossofappetiteandsluggishness.Thisisnatural.

2Dogsknowthescentofdeath.Ifpossible,letthedogsmellsomethingfromthebodysothatthedoghasclosure.

3Keepupyourroutine.Don’t suddenlybecome inactivewith thedog.This is the time when the dog needs long walks the most. Trychangingthewalkpathtochangeherstateofmind,ortakethedogtoanewplacetowalk.Don’tfeelsorryforthedog,buttrytomaintainasconsistentaroutineaspossible.Continuetoshowstrongleadership.

4 Life goes on. Give the dog new challenges, new environments, andnewadventuresassoonaspossiblesoherecognizesthatlifeismovingon.

ForaslongasIcanremember,dogshavebeenmybestteachers,andmy first right-handdog,Daddy, taughtmeoneof themost important,andoneofthemostdifficult, lessonsattheendofhis life.Iwaslucky

enough to work with Daddy for 16 years, and he taught me whatmastering acceptance looks like. Everywhere we went together, hespread peace. Cats, rabbits, people who disliked pit bulls—Daddyacceptedthemall.NeartheendofDaddy’s life inFebruary2010,wehadanincredible

moment of eye contact between us. He gazed at me with his honey-coloredeyes inaway thatwent straight tomyheartandshookme tothecore.Lookingbacknow,IthinkitwasDaddy’swayoftellingmeIhad become too comfortable with my life, in my business and in myrelationships. His death, a few days later, was part of an emotionalwake-upcall.ItwasDaddy’swayoftellingme,“Yourwholelifeneedstochange.”Daddy’s passing was difficult for me and my entire family. We

mourned his death and tried to celebrate his life achievements. Abouttwomonths later,myproudbluepitbullJunior tookoverasmyrighthand. This transition took place very naturally.One day, Junior and IwalkedtogethertothetopofmymountainattheDPCandhegavemealook that reminded me of the look Daddy had given me many timesbefore.Thiswasalookofboundlessloveandsupport,asifJuniorwassaying,“It’sgoingtobeOK,Cesar.I’mhereforyou,butyouneedtobehereforme,too.”Being a Pack Leader is not only about guiding your pack through

transitions, it’s also about getting yourself through them, too. Nomemberof thepack—includingits leader—cangetstuckinthepastorbecomeanxiousaboutthefuturewhenfacedwithchange.

DaddyandIshared16amazingyearstogether.(illustrationscredits7.3)

Change and transitions are nature’sway of testing pack leaders andfurther developing their leadership skills. It is duringdifficult times ofchangewhereleadershipismostneeded.Inmytravelsoverthepastfewyears, I’vemet somanypeoplewho are struggling in the face of veryseriouslifetransitionsbroughtonbyallkindsofevents—fromeconomichardshiptofalloutfromnaturaldisasters.Butthethingthatunitesthemallisthatthesetrialsarethekindsofthingthatcanbringoutthebestinus and our dogs. And ifwe are tuned in to nature and respecting theCore Principles, we can use this knowledge to make us stronger andconfidentlymoveforward.

(illustrationscredits7.4)

F

CHAPTEREIGHT

TheFulfillmentFormula

or several summers, I spoke at an annual event in Aspen,Colorado,called“CesarWhispersinAspen,”presentedbyFriendsoftheAspenAnimalShelter.It’sabigsocialeventattendedbydogloversandmany of the city’s affluent part-time residents who make Aspen theirsummer hideout. There are often heads of Fortune 500 companies,entertainers,mediafigures,andpoliticiansintheaudience.Amazingly, I am invited to speak about dogs andwhat I call “pack

leadership.” What could I, a poor working-class kid from Mexico,possibly have to offer some of the most accomplished people in theUnitedStates?Itturnsout,Ihavealottooffer.Iknowthatthesecrettoimprovingtheirrelationshipswiththeirdogscanalsochangetheirownlivesforthebetter.Thesecret?Icallitthefulfillmentformula.This formula, developed overmany years ofworkingwith dogs and

humans, is thebestway I know to access thepowerof leadership.ByengaginginaregularprogramofExercise,Discipline,andAffection(inthatorder),youarebetterequippedtohandleanythingthatcomesyourwayinlife(seeChapter4).ThisformulaisgroundedintheNaturalDogLaws and the Core Principles we covered earlier in the book. Theformulasharpensyourinstinctsandiskeytodevelopingcalm,assertiveenergy, which will help you feel more fulfilled in everything you do.Practice this formula, and you’ll have a better relationship with your

dog,yourlovedones,andyourself.The fulfillment formula is simple, but following it consistently isn’talwayssoeasy.Ifitwere,theneveryonecoulddoit,andIwouldbeoutof a job.Dogswould be balanced, and everyonewould be happy. Butwhatmakesitchallengingisthatittakestime.Ittakescommitment.Ittakesdedication.Ittakestheabilitytosticktoit,evenwhenit’sdifficult.And it requires the ability to assess your life honestly and recognizewhenthingsareoutofbalance.To help you understand the power of the fulfillment formula, I amgoingtobreakdowneachcomponenttoensureyouknowhowtoapplyittoenrichyourdog’sandyourownlife.

FULFILLMENTPART1:Exercise

Thefirststepforcreatingabalanceddogpackisalsorulenumberoneinthe fulfillment formula—exercise. Any time I’ve struggled in my life,exercise brought me back. Now it gives me purpose, energy, focus,consistency, and an outlet for releasing tension, stress, and excessenergy.Forhumans,exercisecantakeonanelementofspirituality—ituplifts

you, transformsyou, releasesyou fromwhateverburdens you.When Ibeganthecoursetocorrectmylifeafterdivorce,Istartedwakingupat4:30 in themorningwithrenewedenergy. Iwouldeitherrunwith thedogsorgetintotheboxingringwithatrainernamedTerryNorris,whoonceknockedoutSugarRayLeonard.

In-lineskatingwithyourdogisagreatwaytoexhaustpent-upenergy.(illustrationscredits8.1)

Everyoneknowsexercise isgoodforyou,eventhough25percentofAmericansdon’tdo itona regularbasis.Even fewerpeopleengage in

thetypeofvigorousregularexerciseIbelieveisessential,bothforyouand your dog. You sleep better, look better, think clearer, and livelonger.Sitting forprolongedperiodsof timecanundo thegoodeffectseven a regular program of vigorous exercise delivers. One study,published last year in the journalCirculation, concluded that for eachhouroftelevisionapersonwatchesaday,theriskofdyingfromheart-relatedproblemsrisesby11percent.

BEACTIVEINTHEMOMENT

Thebestwaytostayoffofyourcouchistogetadog.DuringavisittoCanada,ImetayoungmanwhowasworkingasaclerkinaCanadianTire store.Severelyoverweight,hedecided to start exercisingwithhisdogafterwatchingmyTVshow.Thisonceobeseyoungmanlostmorethan a hundred pounds and started his own morning dog-walkingbusiness.Helooksgreat,feelsgreat,andishealthyagain.WhenIwalkmypackinthehillssurroundingtheDPC,thefeelingofbeing in the moment is incredibly strong. I am connected to MotherNature and doing something good for my body. Someone asked merecentlywhatIthinkaboutwhenIamwalking50dogs.Theanswerisnothing.Forme,walkingdogsisaboutfeeling,notthinking…It’saboutfeelingcalmnessandpeace.Tomanypeople,thedogwalkisastressfulexperience.We’reworriedabout an approaching dog or about a neighbor we know doesn’t likedogs.We’reworriedaboutourdogbarking,runningtoofast,orpullingonthelead.Thisisnotbeinginthemoment,andyouwillneverachievecalmness in this state ofmind. It’s nowonder that dogs in theUnitedStatesget the leastexerciseofdogsanywhere.Ownersare toostressedout.Try staying in themoment onyournext dogwalk.Trynot to thinkabout thedayat theofficeor thekids at school.Try especiallynot toworry about how your dog might act up or misbehave on the walk.Instead, visualize a calm, successful, andenjoyable time together. Stayfocusedonthesights,smells,andsoundsofthewalkitself.Concentrateontheunspokencuesbetweenyouandyourdog.Ifyourmindstartstowanderoryou feelyourselfbecominganxious,bringyourattention to

your breath. You can also use the energy exercises you learned inChapter4.

THERIGHTAMOUNTOFEXERCISE

Theamountofexerciseyourdogrequireswill,ofcourse,dependuponyour dog’s energy level, physical abilities, and, in some cases, breedcharacteristics.Seniororlow-energydogsmaywearthemselvesoutafteratriportwoaroundtheblock,whilehigh-energydogs,particularlyfromtheworking, sporting,andhoundgroups,mayrequireoveranhourofwalking, and youmay need to add some jogging, running, or hiking.Althoughpuppiescanbeveryenergetic,theyalsolackthemuscletoneforverystrenuousexercise,but theywillgenerally letyouknowwhenthey’ve had enough by going into rest mode when their energy isdrained.Inallcases,rememberthefollowingpointswhenexercisingwithyourdog:

1Watchoutforoverheating.Thisgoesforyouandyourdog;ifyoufeeltoo hot, then your dog probably does, too.Use caution on very hotdays, trying to exercise early in themorning or in the evening, andbring along plenty of water. If your dog begins to show signs ofheatstroke, seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms ofheatstroke include heavy panting and labored breathing; excesssalivation; dry, pale gums; weakness or confusion; vomiting; anddiarrhea.Ifyoucannotgetyourdogtotheveterinarianimmediately,thenpourcoolortepid(neverice-cold)wateronherbody.Ifpossible,alsouseafanblowingcoolairinconjunctionwiththewater.

2 Be consistent with your exercise schedule. Running twomiles on aweekend and then doing nothing during the week can cause extrastress on your dog’s joints and yours. It is better to take multipleshorterwalksthroughouttheweek—atleasttwiceaday—thantotrytocramallof theexercise intoonesession. Ifyouabsolutelycannotget out every day of the week to walk your dog, then find indooralternatives:•Haveyourdogrunupanddownthestairs(withyoursupervision,

ofcourse).• Create an obstacle course with household objects to practiceagility.•Hidetreatsaroundthehouseforyourdogtohuntandfind.•Play“keepaway”orfetch.•Introduceyourdogtoatreadmill,andthenteachherhowtorunortrotonit.

Whether you walk two times every day (preferable) or alternateindoor days with walk days, keeping the schedule as regular aspossiblewillhelpyourdogmaintainbalance.

3Takecareofyourdog’sfeet.Runningoncement—especiallywhenhotfrom the sun—can cause injury to a puppy’s footpads, even causingthemtosloughoff.Giveayoungdogplentyofbreaksbywalkingorrunning on softer surfaces, like grass, until they have built up theadultcallusesthatwillprotectthem.Foradultdogs,beawareofhotsurfaces,particularlyasphalt,whichcanburn them fairlyquicklyonsunnydays,particularly in themid-afternoon.Whiteor light-coloredconcretedoesnot retainheat in the samewayand ismuchsafer. Invery hot weather, try to spend a minimal amount of time crossingstreetsorparkinglots,andallowyourdogregularcool-downtimeongrass.Agoodtest forplacesyoushouldn’t letyourdogwalk for toolongistogobarefootyourself.Ifyourfeetcannottaketheheat,yourdogprobablyisn’tenjoyingiteither.

4 Know your dog’s and your own limits. If your dog is in a calm,submissive state, then shewill letyouknowwhenshe’shadenoughexercise.Also,asyouspendmoretimebeinginthemomentonwalks,youwillbecomeveryawareofyourdog’sstateofmindandbegintoknowwhenshehashadenough.Ifyou’rehalfwayoutandeitheroneof you gets too tired to go on, there’s nothing wrong with sittingquietlytogetherforafewminutes,untilyou’rereadytoresume.Also,knowingyourdog’slimitswillhelpyoutospotanypossiblemedicalproblemsorothercausesforconcernwellaheadoftime—forexample,a dog that loves to take long runs three times a day but suddenlywantstostopduringashortwalkmayhaveaconditionworthyofa

vetvisit.

Exerciseisimportantandhealthyforyouandyourdog.Whensharedproperlyonwalks, itwill keepyourdogbalanced, keepyou in shape,andprovideyoubothwiththebestpossiblebondingexperience.

FULFILLMENTPART2:Discipline

Likedominanceandcontrol,disciplineisanotheroneofthosewordsthatpeople can easily perceive as negative, as I discussed in the “How toRead This Book” section. But notice that this word is very similar todisciple, and they both come from the Latin words that describe astudent, as well as the instruction a student receives. So, rather thanthinking of discipline as punishment, it is better to think of it as youteachingandyourdoglearning,workingtogetherasateam.

Disciplineisanessentialpartoffulfillingyourdog’sneeds.(illustrationscredits8.2)

When I first came to the United States, I saw quickly howundisciplinedAmericansocietycanbewhenitcomestodogs.Americandogsget toeatwhatever theywant, sleepwherever theywant,andsitwherevertheywant.Americandogshaveseveralbeds,manytoys,andlotsoftreats.InMexico,dogsdon’thaveanybeds,andtheygetastickiftheywanttohavefunorplaycatch.There’snothingwrongwithgivingadogtoysorbedstosleepin.Theproblemcomeswhendogsstartbeingtreatedlikelittlehumans.Thisisgenerallythefirststepinlosingcontrol

ofboundarieswithadog.Whenyouseedogsthatcontinuallyignorethedirection of their owners, it’s usually because they have not beendisciplined.Butthesedogscanbeturnedaround,iftheirownerssetuptheproperenvironmentwithrulesandboundaries.IwentthroughasimilarsituationnottoolongagowhenIrecognizedthat things were out of balance in my family life. I had received aheartbreakingcallfromapsychiatrist,whotoldmethatmysonCalvinwas being put on medication for ADHD. ADHD, attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a common childhood behavioraldisorderthatcanbedifficulttodiagnoseandevenhardertounderstand.Thedivorcewasn’tjusthardonme;ittookabigtollonmychildren.It divided our family, and it injected a lot of uncertainty intoCalvin’slife.WhenIthinkback,itseemssoclear:Calvin’sdiethaddeterioratedtomeals consistingof sugary cereal and candybars.He looked sullen,tired, and unmotivated. He wasn’t doing well in school, and he wasbecomingmoredisrespectfultoadults.Afterthatphonecall,Irealizedthat—morethananythingelse—Calvinneeded discipline and he needed to be understood. The divorce haddisrupted all the routines of the house. It had taken away the PackLeaderofthefamily,andtherewasaleadershipvoid.ItwasuptomeashisdadtoreestablishRules,Boundaries,andLimitationswithhim,andpracticeExercise,Discipline,andAffection.Icouldusethisstructuretocreate amore stable environment formy son and hopefully help himfindhisbalanceagain.AZenpsychologist recentlynoted that thedefinitionof discipline is“rememberingexactlywhatyouwant.”That’sanaccuratedescriptionofhowweaddressedthissituationwithCalvin.IrememberedthekindofsonIwantedCalvintobe,IrecalledthetypeofparentIcouldbe,andIsteppedintothisrole.IbuiltastrongersupportteamaroundCalvin—anewschoolthatwouldbeattentivetohisneeds;newfriendswhowerefocused on sports or hobbies; and Jahira and I, who were equallyfocusedonbeing caring, patient adults.Weallworked together to getCalvinoffofmedicationandbacktoahealthylife.Disciplineisabouthavingyourmindintherightplace.Thiscanonlybe achieved by knowingRules, Boundaries, and Limitations.Here is ashortexercisethatCalvinandIusedtohelpbringourmindsbacktotherightplace:

1Thinkaboutatimeinyourlifewhenyoufeltunstoppable.Whatwassomething you wanted without hesitation? A relationship? A job?Acknowledgmentfromyourfamily?Gobacktoyourchildhoodifyoumust,becausethatisatimewheninstinctisunobstructedbyhumanforcesandtime.

2Writefortenminutesaboutthatunstoppabletimeinyourlife.Whatwereyouthinking,feeling,orevenhopingfororprayingabout?Whatdiditfeellike?Describeyourenergy,youremotions.Whatchallengesdidyouovercometogetwhatyouwantedinahurry?

3 Nowwrite down how your lifewould be different right now if youapproacheditinthesamemannerasyoudidtogetwhatyouwantedback then, knowing you could not fail?Howwould this affect yourrelationship with yourself, your work, the people around you, andyourdog?

4Whatarethethreethingsyoucoulddototriggerthisstateofmindatany time youwanted?What are the three things youwould like toachieve in an unstoppable way?What are three steps you can takenowtostartachievingthosegoals?

Thislittleexerciserecentersyourmindandchannelsyourenergy.

FULFILLMENTPART3:Affection

Love is one of the greatest gifts we can share. It’s one of the manyreasons why I love dogs so much. They are affectionate animals, andtheyloveunconditionally.However,affectionthatissharedwithadogatthewrongtimecanbedetrimentaltoher.Youcannotloveadogoutofchewingonyournewshoes,justasyoucannotloveanalcoholicoutof drinking, or love a child into cleaning up his room. Animals andpeople alike need Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations—even when itcomes to love.Dogsdon’t accept bribes for good behavior, and bribesseldomcreatelastingresultswithpeopleeither.

Unconditionalloveisjustoneofthemanygiftsdogsgivetous.(illustrationscredits8.3)

Affectioncomesinmanyforms,anditisn’talwaysfood.Adogthatisafamilypetmaygetaffectionintheformoftreats,brushing,orpetting.Butaffectioncanalsobeacknowledgment,afavoritetoy,oraplaydatewithanothercompatibledog.Theimportantthingtorememberistonevergiveyourdogaffection

whenheisnotinacalm,submissivestate.Nevercomfortadogthatisanxious,excited,orfearful—thiswilljustconfusethedog.Becausedogsliveinthemoment,youraffectionwillnotchangetheirstate.Itjusttells

yourdog,“Itisallrightforyoutofeelthisway.”Affectionatthewrongtimewill reinforce unwanted behavior because your dogwill learn tousethatbehaviortoearnyouraffection.With people, affection is a little more complex. As we discussed inChapter2,humansareintellectualandemotional(dogsareinstinctual),so affection takes on many more forms and meanings for people.Affection can be given at many times and under different emotionalstateswithpeople.Weshowaffectiontoreassureeachother(hugs), tocelebrate(highfives),andtolove(kisses).Wehavesomanydimensionsandaspectsbecausehumansareemotionalcreatures.Buttherewardofaffectioncanalsohelpusandourlovedonessticktoroutinesofexerciseanddiscipline.Whenwearebalancedpeople, it iseasierforustogiveandreceiveaffection.This lastpartof the fulfillment formulacanbeapowerfulmotivator.Nowthatyouunderstandthefulfillmentformula,inthenextchapter,Iwillsharewithyoureal-lifestoriesofpeoplewhohaveuseditintheirown lives to solve problems or help other people. Their stories areinspirationaltome,andIhopetheywillbetoyouaswell.

M

CHAPTERNINE

EnrichYourDog,EnrichYourLife

y fulfillment formula is thebestway Iknow toharness thepower of pack leadership. By engaging in a program of Exercise,Discipline,andAffection,youwillbebetterequippedtohandleanythingthatcomesyourwayinlife.Theformulasharpensyourinstinctsandiskey to developing calm, assertive energy and to feel more fulfilled ineverythingyoudo.Based on the fundamentals and techniques I have developed by

workingwithdogsandtheirhumancompanions,thisformulacanmakehumanlivesbetter.Itliterallysavedmine.Ithelpedmerepairmyfamilyrelationshipsandrestoremybusinessandmyownsenseofself.

AREALLIFESAVER:CaptainAngusAlexander

Alongtheway,Ihavemetmanypeoplewhohaveappliedthefulfillmentformula to their liveswith great success. Thehead of the L.A. CountyLifeguardprogramadoptedelementsoftheformulaintohisinstructionforteachingjuniorlifeguards.

LifeguardAngusAlexanderandhisdogJackareonpatrol.(illustrationscredits9.1)

“ManyofthethingswedoaroundherewedobecauseofCesar,”saysCaptain Angus Alexander. He runs his program from the Los AngelesCounty Fire Department Lifeguard Headquarters on the beach next tothe SantaMonica Pier. Years ago, this spot was home to the originalMuscle Beach outdoor fitness center. Today, it’s amix of tourists andlocalslookingforfunintheCaliforniasun.As duty officer for the entire county coastline—all 72 miles of it—Captain Alexander, 50 years old but ruddy and robust as a teenager,coordinates ocean search and rescue efforts and makes sure the U.S.Coast Guard, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, and his 600 beachlifeguards are working in harmony to keep tens of thousands ofbeachgoerssafe.Hissecret?“Exercise,Discipline,andAffection,inthatorder,”hesays.“IalsoenforceRules,Boundaries,andLimitations.”CaptainAlexanderisalongtimefanofmyTVshow.AftertraininghisownblackLabJacktosaveswimmersusingmytechniques(Jackstarsin“Dog rescuesman from theocean”onYou-Tube), hedecided to applythe principles to his staff. Early morning calisthenics (exercise) arefollowed by mandatory sweeping, cleaning, waxing, and maintenance(discipline), a routine that’s rewarded with regular earned perks(affection—in this case, food). “My wife is a gourmet chef,” CaptainAlexandersays.“Mylifeguardsknowiftheystayfitanddotheirjob,I’lltakecareofthemwiththebestpastadinneryoucanpossiblyimagine.”

The results are remarkable. His lifeguards log close to 10,000 surfrescuesayear.Drowningsaredownby50percentfromtenyearsago(in2011,therewasonlyone),andCaptainAlexander’steamhasneverbeenmorecohesiveorfocused,hesays.

HEALTHYDOG,HEALTHYHUMAN:JillianMichaels

WhenIteachpeoplethefulfillmentformula,thegoalisahealthy,well-adjusteddog.Italsoturnsoutthatgettingownerstostepintotheirroleas a Pack Leader is just as good for them as it is for their dogs.Everythingstartswiththefirststepinmyfulfillmentformula—exercise.JillianMichaelsknowsathingortwoaboutexercise.Andnow,afterworkingwithme,shealsoknowsaboutthefulfillmentformula.Jillianisa no-nonsense health and wellness expert, known for her work as afitnesstrainer,lifecoach,author,andstarofthehitTVshowTheBiggestLoser.Shealsohappenstobecrazyaboutdogs,alovethatstartedwhenshewasanoverweightyounggirl.“Iwasverylonely,andallIhadweredogs—theywerelikesiblingstome.Inmydarkest, loneliesttimes,mydogshavebeenthereforme.”

JillianMichaelsandItalkaboutherdogs.(illustrationscredits9.2)

These days, Jillian has her own battle with weight firmly undercontrol, and she inspires countless people to change their lives for thebetter. She’s also the owner of three rescue dogs: Seven, an Italiangreyhoundmix;Harley,aterriermix;andRichard,aChihuahua.Jillianmaybeanexpertinexercise,butwhensheneededhelpwithSeven,sheknewshehadtoturntoanotherexpert.Shecametome.TheproblemwithSevenwasthatshewouldsnarlatJillian’shorseandrununderhislegs,andJillianwasafraidthedogwouldinjureherself—orthehorse.IworkedwithSeven,butIalsospentsometimewithJillian,trainerto

trainer.ByteachingJillianhowtousethefulfillmentformula,shewasabletocompletelycorrectSeven’sbadbehavior.InJillian’sownwords,“Iknowit seems likemagic,but it’snot. Iwasable to implement thatnewattitudeintodifferentpartsofherday.She’shadagiantchangeinpersonality.”Thesecondstepinmyfulfillmentformulaisdiscipline,whichisalsoa

very important part of Jillian’s work with people who have eatingdisorders andweight issues. She advises them on the importance of adaily routine, and once again, the fulfillment formula and dogs comeintothepicture:“Onthosedayswhenyoudon’tfeellikegettingoffthecouch, your dog will nudge, pull, and whine until he gets his dailyexercise.Insteadofviewingthisbehaviorasannoying,youcanseeitasmotivating.”After her work with me, Jillian was able to take what she learned

about the fulfillment formula and apply a newwayof thinking toherworkwith her clients. “I spend a lot of time trying to figure outwhypeoplebehavethewaytheydo,andnowwhenI’mhavingahardtime,sometimes I’ll just go for the change and work on the deeper stuffsimultaneously.Changethebehavior,thenexplorewhat’sunderneath.”Jillian may forgo affection at times and sometimes even chooses a

directandharshpath.Whileshestronglybelievesthebestwaytohelppeople is often through brutal honesty, she does and can provideaffectionatesupportattherighttime.“Ithinkadogisthepurestformofenergyyoucantapinto,thatunconditionallove.Itdoesn’tmatterifyouthinkyou’reuglyorpeoplewon’t loveyou,oryou lost your job—youknowthedog’sgoingtoloveyou.”

TURNINGMYLIFEAROUND:CesarMillan

For Captain Alexander and Jillian, the fulfillment formula improvedtheir lives.But inmycase, the formulasavedmy life. It’sas simpleasthat.I’ve met many incredible people who share their stories of howthey’ve applied some ofmy fundamentals to improve their own lives,butnonetouchedmyheartmorethanapersonImetatabooksigninginNovember2011.HisnamewasMike.AndIwillneverforgethim.Mymanager and Iwere inToronto,Canada, todo some retail storeappearances. I was signing autographs, shaking hands, and takingphotos.Itwastowardtheendofalongdaywhenayoungman,around30yearsold,shuffleduptome.Hewasthinandpale.Mymanagertriedto move in between us, but the young man was persistent and camewithininchesofmyface.“Cesar,” he said, “my name isMike, and I have AIDS. I came heretodaytotellyouthatyousavedmylife.”Ifrozeforasplitsecond,andthenIgrabbedthisyoungmanandgavehimthebiggesthugI’veevergivenanyoneinmylife.MikewentontoexplainthathehadgivenupallhopeoflivingafterhewashospitalizedwithAIDS.Whileinthehospital,hediscoveredtheDog Whisperer TV show. Because they air multiple episodes a day inCanada,Mikewasquicklyhookedontheshowandtookittoheart.Soon,hebeganapplyingthefoundationsofpackleadership,includingtheExercise,Discipline,andAffection formula, inhisown life.Slowly,hefoundhispurposeagain.Heacceptedhismedicalcondition.Withthedetermination of a pit bull, he decided hewas going tomove on andbeginlivingagain.Mike had become stuck and could notmove forward. That changedwhenhe introducedtheExercise,Discipline,andAffectionapproachtohisdailyroutine.Thatcombinationallowedhimtomusterupthewilltoliveandbeathisdisease.OfallthethingsIthoughtImightaccomplish,IneverthoughtIwouldhelpsavesomeoneelse’slife.Mike’sstorywasagift,onethathelpedmerealizejusthowblessedIhavebeen.During the taxi rideback to theTorontoairport, Iwas reflectingon

Mike’sstory—thejourneyhehadtaken,andthefactthatIwasabletoaffectit—andIfounditsuchanemotionalmomentthatIbegantocry.Ithen realized how much my own life had changed over the previousyear,beginningwhenmyformerwife,Ilusion,toldmethatshewantedadivorce. Since that moment, my journey had been a harrowing one,filledwithtremendouspainanduncertainty.Onthatcabride,IsawjusthowfortunateIwastobeabletohelpsomeonelikeMike.IthitmethatIhademergedfromthatdarktimeastronger,wiserman,moregratefulfor life’s good fortune andmore determined than ever to be a strongPackLeader.IhadalreadybeeninpainwhenIreceivedthedivorcenewsinMarch

2010.MybelovedpitbullDaddyhaddiedjustamonthearlier.Daddy’sdeathhaddeeplyshakenme,butIknewmygriefwouldpass.InMarch,Iwas in Ireland as part of awhirlwindEuropean tour inwhich Iwasspeakingtocrowdsofover7,000people.OnthemorningoftheDublinpresentation, I receiveda transatlanticphonecall frommywife inLosAngeles, saying that shewanted a divorce. I had assumed thingsweregoinggreat.But littledid Iknoworunderstandwhatwasabout tohitme.Mylifewasgoingtochangeforever,andI—CesarMillan,thePackLeader to millions of dog owners all over the world—could neithercontrolnorchangeitsdirection.Itwasterrifying.Over the years, Ilusion and I struggled to balance our innate

differenceswiththedemandsofmarriage,aTVshow,andtwochildren.Itwasn’teasy.Wehadbrokenupandgottenbacktogetherseveraltimes.After20yearstogether,andwithsomuchlifeahead,theendingcameabruptly.Iwasn’tready.Becauseofthedivorce,Iwasforcedtoseethingsastheyreallywere

fortheveryfirsttime.AsIexaminedthebusinessdecisionsI’dagreedtoovertheyears,Iwasconfrontedbyhowpoormanyofthemwere.Ihadgivenupmy rightsandmyname. Ihadentered into contracts Inevershould have signed. My partners were saying one thing, but theircontracts read very differently. I realized I didn’t even own the name“DogWhisperer.”Attheendoftheday,Iownedonlymyclothes,mycar,andtheDog

Psychology Center. Everything else—including the TV show and thehouse in which I had lived and raised a family—belonged to otherpeople. As my business manager reviewed my financial status, he

informedmethatIwasbroke.IactuallyhadanegativenetworthaftersevenyearsofbeingonTV,andIdidn’tknowwhy.At first I was angry, and I retreated to the Dog Psychology Center,

whereIwithdrewfrompeopleentirely.Iwantednohumancontact.Fullof negative energy, I would brood and sit for hours with my pack.Eventually,thestressandsadnessIwasexperiencingtookitstollonmydogs.Thepack’ssizeshrunkfrom20dogsbeforeDaddy’spassingtojustahandful.Instinctually,thepackknewitsleaderwasunstable,andtheysought and found other homes. I was devastated that I couldn’t helpmyselfandIcouldn’thelpmyownpack.I’ve seen dogs react like this to stress. When a dog is out of

equilibrium, he quickly goes into a negative or panicked state. Hedoesn’t want to be with other dogs or with humans. Isolation is atangible reaction to an unstable environment, which is the root ofvirtually every canine behavior problem: biting, chewing, digging,excessive barking, territoriality, and aggression. Those issues are easyenoughtofixindogs.Tofixtheminmyself,itwas10,000timesharder.An animal-like rage ran through me: I wanted to destroy things; I

wantedtodestroymybusiness;Iwantedtohurtmyselfandthepeoplearound me. I had never felt so emotionally devastated. I could notforgivemyself forwhatwas happening. Iwas overcomeby a sense offailure,andIlostallconfidenceinmyself.Fewpeople knewwhatwas really goingon insideofme, except for

mybrother,Erick,andmymanager.Ihiditfrommysons,mybusinessassociates,andevenmyparents.LikeMikefromToronto,IwonderedifIhadareasontolive.The lowest point came in May 2010, when I stopped eating. I was

shocked to see I dropped to 135 pounds from 175 in just 40 days. Istoppedworking,andIrarelysleptmorethanfourhoursaday.Duringthis time, Ilusion and Iwere separated but not legally divorced, and Iwent over to the house to try to reconcile our marriage. Ourconversationwentpoorly,andattheendofit,Iknewourmarriagewasover.Ialsothoughtmylifewasover,soIdidastupidthing.Itriedtoend

mylifebytakingsomepills. Idon’tknowwhat I tookorhowmany. IjustrememberthefeelingofhowbadlyIwantedtobesomeplaceelse,anywhere but where I was. The next thing I remember, I was being

rushedtothehospitalinanambulance.Idemandedthattheambulancedrivertakemetomygrandfather’sfarminMexico.Iwantedtobeawayfromitall.The next day, I was checked into a psychiatric hospital forobservation. Three days later, I was released, and like Mike, I wasdeterminedtoreestablishmyinnerbalanceandfindanewpurposeformy life. Iwould find thatnewpurposeonly after I embracedmyownfundamentalsandthefulfillmentformulaagain.Icouldn’tfightthedirectionmylifehadtaken.Ihadtoacceptit.OnceIdid,everythinglookedbrighter.Theenergycameback.Istartedeatingandsleepingagain.Slowly,Iwasmovingforward,thanksinparttothesuperpackofpeoplearoundmeandthedogswhoremainedattheDogPsychologyCenter.Ibroughtregularexercisebackintomylife.Icreateda set of Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations for myself to follow. Andlastly,Isharedaffectionwiththefriends,family,anddogswhogavemethemotivationandinspirationtogetbackupagain.

Seeingallthepeopleatthe2012NationalPackWalkremindsmeofwhatanamazingprivilegeitistobePackLeader.(illustrationscredits9.3)

People often wonder how I get such quick results with the dogs I

rehabilitate.As I’ve saidbefore, theanswer is simple:Dogs live in themoment.Theyaren’tconsumedbymistakesfromthepastorfearofthefuture. As I began to stop looking backward and to stop dreading thefuture,Istartedtoregainmyappreciationforwhatwashappeninginthehereandnow.Now I have rebuilt my pack—I currently have 22 dogs; I have justfinishedshootinganewTVshow,CesarMillan’sLeaderof thePack;mysonCalvinislivingwithmeandstartingaTVcareerofhisown;andIhaveabeautifulgirlfriendnamedJahirawhocaresaboutmeandcaresaboutthepacklikeit’sherown.I have turnedmy life around, thanks to all the experiences I sharedwithdogsoverthepast22yearsofmylife.Withoutthelessonsthey’vetaughtmeandthewisdomI’vegainedfromworkingwiththem,Imightnothavebeenabletostartalloveragain.WhatIrealizedisthatbeingaPackLeaderisnotjustaboutamomentin time. A leadermust continue to evolve, learn, and encounter life’schallengeshead-on.Aleaderisnotafraidorashamedtoleanonhispackand allow the other packmembers to helpmaintain balance. And nomatterhowdifficulttheobstacle,don’tletyourselfgetstuck.Thesechallengesallowedmeto findstrength inmyselfandcarryonthroughmyowndarkesttimes.AndwheneverIfindmyselfexhaustedorasking whether I am following the right path, I think back to thatmoment in Toronto in 2011. I think back toMike and the fulfillmentformulathatmayhavehelpedinsomesmallwaytosavehislife.Mikehelped providemewith strength inmy darkest times aswell, and hereminded me of the incredible things people—and their dogs—canachievewiththerightformula.Whereveryouare,Mike…Godbless.

AdditionalResources

DOGTRAININGANDBEHAVIORCesar’sWaywww.cesarsway.comCesarMillan’sonlinehome

InternationalAssociationofCanineProfessionalscanineprofessionals.comSearchabledatabasetofindaprofessionaldogtrainerinyourarea

BREEDRESEARCHAmericanKennelClubwww.akc.orgComprehensiveplacetolearnaboutdogbreedsandbreeders

FINDINGAPETBestFriendsAnimalSocietywww.bestfriends.orgAnimalsanctuaryandnationwidenetworkofsheltersandrescuegroups

NorthShoreAnimalLeaguewww.animalleague.orgWorld’slargestno-killanimalrescueandadoptionagency

Petfinderwww.petfinder.comListshundredsofthousandsofadoptableanimalsfromacrosstheUnitedStatesYOURDOG’SHEALTHAmericanVeterinaryMedicalAssociationwww.avma.orgInformationaboutdogbehavior,health,andproductrecalls

MyVeterinarian.comwww.myveterinarian.comSearchablenationwidedatabaseofveterinarians

SpayUSAspayusa.orgNationwidenetworkofspayandneuterresources

ANIMALWELFARERESOURCESAmerican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animalswww.aspca.org

TheHumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStateshumanesociety.org

LastChanceforAnimalswww.lcanimal.org

TRAVELINGWITHYOURDOGPetFriendlyTravel.comwww.petfriendlytravel.comTravelinformationonpetfriendlydestinations

DogVacaydogvacay.comFindlow-costin-homeboardinganddogprofessionalsinyourarea

ACTIVITIESFORYOURDOGK9NoseWorkwww.k9nosework.comIntroductiontothedogsportoftrackingandscenting

NorthAmericanFlyballAssociationwww.flyball.orgInformationaboutflyballtrainingandtournaments

UnitedStatesDogAgilityAssociationwww.usdaa.comInformationaboutdogagilitycompetitionsandclasses

IllustrationsCredits

PHOTOS:Front Matter: Gelpi/Shutterstock; Michael Reuter; itr1.1 Doug Shultz;itr1.2NationalGeographicChannels;fm1.1HelleM/Shutterstock.Chapter 1: 1.1 Ji Sook Lee; 1.2 Todd Henderson MPH-EmerySumnerJointVenture;1.3cynoclub/Shutterstock.Chapter 2: 2.1 Michael Reuter; 2.2 Robert Clark/National GeographicStock,Wolf andMaltese dog provided by Doug Seus’sWasatch RockyMountainWildlife,Utah;2.3KiselevAndreyValerevich/Shutterstock.Chapter3:3.1 Burry van denBrink/Shutterstock; 3.2 BobAniello; 3.3NationalGeographicChannels;3.4AnkevanWyk/Shutterstock.Chapter 4: 4.1 George Gomez; 4.2 PK-Photos/iStockphoto; 4.3cynoclub/Shutterstock;4.4WarrenGoldswain/Shutterstock.Chapter 5: 5.1 dageldog/iStockphoto; 5.2 dageldog/iStockphoto; 5.3SuperflyImages/iStockphoto;5.4EricIsselée/Shutterstock.Chapter6:6.1CheriLucas.Chapter7:7.1JoshHeeren;7.2RobWaymouth;7.3MichaelReuter;7.4LobkePeers/Shutterstock.Chapter 8: 8.1 Frank Bruynbroek; 8.2 Frank Bruynbroek; 8.3 FrankBruynbroek.Chapter9:9.1AngusAlexander;9.2MPH-Emery/SumnerJointVenture;9.3GeorgeGomez.

VECTOR ART PROVIDED BY: vanya/Shutterstock; ntnt/Shutterstock; BoguslawMazur/Shutterstock; SASIMOTO/Shutterstock; Alexander A.Sobolev/Shutterstock; DeCe/Shutterstock; nemlaza/Shutterstock;Thumbelina/Shutterstock.