A dog that respects you is one that follows the rules, listens to your commands, and generally acts in a way which conveys that you are the master and they are the pet.
However, not all dogs respect their owners. Below we want to talk about how you can tell if your dog respects you. We also want to cover some tips on making sure that your dog shows you respect.
Doesn’t Jump on You
Dogs often like to jump up on their owners. They may jump up on you when you are standing up or they may even try to stand, sit, or lie on you when you are sitting or lying down.
This may also be simple affection and playfulness, but for the most part, it’s also an indication that the dog doesn’t respect you.
When a dog sits on you or jumps up on you, they are trying to assert dominance over you, and dominance is not respect. You need to learn how to manage and control jumping issues to stop this from occurring.
Basic Obedience
One of the biggest indications that your dog respects you if it listens to your commands; basic obedience is the No. 1 sign of respect.
This all starts with the owner of course; you need to properly train your dog. This could mean going to dog training classes, or if you know what you are doing, you can train your dog on your own.
Whatever the case may be, if your dog doesn’t sit when you tell it to, it means it doesn’t respect you. Respect equals obedience. If your dog doesn’t listen to commands, it’s time to start at square one and train it from scratch.
A Good Walker
A dog that respects you is a dog that knows that you are the pack leader — you are in charge. A dog that respects you should not walk in front of you when walking and it should not pull on the leash.
Once again, this starts with receiving proper training from the pack leader. Yes, that “heel” command comes in very handy in this regard.
If your dog walks way out in front of you and yanks on the leash the whole time, it doesn’t respect you, and is in fact trying to be the pack leader. If you want your dog’s respect, you need to be the pack leader and you need to act it.
Yelling at the Dog
Just like with good leaders out there, some like to rule with respect and love, while others like to rule with fear and oppression. If you have a tendency to yell at your dog when it does something you don’t like, sure, it may stop chewing on the pillow, or whatever you yelled at it for, but it won’t respect you.
If you yell and scream at your dog, it’s just going to make it more anxious and fearful of you. Fear does not equal respect; a fearful dog will only obey the master when it knows that it will be yelled at or punished severely, but it won’t actually respect you.
Let’s remember that over time, yelling may actually cause the dog to avoid you, which doesn’t help anybody. Yelling at a dog is a quick way to do away with any respect it may have had for you.
The Leader Eats First
Another way to help ensure that your dog respects is by eating before the dog. Dogs are pack animals and the pack leader always eats first. If your dog begs for food while you are eating, or if you have not eaten yet, then it does not really respect you.
Furthermore, if you feed your dog before you have your own meals, this is another quick way to ensure a lack of respect. By feeding the dog before feeding yourself, you are literally telling the dog that it is the pack leader, not you.
Allows You to Sleep
A sign of respect in dogs is if they let you sleep or rest whenever you choose to do so. However, a dog that jumps on your bed or wakes you up whenever it feels like does not respect you.
Entering and Exiting Rooms
Just like going for walks, a pack leader always goes first when entering or exiting a room. A dog that allows you to enter or exit a room before it does so itself is one that respects you. However, if you are walking out the door and the dog more or less pushes you out of the way to be the first one in or out, then it definitely does not respect you.
Conclusion
The foremost thing you need to do to gain your dog’s respect is to train it properly. Not only do you need to teach a dog basic commands, but you also need to continuously reassert your dominance over it. It’s all about showing that you are the pack leader in any situation.
