Huddle over a dog? Does that work?

Question

My friend uses a strange technique with her dog, when the dog misbehaves or is annoying her, my friend gets angry and will huddle over it, not suffocating it or anything, just staying like that for 2-4 min. Does that really work in showing the dog that you're the dominant one and in charge?

Answer 1

All this dominate the dog stuff was shown to be a lousy idea back in the 1990s.  Dogs need a good leadership figure, not to be dominated.  Huddling like that over a dog would maybe work with some, make others fearful and still other dogs could snap.  There are far better ways to work with your dog.  Look into clicker training.  There are many great websites dedicated to clicker training.

Answer 2

Sounds strange to me... like he curls up in a ball over the dog?  That's not "dominant" body language to my knowledge.  Standing tall overtop of the dog, not huddling over it, is usually considered dominant behavior.

Answer 3

That's a good way to get bit, and also to create a very unstable, unpredictable dog. The better way is to stand right next to the dog and look straight ahead, close enough to touch their side but not pushing into the dog. If the dogs moves, you take a step right with it. If you want them to move, you step a little more into them and they should give way to you. Never assume an aggressive huddle over a dog or stare at them.

Answer 4

No, that sounds like your friend has a serious problem and needs to get some help.  He has no idea why she is doing this strange behavior (and neither do I for what's it worth).  A gentle reprimand or a firm no should be enough to show your dog that they did something that you don't find acceptable.  

Answer 5

Your friend sounds like she has some control issues.

If her dog is misbehaving or annoying, it mostly likely has some unspent energy. She'd have a better relationship with her dog if she did some obedience training and some fun agility training, or simply took her dog for a long walk to tire her out.

Answer 6

i dont stand over my dog for 2 to 4 mins but when they misbehave i do come up very close to them and look down at them, it asserts that you are the dominant one and thats how its gonna stay and they better listen!!! just do it for like 5-15 secs, its long enough, i think 2-4 mins may scare a dog. i dont really believe in this new style of teaching dogs where they get a treat for everything they do right..... its like so what do they get for misbehaving then??? it really works for me.

Answer 7

you should watch Its Me Or The Dog, that's exactly the wrong thing too do. The dog isn't going to think the owner is dominate. To show that the owner is dominate they should do something diffirent, like if the dog eats before the owner, a big no-no. The owner should eat first, as in a wolf pack, The more dominate eat first. Ect.