Dogs have a pack mentality. They need someone to be the leader. If they do not get that leadership from a person in their “pack,” then they may try to become the leader.
This can be problematic because the dog may be harder to control and harder to train. That, in turn, can make it more likely that the dog will bite someone because the owner may not be able to stop it or get the dog to listen when it matters most.
Many people do not even realize that the dog thinks it is the leader, rather than the owner. Here are a few signs:
- The dog actively comes to the owner in the morning and wakes them up.
- When the owner is getting food, the dog acts like it expects to eat first.
- When the owner and the dog go through a door, the dog darts ahead and enters first.
- The dog often takes possessions from the owner, like shoes or even food.
- The dog attempts to play constantly, showing that it thinks the person is a playmate, not a leader.
- The dog ignores direct commands, even as simple as a call to come into the house.
- When the owner tries to walk to the dog, it always pulls and is hard to keep in line.
- The dog constantly sits on places where the owner wants to sit, like the couch or a bed.
When an owner does not train a dog properly and cannot control the animal, it can have catastrophic results. Those who get injured need to know what legal options they have to seek compensation.