Leader of the Pack?

Cesar says:  "Pack leaders are calm & assertive."


As I typed that sentence, I was reminded that I am NOT a pack leader.

Somewhere along the line, Cyrus became the pack leader in our house.  He believes it is his job to protect our house and 'scare away' any threat.    This would be awesome if Cyrus' idea of a 'threat' had any basis in reality. Let's face it... there's few real human threats to our homes, right?  I mean... burglars are a threat and door-to-door salespeople are annoying, but Cyrus has a different opinion.   He sits in that window waiting for the opportunity to bark away the 'bad-guys' - LOUDLY.


He hates (and I can't stress the word "hate" enough) the mailman.   I once went to a talk given by the brilliant Dr. Stanley Coren, author of many books about dog behaviour, training & psychology.   Dr. Coren said that dogs bark at the mailman because it's a learned behaviour.  Bear with me....

* starting when your dog is a wee, playful puppy, he sees Mr.Mailman walking toward the house and may playfully bark to announce a visitor (a normal, balanced, behaviour). 

*  the mailman drops your mail off & walks away. 

All normal, right?

Dr. Coren says that how dogs interpret this is:   
  
           "Here comes that guy with the big bag, walking towards MY house... and I barked
            & he left.  I'M SO POWERFUL, I'M SO DOMINANT OVER HIM"

. . . . .   and so this process goes on & on,  Mailman shows up, Cyrus barks, mailman leaves - reinforcing, everyday, that Cyrus is BOSS.      (Woe is us).

We work outside the home a lot, so it's very difficult to break this cycle.  As a matter of fact, there were several months when a particular mailman wouldn't even deliver our mail.   We were told that the delivery person feared that Cyrus would dive through the double-paned glass and attack him. 

Over the last few years, Cyrus' expert opinion of the mailman has transferred to ANYONE walking by carrying a bag, backpack or baby-bjorn.   Bark, Bark, Bark.

Its pretty much the same scenario with the paperboy, who uses a cart for his papers . . . Cyrus now believes anyone pushing a cart, wagon or baby-stroller are evil-beings who may dare walk up our driveway and throw a paper at our house !!  (apologies to little old lady who tootles by once a week with her little grocery cart in tow).

So I've listened to the  experts, I've read what Cesar says, I've tried to stay calm and deal with Cyrus losing his mind over the mailman with a cool head of my own . . .  inevitably, I end up yelling at him, yanking him away from the window, punishing him by locking him in the bedroom, etc.  I end up feeling angry & frustrated which, I KNOW, is the wrong thing to do. 

Every day I tell myself I'm going to do it better tomorrow.  Today was not that day.

Lucky us . . .  Cyrus has taught this 'delightful' behaviour to his younger puppy-brother, Leo. 

And while I'm at it (being sarcastic, I mean) . . . .  how I ADORE those dog owners out there who's dogs dutifully trot along beside them, sans-leash, obeying every command while said owner gives me a look that says "wow, your dog is a mess" - yet another thought to add to my list of things I'm noodling on for my "dog people" post.

Happy weekend!!


Bark, Bark,

Christine (the Loyal Subject).