Unholy Terror
When a dog is transported to a new home which lacks a strong pack leader, it can lead to fear and insecurity. Jerry the German Shepherd had been adopted by an order of monks who once he arrived, were expecting him to project guarding behavior and were confused when he did not. Jerry’s insecurity by the lack of direction in his new home resulted in him running away from the monastery. By running away, Jerry may have been trying to find a place where he could return to a normal state-of-mind.
After Jerry was found and returned to the monks, the dog sensed that they still didn’t know what to do with him, which made him even more insecure and his resulting behavior was misinterpreted as aggression. But Jerry’s instincts were telling him, “Okay, nobody’s going to protect me, I have to protect myself.”
Remember, if you become fearful in front of an insecure dog, you are displaying a weaker energy than him. That gives him leverage over you. What you need to do instead is get back to the basics. Focus on the walk and projecting calm-assertive energy. This is the most important part of establishing yourself as a pack leader with a new dog.
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4 Comments
While watching the "Unholy Terror" segment about Jerry the German Shepard I was curious about Cesar's thoughts on the concept of the guard dog. Is it possible for a well balanced dog to be an effective security guard and also be trusted around guests? If so, how does such a dog distinguish intruder from guest?
As an avid fan of the show - and also a first time dog owner - I learned about the idea of transferring one's "energy" to one's dog. I have to agree with the idea that if you're nervous when around the dog - about anything at all - the dog will pick up on it. If I tense up, so does he.
My dog, a golden-doodle, had never seen a horse before we encountered one grazing on someone's front lawn during a walk one morning! I made up my mind I wasn't going to "feel" anxious about his reaction and we slowly approached the horse who was calmly grazing. My dog was obviously concerned. He'd never seen such a large animal. He clearly wanted to get away but I stayed calm and we continued the approach until we were right beside the animal. The two sniffed each other and the horse moved slightly which made the dog nervous but I said, confidently "It's Ok..". The horse returned to grazing and my dog visibly calmed down. Same thing when we encountered a front-end loader at a noisy construction site. I stayed calm and walked confidently ahead. My dog, who was skittish and afraid, ultimately stayed calm and walked on too. It has to have something to do with the person on the other end of the leash!
I'm delighted to be learning about dogs from this show - especially since I have no prior experience with dogs to mess me up! Thanks Cesar! Thanks NG Channel!
When will you put the "Unholy Terror" (Jerry the German Shepherd) video clip on your website?
It ws excellent -- and very uplifting
Cesar,
I have been a long time fan of your show. I am absolutely crushed that you are sponsored by IAMS. With all your knowledge and love of animals, could you not choose a cruelty-free sponsor? I beg of you, either begin your own cruelty free pet line or find another sponsor.
For more information on IAMS animal cruelty , please see here MODERATOR'S NOTE: URL DELETED. PLEASE DO NOT POST OUTSIDE LINKS TO THE BLOG -- THEY WILL BE DELETED. THANK YOU.
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