All of these common canine dominance and leadership behaviors were manifest in this dog. He stopped stealing and guarding toys by the 6th day. The owners all agreed that this non-confrontational approach was appealing, since they felt safe from the risk of getting bitten. The second phase of the program was then integrated. If he refused to sit or broke his position, the owners were instructed not to press the issue, but to turn away and ignore him, awaiting the next approach.
Many dogs refuse to obey when they become aware of being put in a subordinate position.
Sam did not. This routine was also applied to feedings, getting into and out of the car. All prolonged petting w as to be strictly avoided, a habit the husband had acquired during the evenings. The owners rotated the order in which they handled the dog. By the 5th week Sam was responding almost equally well to all family members.