If you are like most daycare and boarding proprietors, you hear a lot of barking. There’s also the jumping, humping, nipping, and of course the occasional fights. None of us enjoy breaking up a fight and having to tell a client, “Your dog got a little boo-boo today.” It’s not always as fun as people think, is it? I’m here to tell you it can be!

I learned to “speak dog” many years ago by watching my regal German Shepherd, Cleo. She would walk over to rowdy dogs, offering a low growl, and they would immediately stop acting up. If they didn’t, she would give them a quick, controlled bite, and they stopped. She left a message, not a mark. By watching how she carried herself, the behavior she corrected, and how she did it, I was able to emulate her and achieve similar results. A fresh, excited Lab once bumped into her, and she gave her a good message: “Don’t you ever bump into me again!” Again, no marks. Just a good, clear message. Next time the dog gave her plenty of space when running past her.

This is how we manage our daycare. We reject upon evaluation only the dogs we believe have bad intentions. Rude dogs, fearful dogs, bold dogs – we accept them all, because we know we’ll be able to help them check their egos at the door. No dogs are allowed to bully the fearful dogs. All dogs enjoy a great time, because they are secure and calm. Fearful dogs come out of their shells, because they know we will protect them. Everyone goes home tired, happy, and feeling good about their next visit.

The root of behavioral problems stems from not having mental control over the dogs in one’s care. If you and your staff can change your perspectives and learn to think and act like a dog – the alpha dog – the dogs in your care will start treating you like the leader because they respect you. This means they will listen to you, so they will be much easier to “reach” and connect with no matter what the situation. This makes for a much happier, peaceful and quiet environment, meaning happier dogs, happier clients, and happier staff.

Chances are you’ve built a successful business by demonstrating leadership skills in many aspects of your work.

Here are some keys to combining your leadership skills with a “think and act like a dog” approach to create a calm, comfortable, happy environment for everyone:

When taking a dog into daycare, first slow him down and get him “under your thumb” so he realizes he answers to you. Bump the dog with your foot or knee to startle him. Think to yourself (not aloud), “How dare you charge past me like that?” Take a step into the dog’s space so he backs up. He should look up at you with a look that says, “Oops! Sorry.” Take three deep, calming breaths to solidify your message.

Now enter with the dog. Notice how much more subdued the dog is. This is called “checking egos at the door.” It is guaranteed to have immediate impact on calming the atmosphere, which means fewer altercations, and everyone is going to enjoy their day much more.

If a new shy dog is afraid to come in, we have someone on the inside backing up the dogs from crowding the door, and we allow the nervous dog to come in when ready. This sometimes means standing in the doorway with an open door for several minutes. Once inside, we push back all the dogs that want to crowd and inspect the new dog until the dog is less nervous. Dogs with a soft approach are allowed to sniff unless the nervous dog feels the need to react (i.e. snap).

Remember to avoid relying on talking to the dogs to get what you want. Dogs, of course, don’t speak English. Imagine yourself in a foreign country. If you get plopped into downtown Tokyo and everyone is speaking Japanese to you, you will probably become very stressed. Have you ever listened to people speak another language in front of you? You typically just tune them out right? That’s what dogs do, too! I’m not saying they don’t understand a few words here and there, but it is definitely English as a Second Language!

Dogs’ native tongue is energy, attitude, and body language. The key to thinking like the leader dog is to stay calm, cool, and collected. Excitement is a weak, undesirable energy. Look around at the dominant dogs in your care. I don’t mean aggressive, but dominant. They walk tall, stand tall, and they walk – saunter – past dogs who then just back away, relinquishing space. They aren’t bullies. They don’t growl or attack. They just have a no-nonsense attitude about them, which dogs respect. They have a “presence” about them. This should be your approach as well.

One way to practice is to walk up to any dog in your care, front facing. Does the dog look right up at you with a soft face? If not, give the dog a nudge and a firm look. You now have their attention, and they will start to see you as a dominant figure. Once you can get any and all dogs in your care to look up at you with a soft face and a low, humble tail by front-facing them without talk or touch, you can quietly command the room. As a result, you can keep the peace, because they respect you and trust you. You will be able to prevent dog play from getting too intense. If you can walk into the middle of two roughhousing dogs and back them both up with just your posturing, you can bring down the intensity level, preventing a possible fight. The dogs will be able to play in a more relaxed manner, and the nervous dogs will come out of their shells faster.

Now let’s look at ways to stop unwanted behaviors such as jumping, barking, nipping, or humping. Dogs jump out of excitement, but they won’t do it to someone they respect once you show them that it is not acceptable. When a dog jumps on you, flick him off with your knee. Using your hands isn’t optimal. Take a step forward so the dog backs up. Lean in and give him a dirty look. Think “How dare you?” Count three breaths. The more you keep regulated breathing, the calmer you will be and the more responsive the dog will be. You won’t appear out of control and irrational. Think of how a dominant dog would act with a fresh young dog jumping in his face. Bottle that attitude!

If a dog is barking, calmly go over to him without a word and give him a firm bump with your knee. He should stop and look up at you. The key here is “without a word”! Inclination is often to chat away, adding to the chaos. The quieter you are, the more effective you will be at “playing dog.” The key is to stand there looking at him with a scowl on your face (think of a dog’s growling) until he stops.

When you see one dog getting ready to hump, go over to him and, without a word, give him a firm nudge. Stare at him until he lowers his head. He has to change his mind to prevent him from going back again, so give it a few seconds (count breaths, not seconds). Humping is a privilege in the dog world, and he (or she!) shouldn’t think they can get away with it on your watch.

Nipping is another fresh behavior, mostly from young pups who haven’t yet learned manners. With the leadership skills you develop from these methods, you can control nipping. It’s showing a dog you are not to be treated that way and are not going to allow it. Follow the same instructions for controlling jumping.

Once you and your staff are able to command respect and attention, you will find your facility will be quieter and a lot more peaceful. As a result, the dogs and your staff will be happier. The dogs will play at a lower, more manageable intensity level, which prevents dog fights. Nervous dogs will feel more secure in a bully-free zone. You can feel good about allowing dogs that may be not welcome at other daycares, because you and your staff can control minor behavior problems. You will see a difference in demeanor, and so will your clients. Our clients are thrilled that their dogs with previous social awkwardness are now able to walk down the street with ease, and yours will too.

Laurie Wagner, owner and founder of Doggie Fun and Fitness, LLC in Kingston, MA, and professional member of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals) since 2006, has been a professional dog trainer for 13 years. She opened her daycare and training facility to integrate proper socialization as a key component that was missing from a lot of dog training. She has recently launched her national Walk This Way program to better educate the public on the benefits of proper dog walking and how socialization can help balance a dog with behavior problems. You can view videos of all these and other demonstrations at http://www.youtube.com/laurieandcleo.

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