Control and lack there of

Control, how important is it to you? I was thinking about control yesterday when I took all three of my dogs to the field for a run. As soon as it was apparent that Jessie was coming along with the poodles Luke is wired. There is definite control issues in my house and most stem from Luke. Jessie likes being in control but she is not crazed by it like Luke. And because it is such an issue with Luke; he becomes out of control; something that I cannot tolerate.

He spins and starts his whine barking which I do not enjoy. And yesterday he gave me some back talk when I asked him to sit and wait until I locked the front door. He still did what he was told; just barely. He was like the pebble in a slingshot at the ready to fly. I really hate when he gets like this but mixing his control issues with his reactive behavior and there you have Luke. What he is concerned with is being first; first out the door, first to the car, first in and out of the car. But he is last and I keep it this way. Somedogs want to be in charge but should never be given the position in a pack.


I like having control; I do not enjoy when things are out of my control. I am by no means a control freak; I try very hard in life to worry about the big things and let the little things fall where they may. But when it comes to my dogs I like control, I like them to do what they are told and to listen when I speak. This is something that is very important that you know about yourself when choosing a dog; how much training are you willing to put into a dog? Some dogs are much more difficult to train and keep under control than others.

I know people who have very strong dogs, not physically but mentally; the type you have to stay on top of pretty much their whole life. People who have these dogs need to be very strong, in charge types. If you take a very meek person who does not take charge and mix them with an in charge breed; you get big issues. The same goes the other way, a meek non pushy dog with an aggressive control freak guardian and again there will be issues.

Many breeds need a high level of training, some need a minimal amount. Of course all dogs can use ongoing high levels but to live a balanced day to day life there are extreme differences. It is the humans who need to take control, bottom line. So how much work you are willing to put into day to day life is really the big question. Being a person who likes calm controlled behavior I have implemented many rules to do just that. My girls are very calm and do not become loopy like Luke does so they have very few rules that need enforcing.

Luke on the other hand is a pusher; he loves to push when he can and who he can. Rules must be enforced with him; he has a big head and if allowed he would be one of those chest out and beating on it types. This is not a normal standard poodle trait; but like I said in an earlier post they are all very different. And wouldn't life be so boring if they were all the same?