Submitted by Laura Pakis, owner and founder of Acme Canine

Dogs are part of our lives and families. We want to take them everywhere. We buy them the best food and their favorite toys. We love them like furry little children. But they are still dogs and need to be treated as such. Sound harsh? To your dog, it makes sense.

To understand why your canine companion is treating you like a dog, you need to better understand the way they think. In this day and age, it is very trendy to rationalize your dog’s actions or explain away bad behaviors. It is unfair to humanize dogs by projecting our emotions onto them. People sometimes forget they are animals and don’t have the same thought process humans do. They can’t be expected to always make the same decisions we would.

Change the roles in your home. Your dog needs to know you are the leader of the household pack. Companion dogs are descendants of wolves, and they still have a pack mentality. It is your job as leader to meet your dog’s basic needs, give lots of love and attention, define a social structure and keep your pet safe from harm.

If your dog is certain that you are doing the job well and that he does not have to continue to vie for the “top dog” position, it will remove a lot of pressure from his shoulders. He can relax, get comfortable and enjoy being a dog. Ninety percent of behavior problems can be addressed by clarifying your position and changing your interactions with your dog.

Dogs communicate with body language and eye contact. You want to remove as much of that as possible to avoid mixed signals. To a dog, excessive eye contact is either intimidating or a challenge. Neither of those are what you want to communicate. Body language is how your dog reads your intentions and interactions. It is a lot to process if you are screaming and chasing after them.

For the next few weeks, keep a leash on your dog and let him drag it around. Only do this while you are home to supervise his safety. Do not keep it on him while he is in the crate. If you need to correct your dog, step on or grab the leash. It is best to teach your dog appropriate behaviors by setting up the situation. This shows you are in control of the situation and defines the desirable response.

Consistency is the key to success. If you are inconsistent with your dog, you are confusing him. Dogs learn by repetition, and they learn that a behavior is either right or wrong. Dogs do not have a gray area and do not generalize. It is your job to clearly define the rules. They need structure and boundaries in their lives. It takes time and effort, but you can have a wonderful, rewarding relationship with your dog.

Some people may dream of a dog who can put his own toys away, and some just want the dog to stop urinating in their home. Maybe you fall somewhere in between. Whatever your end goal is, you should know that you are not asking too much. With positive guidance and effective correction, your relationship will improve.

Pakis created Acme Canine in 2004 to bring professional, knowledgeable and caring dog training out of stores and to the home, where dogs misbehave the most. Since its formation, Acme Canine has expanded built a larger facility to better serve the central Ohio dog owner community. Keeping with its mission, Acme Canine continues to utilize a variety of innovative and individualized techniques to teach dog and owner a positive method of living and learning together.

As of June 17, 2011, this service provider was highly rated on Angie’s List. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check AngiesList.com for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angie’s List.