When I wake up in the morning, and when I come home from work at night, my puppy is so hyper and wild that I can't control him. I'm trying to use training commands, but he just won't listen. Help!
Thanks to Disney movies and Norman Rockwell pictures, dog ownership is often seen through rose-colored glasses. And while I commend you for turning to obedience commands in your time of need, you might have more success giving them to a potted plant, rather than to your puppy.
Puppies (and dogs!) who spend many hours alone—confined or not—often get too little exercise and so are often labeled "out of control" or "incorrigible," while neither is usually true. They're perceived that way because when they're finally given attention and/or freedom, they celebrate joyously—in ways that dogs find celebratory. They race around, jump up, and take drive-by nips at anything in their path, while their humans, at a total loss, shout commands at them, hoping to make an impression and regain control.
Let me spare you the suspense—it doesn't help. The anger in your voice may even make the situation worse. A better plan is to wake up earlier to feed and exercise your puppy. Then give yourself time for a few minutes of obedience training. End with a short play session before you leave for work. Inform your dog walker (if you don't have one, call one immediately) of your dog's need for more exercise. When you get home, repeat the above plan. Understand that as your dog matures—and he will, I promise!—his needs for exercise will change. This plan may seem overwhelming, but it's the reality of dog relationships. They require time and understanding in order to achieve the harmony.
My elderly dog was sleeping on my side of the bed last night. When I tried to move her over, she growled and snapped at me. She's never done this before. Is she suddenly trying to dominate me? I want to remind her that I'm the Alpha dog—the dominant one in the family. But how?
I agree that holding the position of leader of your pack is critical to a healthy dog/human relationship. But the first step, especially when it comes to an elderly dog, is to take her to your vet for a thorough checkup. More times than you can imagine, a medical cause is at the root of a sudden aggression problem, especially where an older dog is concerned. Thyroid imbalances, brain serotonin fluctuations, seizures, or loss of hearing are all conditions that can cause behavioral problems. Although the current trend with trainers seems to favor immediate domination of dogs who display aggression rather than asking, "Why did this happen?" I urge you to get your pet a checkup. After a clean bill of health, then by all means return to training. But trying to fix aggression with dominance when the root cause is a medical problem is like trying to housebreak a puppy who has a bladder infection. In both cases, you will fail.
