Be a Pack Leader

To be a good pack leader is easy. You just need to provide your dog with exercise, discipline and affection. Most importantly, you must apply these things in that order.

Exercise: Primarily this means taking your dog for a walk on a daily basis for at least 45 minutes. You can also come up with games for your dog to play that will stimulate it mentally. These games should focus on activities that the dog was bred for.

Discipline: This means setting rules, boundaries, and limitations for your dog. This involves things like not giving the dog food until (s)he is sitting calmly and waiting patiently for you to put the bowl down or prohibiting access to certain areas on the property (the baby's room, the kitchen, etc).

Affection: Simply put, hugs and kisses really. Take care though and assess your dog's state of mind before providing affection as doing so will encourage the dog's state of mind at that time. If the dog is nervous or showing dominant behavior, you don't want to encourage that, so better to hold off on the affection there.

You can't be on-and-off as a pack leader. Consistency is key when it comes to raising and caring for your dog.