Yielding for Kids by Dick Russell

The reason that Yielding works with any group living animal is that that it mimics an aspect of all group living animals social behavior which isthat dominant animals control space as a form of ritualistic posturing.

A problem with Yielding where there are young kids in a family, is that some dogs simply will not accept the kid as "dominant."  I have worked with kids, who though they gave it their best shot just could not get the dog to move.

Several years back I solved this problem by having the kids teach the dog a trick - to shake hands.  You may have noticed that quite often when a younger or softer dog approaches a more dominant one that the younger will sit and offer a paw.  It is either a submissive or an appeasing move.  Whichever, and even when taught as a trick, it has had the power to raise the kid to a leadership position.

About three months ago I added another trick which seems to be giving us the same results.  We teach the dog to Roll Over.  Like Yielding and Shaking Hands, this mimics the dog's social moves.

I think that we have all pretty much educated one another to the fact that the once ballyhooed Alpha Roll is a bad move, because in the dog's world there is no such thing as an Alpha Roll.  Alpha doesn't roll anyone cause Alpha doesn't have to roll anyone.  What happens is that submissive dog does the work for Alpha.  He rolls over and exposes his throat and soft underside to Alpha as if to say, "Oh mighty one, do to me as you would do." 

Rolling over for a treat seems to put the dog in the same frame of mind.  It seems, and my numbers at this point are rather limited, to give the kid the same advantages that Yielding gives to an adult.  I'm not ready to swear to it just yet, but it sure looks like it to me.

Those of you who work with families where there are "issues" between the dog and the kids, might want to add this (and the handshake) to your toolbag.  They both have the added advantage is that the tricks can be taught by an adult and then the kid can do them.

Dick Russell