Alpha (Fe)Male

So I'm getting a dog soon. Well, Andy (my boyfriend) and I are, anyway. We're adopting a former racing greyhound, four years old. He's about 60 lbs., has a brown/gray/black brindle coat, and is generally very reserved and sweet. I've also noticed, in the past few weeks, his distinct preference for Andy.

He's currently staying with a foster parent until the adoption process is finished (outlining the greyhound approval process is a whole other lengthy blog post), and we'll have him in about a week. In the interim, we've been stopping by to take him for walks. On these walks, he's Andy's shadow. He trots up if Andy gets a few steps ahead, looks up at him for approval, and follows all his commands. I think he likes me just fine, but there's no doubt who he considers the alpha male.

Case in point: On our most recent walk, he decided to stop, apparently having had enough for the day. I was holding the leash, and gave a tug. No dice. I used my most authoritative "Okay. Come on," command. He looked at me with a "Lady, you're crazy!" expression.

Andy took the leash. "Come on, Bud." He said, and tugged. The dog acquiesed.

I'll have plenty of time to practice my own alpha male skills over the coming weeks, I'm sure. But in the interim, I'm left wondering: Is it my petite build? My voice, that's a higher register than Andy's? Was my tug just weaker, and not convincing enough? I'm sure the dog was around mostly men at the track, and thus Andy represents something familiar, authoritative, and reassuring.

Maybe that's the issue--an alpha male doesn't wonder, he just does what he's going to do. Maybe the dog felt that wondering in my tug, heard a flicker of doubt in my tone of voice when I said the command.

But dammit--I want instant authority, too! Sadly, in the animal kingdom (or with this dog, at least), I'm going to have to earn it.