Why do people believe dog behavior is all about domiance, when experts have disproven this?
Dogs are amazing creatures, more complex than humans want to believe. Yet, the whole school of thought that all behavior is about status seeking and dominance leaves out most dog behavior and raises more questions than it answers. Yet, people seem determined to believe canid behavior is simply that black and white.
http://www.4pawsu.com/dogpsychology.htm
Alpha, as defined by Dr. Patricia McConnell is having first access to the resources.
Pack dynamics as studied in wolves is not very applicable to dogs. Dogs are not wolves, thousands of years of selecting for friendliness to humans has altered a lot of things. Plus, the nature of wolf packs is highly changeable based on the resources available.
Leadership is not the same as dominating. Ghandi was a leader people chose to respect. Saddam Hussein was a bully who lead for awhile.
My source of information is Drs. Ray Coppinger, Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell, Nicholas Dodman, Jean Dodds. And people like Jean Donaldson, Suzanne Clothier, Nicole Wilde, and way more than I can write. And years of study and practice working with dogs. The website just puts it together beautifully.
No, these theories are current. Old school is forcing dogs to "submit" physically.
The Alpha wolf doesn’t always go first.
the site I pointed to is not my site, I wish I had it together enough to gather that much great information in one place. However, that site is a treasure trove of excellent material, based on the science of dog study and not the superstitions of "that’s the way we always did on t’farm" and the nonsense of our calm assertive energy.
Filed under: Dog Training
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Great site!! I have five dogs, and I train them for obedience, so they are mentally stimulated………they respect me because I give decent rewards for their work. I am the supplier of the food, and that’s about it!!
Some people have this belief that the "pack leader" needs to go through the door first, that their dog should never get on the furniture, that the owner should eat first. (How on earth does a dog work out that when the owner eats first, that makes him/her the "pack leader"??) My dogs all get on the furniture, they usually go throught the door first, I play with them on the floor, etc. Yet when I say "Down" or whatever, they obey instantly…..not because I forced them to obey me, but because my training has been based on positive reinforcement. We are all one big family, as a real wolf pack actually is. The so-called "pack leader" of wolves does not necessarily go "in front" as someone said. He may, or may not, instigate the "ritual" which is the precursor to a hunt. He will very often play with puppies, and let them play with his tail and climb over him……he is, in fact, very tolerant to his off-spring and his family. He does not necessarily eat first at the kill, and will often regurgitate in order that the females and pups eat.
Interesting discussion!! :-))
I’m with YOU !!!! Thank-You
What’s an alpha dog then?
Well, dogs need to have sme sort of an Alpha, just look at how a dog pack operates. I have seen this clearly-if you don’t lead, the dog will. They don’t care who leads, but someone has to! But being dominat over a dog is simple and doesn’t require screaming or hitting a dog like some people think…
Awesome question! I’m with you.
I think some people are simply on a power trip. They want to DEMAND respect when all you have to do is spend time training. Most people I come across that claim their dogs are dominant, have dominance issues themselves.
I have talked to so many people that had simple issues that escalated into serious ones, because the were attempting to execute some sort of "dominance" exercises. It’s just crazy.
I love your site, by the way! So much great info in one place!
And your source of information is a website????
I think that science as proved the opposite of what you are claiming. I agree that dogs are complex creatures, yet they are still governed by instict and that instinct compels them to live in a pack ruled by an alpha which is the DOMINANT dog. I think your theories are what’s old school.
You have got a point - canids, wild and domesticated, are amazing creatures. I’m afraid that is where your point ends.
The whole idea of dominance has been misconstrude. Dominance does not mean physically being dominant. Rarely ever will you see a dominant dog need to exercise its dominance physically. You will however see the dominant dog in a group eat first, walk IN FRONT of the pack, reprimand unwanted behavior, and even choose who gets to socialize when and with whom. The dominant dog in a pack controls every aspect of that pack without having to get physically aggressive with any other member. This is what owners should strive for because it leads to an overall balanced dog. And really, when you boil it down, it really is that black and white. A dog won’t act out of order when its alpha is present. I challenge anyone to SCIENTIFICALLY prove that a dog thinks rationally as we humans do. Their behavior is 100% based on instinct. They are not compassionate, emotional animals. They do not rationalize why it isn’t a good idea to chew your couch or your visitors. They instinctually behave. You give me one expert who has disproven that canid behavior is all about instincts (which then directly ties into pack order) and I will show you someone making up the data.
Our domestic dogs need leadership. I’ve been told they are equivalent, in some ways, to a 2 year old human in cognitive ability. They are amoral. They do not understand that breaking the human rules is wrong or bad. They just learn that it garners them negative consequences in the presence of the human.
True leadership isn’t about physically pushing others around. It isn’t about being controlling or bossy or intimidation. It IS about respect, and keeping one another safe. It is about seeing to the needs of those you are leading, even if those needs are to enforce structure and manners.
There are leaders that earn respect by their acts and how they live: Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, JFK, etc.
There are people who take leadership by force: Hitler, Saddam Hussein, the class bully.
You may choose not to cross the school bully to his face, but you will never offer respect in any lasting form.
Dominance is a term overused in relation to dog behavior. And Alpha should be thrown out, as it is a catchword not fully understood by most people tossing it casually about.