There is ongoing confusion regarding the idea of being a dog’s “leader”, being the “alpha”, and controlling a dog’s dominance. Thus… the “Dog Whisperer” phenomenon, or all those new social media trainers who are telling you that the beginning of fixing your dog’s dominance problems is to sign up for their e-collar program. Let me give you a simplified way of diagnosing if you are having a dominance problem with your dog.
Dominance refers to which dog, in a relationship, of the same sex, and of the same social status, consistently and predictably wins competitions over “resources”. The “alphas” refers to the two, male and female, intact and bonded male and female pair in a pack (thus, that has nothing to do with you).
What stimulates a dominance fight? Fights can break out when rank order is disturbed by one dog behaving contrary to their perceived status or rank, or when neither has yet established a rank within their shared status.
Here are examples of situations which generally are not demonstrations of dominance related problems towards the owner. Dogs which:
Pull you down the street on a leash
Run past you out the front door
Get on your furniture
Jump on you when greeting you when you come in the door
Lunge and bark at other dogs on a walk
Steal socks and underwear
Chew on furniture or walls
Howling, barking when alone
Demonstrate Separation anxiety
Are fearful of __
Bark at the TV
Want to play and keep bringing you a toy
Don’t like car rides
Don’t like going to the vet or groomer
Open cabinets and doors
Don’t obey commands that haven’t ever been diligently taught in a good way
Are hard to leash up or not accepting of a harness
Hate the vacuum cleaner
Follow you around the house
Are fighting with other dogs in the home
Chase cars
Aren’t calm
Are acting in a servile manner towards you or anyone else
Provoke you with sham threats to get you to interact with them
Are puppies and chase and nip the kids when they run around the yard
Are puppies that nip your hands, clothes or pull at your shoe laces
Do you have a dominance problem with your dog? Are you are experiencing real threats from your dog?
Plan accordingly.