A common concept in the past for dog training (and being a dog owner in general) has been the idea that the owner needs to assert dominance to be respected as the “alpha” in the household. Many older trainers have recommended tactics like “alpha rolling”, where you pin down your dog on their back, exposing their belly, to show them you are in charge and they need to submit to you. Others will say to do other “alpha” moves such as biting their ear. These practices assume that there is always one dominant leader in a pack of dogs–research has found, however, that these assumptions about the alpha dog are inaccurate and ineffective.
Because dogs are related to wolves, people have assumed they function similarly in familial packs. However, researchers (including L. David Mech, the scientist who originated the phrase “alpha male”) have found that domesticated dogs do not form packs with dominant leaders; instead, they create relaxed social groups without a specified alpha.
Dogs don’t instinctively understand alpha behavior, so attempts to assert yourself as the “dominant pack member” will backfire and will not produce the results you want. Rolling your dog, biting their ear, or otherwise forcing them to submit make them cautious and fearful of you. Your relationship with them is ultimately harmed because they will stop seeing you as someone to trust, and instead someone to dread. On top of this, trying to bully your pup into submission is not teaching them what they did incorrectly, or what behavior you want to teach them. Imagine living with someone who has strict rules, but they don’t tell you what they are. Whenever you break one, they punish you–but you don’t understand what you did to upset them! We want to train our dogs using methods that are both effective, kind, and reinforceable.
Instead of demanding submission, foster a loving and trusting relationship with your dog. After all, while we do not want to harm them, we still need to correct their negative or destructive behaviors. To do this, reward them frequently for all good behaviors with yummy treats so they form positive associations with the behavior and your praise. It’s much easier to get a dog to repeat positive actions than it is to scare them out of repeating negative ones. If they are misbehaving, there are a number of ways to correct the issue without pinning them down. For example, if they are scratching or digging in a spot they shouldn’t be, redirect them to an area where they are allowed to do this such as a sandbox. Reward them for digging where they are supposed to instead of punishing them for the act of digging itself, especially because this is a natural dog behavior.
Most bad habits can be removed with proper training; while it takes longer than aggressively asserting your dominance in the moment, the effects are longer-lasting and create a stronger bond between the two of you. Your dog will also be more willing to behave well for you when they know they will receive praise and positive attention by doing it.
At Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training, we’re proud to offer training classes that employ positive reinforcement and mutual respect between dogs and owners. If you need assistance with training your dog, whether puppy or mature, call us today.
