Dominant Dogs
Is the dog on top trying to dominate the dog on the bottom?
I have been hearing an exorbitant amount of behavior either being excused away, or explained as Dominant. “Dominant”, “Alpha”, & “Passive” are a few of the “catch phrase” words you will rarely hear me use. I think they are: over-used, mis-used, & their true scientific definitions thoroughly mis-understood by the fast majority of the human population.
Back to the picture: Q. Is the dog on top trying to dominate the dog on the bottom? A. **NO** this is a picture of a playful pup going “Ker-Plop” on a playmate. Soft facial expression, loosey-goosey body language, dog NOT looking at other dog, curved tail held in-line with the spine all put this picture into the “Play” Category. Be wary of any advise you are given that includes “It’s because your dog is trying to dominate you” or “that means you have a dominant dog”
“…we have to stop letting fluffy on the back of the couch because he is trying to dominate us.” said the owners of a toy breed who was under a year of age. Anybody have a dog who HATES looking out the window? Hides from windows? Me neither. You have a young inquisitive dog, who the only way to see outside is to stand on something! What young, healthy, athletic dogs DON’T climb & jump on things if only to jump back off & do it again?! Why should your dog spend the rest of it’s life with such an ugly (untrue) label.
“…we have a puppy under 4mo of age who is always biting our feet & trying to dominate us.” Ever watch 2 dogs play? Do they have opposable thumbs? No, dogs play with their mouths so it is NATURAL that they would try to play with us in the same manner that they play with their own species. Appropriate? No. Should you shape that desire to play to something more PC? Absolutely. Dominant or Aggressive? No.
“…never let your dog out the door first to show you are dominant over them.” I have an interior door & a storm door at my house entrance, & *technically* my dogs go out first 70-90% of the time as I release them through as I stand between both doors holding them both open (& closing them after me). Are my dogs allowed to go through ANY entrance WITHOUT permission? No. I require all my dogs to wait for their Release Word before going through a door (it saves me the drama of The Escape Game) And when you are taking your dog for a walk, leash manners are hard enough—make it easier by STARTING with a loose leash accomplished by making your dog wait before going through the door.
Because here’s the thing about Leadership. Naturally confident & self-assured people don’t run around telling people “I’m a Leader! I’m a Leader! I’m a Leader!” Typically people (& dogs) who are spending all their time “proving” how big & bad & tough & important they are (schoolyard bullies) are ACTUALLY very insecure about themselves!! 9 times out of 10 when you have housemates fighting the one picking all the fights is the opposite of dominant. Confident dogs AVOID conflict, and they have no need or desire to run around “flexing” to everyone. So let it go! If you don’t want your dog on the back of the couch, let’s talk about teaching some alternative behaviors. Don’t like you puppy nipping hands & feet? Let’s teach them appropriate ways to play with us. Let’s STOP all this Dominance Theory talk, because (to quote my HS teacher) “That’s BOGUS!!”