Debunking the myth - the dominance theory

For years, a lot of dog training was based on the idea of dominance. We were taught that dogs try to be dominant over each other and over us, so we had to be dominant over them to get them to do what we want. The dominance theory turned us into a set of bullies and created a whole heap of confused and worried dogs, as well as a whole heap of confused and worried owners. It also led to a relationship between us and our dogs where we felt we needed to be ‘the boss’. What happened to a dog being a man’s best friend?

Where the dominance theory came from

The dominance theory originated back in the 1940s, following studies of captive man-made wolf packs. These packs displayed quite violent conflicts which were interpreted as being their need to establish the ‘alpha’ male and female.

The argument then went that, because dogs are descended from wolves, it follows that dogs also need the ‘alpha’ structure in its pack. As dogs live in our homes with us, sometimes without another canine companion, we must be part of that pack so our dogs will then try to be our pack alpha if we don’t get there first.

It all sounds so terribly logical and, unfortunately, it does tend to work. You can often force a dog to submit to your will and it is only too easy to teach a dog to fear you – do this or else...

As well as turning us into shouting, yanking, hitting bullies, the dominance theory gave us all a set of blinkers. Because we were told that dogs are constantly trying to dominate us, we saw everything they do as being signs of dominance. If your dog jumps up he’s being dominant. If your dog won’t sit he’s being dominant. If you dog ignores you calling him he’s being dominant. And heavens help you if he wants to get on the sofa!

This, of course, meant that we didn’t stop to ask ourselves why he was in fact doing those things. Was he jumping because he was pleased to see you? Was he in fact not sitting because you hadn’t trained him properly and he didn’t understand? Was he ignoring your calls because you’d shouted at him the last time he came back?

Binning the theory – hurrah!

Thankfully for our dogs and for us owners, the dominance theory has been shown to be false, not only for domestic dogs but for wolves as well. Because the early studies had been carried out on captive wolves who had been put together in a strange environment, they did not act as a wild pack would. A wild pack is a family unit. They have grown up together, they know each other inside out, they trust each other and, who knows, maybe they even love each other. It is now blindingly obvious that this isn’t what you’d get with a mishmash of captive animals.

There is a pecking order in wild wolf packs but it is generally not established or maintained by violence. An older, more confident animal will be able to move a younger one away simply by moving him, by a look, by the common knowledge of who he is. Boundaries may get tested and an individual may get a quick reprimand, a snap usually at the head, and then it returns to harmony.

Non-dominance training

Having consigned the dominance theory and dominance based training to a landfill site where it belongs, modern trainers are using positive methods to shift focus away from forcing a dog to do something or else, and towards using his love of food, attention and us to teach him what gets great rewards.  These trainers aren’t thinking about ‘making’ a dog sit, they are looking at how to show him what you’d like and getting him to want to do it for you. Treats really are wonderful things – hey, all I have to do is sit and I get food, that’s easy!

If you need to say no, there are ways of doing it that mean something to the dog, that are very effective and are ethical at the same time. Withholding something he wants like food or a toy, doing the opposite of what he’s nagging you for, or just ignoring inappropriate behaviour are all effective training tools. You may still need to say ‘no’, but more often using one of these methods will work much, much better.

So is there no ‘pack structure’ at all?

In the same way that there is a pecking order in wild animals, there can be a pecking order in your house, including other dogs and humans. This isn’t about fighting for dominance. As the excellent American behaviourist and trainer Patricia McConnell puts it, pecking order/status is about who gets first access to resources, so by asking your dog to wait for you to go through the door first, or to wait until you say they can eat their tea you are putting yourself there as being just that notch higher, as is not giving in to every demand for a cuddle/play/food. Getting everyone in the house to do the same is really helpful too. Teaching your dog to walk to heel when you ask is another great way of establishing yourself as leader without resorting to ‘dominance’.

So what it all comes down to is this. Train your dog with positive and fun methods that he will enjoy and understand, and that you will enjoy too.

Useful videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnlbzqMbilE&index=10&list=PL0C724F6F6A597540

Further online reading
http://io9.com/why-everything-you-know-about-wolf-packs-is-wrong-502754629
http://www.apbc.org.uk/articles/why-wont-dominance-die

Books
Patricia McConnell – The Other End of the Leash
Patricia McConnell – For the Love of a Dog

Great read Liz, but, are we not practising dominance, all be it without violence, in everything we do with our dogs. Everything from what and when it eats, sleeps, how and when it's walked, plays or poops is down to us?
Pete

I don't see that as dominance, more as leadership. It may not be exactly in accordance with dictionary definitions but for me there is a difference between providing a structure and saying what is acceptable behaviour within our different environments (leadership) and demanding that your dog complies or else (dominance).

One of the reasons I make the distinction is that for many (most?) people, dominance implies a certain force, a threat, and gives no room for the other party to have any say at all. They dominate, and it's a you vs me feeling, and I don't think that's what we should have with our dogs.

The other big reason I dislike the term dominance is that so many behaviours are attributed to dominance and once we've stuck that label on it we look no further. Here's an example from our (un)favourite trainer, Mr Milan himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKxTMWT9_t8

What? not wanting to be cuddled is due to dominance. Oh for heavens sakes!

Another book suggestion - Patricia's how to be the leader of the pack book? I've just ordered it but it sounds like it could offer some suggestions of leadership that work! Love has no age limit arrived in the post today

Love has no age limit is brilliant, you'll love it.

Fully subscribe to this especially as I work the dogs and require quite a lot of discipline from them. "Alpha" is an old outdated myth. in terms of human interaction and part of the pack I see myself as provider. my dogs know I'm not a dog, I look nothing like one, act like one (questionable) smell, eat or even toilet like one so how can i be this mystical "Alpha" dog. I cant, so what can I do? I build trust, I give orders that they follow but they also free will when they realize I have got something wrong usually getting us out of trouble. we have a mutual respect and know our strengths and weaknesses, they know when I ask them to do something its for a reason and do it. I tell them to move left, right, slow or speed up and they do it because we are at one, a team and the only time they disobey is when they see something I haven't so i will follow them, trust is a two way street.
Shouting and bawling at the dog to gain some kind of higher level over them may work but you will never have the joy of working together as your building a partnership on fear.
one example I see alot is when a dog runs off full of the joy of finding something new and exciting, owner calls it back, calls back again and again... owner gets frustrated and when the dog does come back it is submitted to a verbal barrage. dog thinks, why did i come back? I just got told off for it! so next time will be harder. I lost my guys in the woods when they broke the lines and went missing for 20 mins, when they came back I fussed them up so much, (dogs mind) job well done guys you came back... if it happens again they wont be afraid to come straight back as coming back is now praise worthy.
and to finish, one of the scientists responsible for the alpha myth did actually try and get the book he wrote recalled but its such a good seller the publishers have refused, here is Dr David Mech in his own words explaining why his alpha theory is floored.
http://www.davemech.org/news.html

Nathan wrote:
http://www.davemech.org/news.html

thanks for this link. I'll be reading this and no doubt, referring to it often during my youtube battles with idiots.

100% agree with this