Dogs Are Dogs, Wolves Are Wolves, and Nobody Rolls Anyone…
by Heather Morris, CPDT-KA
Weekly I receive calls from dog owners looking for help with a behavior issue. The issues run the full gamut, from difficulty with house training, puppy biting, leash reactivity, to everything in between. However, a common denominator plays out repeatedly.
I constantly hear dog owners describe their dog as dominant, and I listen as they describe a series of events culminating in their pinning the dog down on their back in hopes of stopping a behavior. The details are always slightly different, some people describe pinning and growling, some incorporate a hard stare, others stand over their dog. The events described above are all variations of a technique called the “alpha roll.”
I wondered: Where do dog owners get the idea this is a good tactic to deal with behavior issues? When I ask, the most common responses include: another dog owner suggested it, I watched it on a television show, and I read a book that advocated the technique. It is clear by the responses that these people have good intentions. They are trying to be responsible, and raise well-mannered dogs, however their information comes from bad sources that provide outdated and incorrect information.
Dog owners are led to believe that their dog’s behavior is a result of the dog striving for dominance. So what is dominance? The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior defines dominance as a relationship between individual animals that is established by force/aggression and submission, to determine who has priority access to resources such as food, preferred resting spots, and mates. Dominance-related behaviors are very rare in human-dog relationships, and we should not assume dogs are striving for an alpha role in the household. Furthermore, being dominant is not a personality trait. Hopefully, this fact will help some dog owners rest easy at night, now knowing that dogs are NOT plotting to take over the world.
The “alpha roll” became a part of the dog training world as a result of a research study of captive wolves in the 1930s and 40s. This research is outdated and has been disproved by current studies of wolves in their natural habitat. The Monks of New Skete advocated the alpha role in their first edition of How To Be Your Dog’s Best Friend (1978), and have since retracted and apologized for the advice in their second edition. Current research tells us wolves do not physically roll each other and pin each other down, unless they have intentions to kill. Instead, what you see is lower-ranking wolves showing their subordinate status by offering an appeasement gesture of submissively rolling on their back.
So how did this submissive roll become so skewed that it became the “alpha roll?” Furthermore, when did our beloved Golden Retriever become a wolf? It’s easy to see why there is so much confusion, dogs are after all cousins of the wolf and many people feed their dogs an ancestral diet, so why shouldn’t we use wolves as a model for understanding dog behavior? For simplicity let us just say: wolves are wolves, dogs are dogs, and people are people.
Still not convinced about why you should think twice before opting to “roll’ your dog? Perhaps the following will shed more light on the topic. Aggressive displays are usually a result of fear and anxiety. Pinning your dog to the ground does nothing to change the underlying emotions causing the behavior, which are the root to solving it. Yes, you may see a suppression in the aggressive behavior, but you have most likely exasperated the problem by increasing fear and anxiety. Or, you may see the exact opposite, an increase in aggression as your dog becomes afraid and threatened by you. When dogs are scared, they have two choices, flight or fight; this is a survival mechanism. When you pin your dogs, you take their choice away, and they has no alternative but to fight for their lives. As a result, your dog loses trust in your ability to protect him and becomes fearful of you. But wait, that was not your intention—you love your dog and just want to teach him to be a well-mannered canine member in the community.
Instead, teach your dog by being a good leader. Wikipedia describes leadership as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” There are many leaders in the world and each has their own style. For example, Gandhi’s leadership style is one of the most influential and is considered non-traditional, strategic, empowering, energizing, and without force. He believed in working in partnership for the greater good. On the other hand, Fidel Castro, another world leader, is known as a tyrant ruling with an iron fist, domineering and oppressing people.
There is no doubt dogs need leadership to become well mannered companions that enjoy life and know your household rules. Good leaders are consistent and know what they want (all family members need to stick to the same rules). That environment creates trust and gives your dog confidence that you can guide him. He will know what is expected on a daily basis.
A good leader is consistent and dependable, has good communication skills, is trustworthy, a partner, someone who rewards good behaviors, and who uses sound scientifically based training principles. A good leader is not dominant, does not force dogs into submission, is not oppressive, does not use punishment by physical correction, does not invoke fear to get desired behaviors, and does not intentionally add stress.
What kind of leader do you wish to be?
References
Heather Morris, CPDT-KA is the owner of Spot On Training, LLC and lives on Capitol Hill with her two Dalmatians. Spot On Training offers group classes in our studio, private training sessions, FREE puppy play, phone consultations, and mini series targeted on specific behaviors. To learn more follow is on Facebook and Twitter, visit www.spotondogtrainingdc.com or email heather@spotondogtrainingdc.com
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Dogs Are Dogs, Wolves Are Wolves, and Nobody Rolls Anyone…
Dogs Are Dogs, Wolves Are Wolves, and Nobody Rolls Anyone…
by Heather Morris, CPDT-KA
Weekly I receive calls from dog owners looking for help with a behavior issue. The issues run the full gamut, from difficulty with house training, puppy biting, leash reactivity, to everything in between. However, a common denominator plays out repeatedly.
I constantly hear dog owners describe their dog as dominant, and I listen as they describe a series of events culminating in their pinning the dog down on their back in hopes of stopping a behavior. The details are always slightly different, some people describe pinning and growling, some incorporate a hard stare, others stand over their dog. The events described above are all variations of a technique called the “alpha roll.”
I wondered: Where do dog owners get the idea this is a good tactic to deal with behavior issues? When I ask, the most common responses include: another dog owner suggested it, I watched it on a television show, and I read a book that advocated the technique. It is clear by the responses that these people have good intentions. They are trying to be responsible, and raise well-mannered dogs, however their information comes from bad sources that provide outdated and incorrect information.
Dog owners are led to believe that their dog’s behavior is a result of the dog striving for dominance. So what is dominance? The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior defines dominance as a relationship between individual animals that is established by force/aggression and submission, to determine who has priority access to resources such as food, preferred resting spots, and mates. Dominance-related behaviors are very rare in human-dog relationships, and we should not assume dogs are striving for an alpha role in the household. Furthermore, being dominant is not a personality trait. Hopefully, this fact will help some dog owners rest easy at night, now knowing that dogs are NOT plotting to take over the world.
The “alpha roll” became a part of the dog training world as a result of a research study of captive wolves in the 1930s and 40s. This research is outdated and has been disproved by current studies of wolves in their natural habitat. The Monks of New Skete advocated the alpha role in their first edition of How To Be Your Dog’s Best Friend (1978), and have since retracted and apologized for the advice in their second edition. Current research tells us wolves do not physically roll each other and pin each other down, unless they have intentions to kill. Instead, what you see is lower-ranking wolves showing their subordinate status by offering an appeasement gesture of submissively rolling on their back.
So how did this submissive roll become so skewed that it became the “alpha roll?” Furthermore, when did our beloved Golden Retriever become a wolf? It’s easy to see why there is so much confusion, dogs are after all cousins of the wolf and many people feed their dogs an ancestral diet, so why shouldn’t we use wolves as a model for understanding dog behavior? For simplicity let us just say: wolves are wolves, dogs are dogs, and people are people.
Still not convinced about why you should think twice before opting to “roll’ your dog? Perhaps the following will shed more light on the topic. Aggressive displays are usually a result of fear and anxiety. Pinning your dog to the ground does nothing to change the underlying emotions causing the behavior, which are the root to solving it. Yes, you may see a suppression in the aggressive behavior, but you have most likely exasperated the problem by increasing fear and anxiety. Or, you may see the exact opposite, an increase in aggression as your dog becomes afraid and threatened by you. When dogs are scared, they have two choices, flight or fight; this is a survival mechanism. When you pin your dogs, you take their choice away, and they has no alternative but to fight for their lives. As a result, your dog loses trust in your ability to protect him and becomes fearful of you. But wait, that was not your intention—you love your dog and just want to teach him to be a well-mannered canine member in the community.
Instead, teach your dog by being a good leader. Wikipedia describes leadership as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” There are many leaders in the world and each has their own style. For example, Gandhi’s leadership style is one of the most influential and is considered non-traditional, strategic, empowering, energizing, and without force. He believed in working in partnership for the greater good. On the other hand, Fidel Castro, another world leader, is known as a tyrant ruling with an iron fist, domineering and oppressing people.
There is no doubt dogs need leadership to become well mannered companions that enjoy life and know your household rules. Good leaders are consistent and know what they want (all family members need to stick to the same rules). That environment creates trust and gives your dog confidence that you can guide him. He will know what is expected on a daily basis.
A good leader is consistent and dependable, has good communication skills, is trustworthy, a partner, someone who rewards good behaviors, and who uses sound scientifically based training principles. A good leader is not dominant, does not force dogs into submission, is not oppressive, does not use punishment by physical correction, does not invoke fear to get desired behaviors, and does not intentionally add stress.
What kind of leader do you wish to be?
References
Heather Morris, CPDT-KA is the owner of Spot On Training, LLC and lives on Capitol Hill with her two Dalmatians. Spot On Training offers group classes in our studio, private training sessions, FREE puppy play, phone consultations, and mini series targeted on specific behaviors. To learn more follow is on Facebook and Twitter, visit www.spotondogtrainingdc.com or email heather@spotondogtrainingdc.com