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Stop your Dog from Growling by Establishing Alpha Status
Dogs descended from wolves, and deep within the psyche of your dog lies instincts they have retained from their wild ancestors. In order to live with and communicate with your dog you need to understand why you must maintain Alpha position in the "pack."
Your dog depends on you for its survival. It has learned that it must cooperate with you through thousands of years of evolution and adaptation in human society. The first domestication by man was the wolf. About twelve thousand years ago we discovered that having a wolf as a "pet" was a great asset. They could hunt alongside us and they could guard us as we slept.
As the years went by, the wolf began to mutate into different breeds. Scientists are unsure exactly how the first breeds developed. There are several different theories that include natural mutations, climate, and environment. The breeds became more numerous and more specialized. That is how we ended up with groups such as herding, hunting, shepherding, guarding, and of course, companion and lap dogs.
Of all the animals that we have domesticated, only the dog has willingly allowed itself to accept the authority of man without constraint. But as I said, it still retains the instinct to test its position. Yes, even sweet little Lady, the Maltese lying at your feet, has the genes and instincts of the wolf.
Wolves live by rules and have a social structure. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined. The leader of the pack eats first, and then the rest of the pack can eat.When your dog growls at you when he is eating, he is saying "I am the leader, and you must wait."
If your dog has a growling problem, here are some suggested "rules to live by" that may be of help to you:
- Never tolerate growling. This is a threat and it means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him No!Let him know it is not acceptable to EVER growl at you or your children. Make it clear that your children are the offspring of his Alpha leader (you) and that they are to be treated as Alpha "pups."
- Do not let your dog walk through the door first. If your dog always goes ahead of you, you need to get your leash and open the door. When he rushes ahead you pull him back and tell him “Curb”. You walk in and then give him permission to come in. This will be easier and faster if you have someone help you.
- Do not let your dog sleep in the same bed as you. This is a definite Alpha position. If you just can't be without your dog in the bed, at the very least you need to make sure he sleeps at the foot of the bed. A doggie bed on the floor beside you is your best bet for maintaining Alpha position. (This rule is for aggressive dogs or dogs showing signs they are forgetting their place... a pet that is well behaved and obedient can sleep next to you or your child.)
- Socialize, socialize, socialize! I cannot stress enough the importance of introducing your dog to different places and people.Find something to do with your dog. Join and agility or obedience class. Take your dog to the park. If you have a laid back dog or puppy share your time with the local nursing home. Volunteer with disability groups so children and adults with special needs can enjoy the non-judgmental love a dog or puppy can provide.
- Do not let your dog ride in your lap in the car. Make him sit in his own seat or on the floor. It is unsafe for you and your dog. Buy him his own seat belt or safety booster or use a kennel. Some states will give you a ticket for being a distracted driver. (Click here to see some helpful tips for traveling with your pet.)
- Do not baby your dog too much. He needs to learn to be a dog. Do not over-protect him. He needs to explore and learn to be independent. You do not want to raise a flighty, paranoid dog. When he acts afraid of something that he should not be afraid of, do not pick him up and ooh and ahh over him. Simply tell him it is okay, and show him the object, person, etc. Your confidence will make him a confident and dependable dog. If you feed his imaginary fears, he will become a snappy and untrustworthy dog. He may develop fear aggression. An example of fear aggression could be a dog that sits in its owner's lap and growls at people or other animals. If you pet him, and tell him "It's okay." You are really telling him this is the type of behavior you expect of him, and he will continue to do it because there is a reward attached to it. Tell him no and put him down off your lap. While some owners think it is sweet that their little lap dog is "protecting them," it is not. When a child reaches to pet the dog or hug Grandma it could bite them if it is allowed to get away with this antisocial behavior. This is a dog that has taken on Alpha position and you are a subordinate. I have seen so many children chastised when they get bitten, when it's the owner that is responsible. You will often hear people say "Now, you know Granny's dog doesn't like you to go near her. She is jealous, and protective. We have told you over and over not to do that." What a shame. And it could all be avoided if we would just take the time to learn canine behavior. As much as we would like to believe that they think like us, they do not.
- If you have a problem with your dog growling at you or another family member, you may want to try having the person your dog growls at the most be the only one to feed him. You want to make him sit to reinforce your position as the leader. He is learning that he depends on you and he must obey in order to eat. And if he growls after you set down the food, tell him no and take the food away. Tell him to sit again. This is how you will reinforce the "no growling rule.''
- You must never tolerate growling because this will usually lead to biting. Not always, but it usually does. So you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. I want to make it clear we are not talking about puppy play growling. Only growling that is geared towards aggression growling. Puppies need to be able to be puppies.
- Do not play tug of war with a puppy, at least not until he grows into a respectful dog. Play fetch and tell them to release the ball.Never be overly harsh with your dog. Use common sense.
- One last thing... spend time with your dog. Play with him. Train him, and love him. Just as a child looks to his parents for guidance and boundaries, so does your dog. Sometimes we have to use tough love, but in the long run, you and your dog will be happier if you maintain the Alpha role.
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The History and Misconceptions of
Dominance Theory
Note: The information in the following article came from an interview with Dr. Ian Dunbar, who
spent nine years studying the social behavior of dogs during the study mentioned below. In an
earlier version of this article, Dr. L. David Mech was credited with the 30-year study. This was a
mistake. The researcher who conducted the study was Dr. Frank Beach. An effort has been made
to correct this error. However, if you know of a place where the original article was published,
please notify the editor and request a correction.
The original alpha/dominance model was born out of short-term studies of wolf packs done in the
1940s. These were the first studies of their kind. These studies were a good start, but later
research has essentially disproved most of the findings. There were three major flaws in these
studies:
1. These were short-term studies, so the researchers concentrated on the most obvious,
overt parts of wolf life, such as hunting. The studies are therefore unrepresentative --
drawing conclusions about "wolf behavior" based on about 1% of wolf life.
2. The studies observed what are now known to be ritualistic displays and misinterpreted
them. Unfortunately, this is where the bulk of the "dominance model" comes from, and
though the information has been soundly disproved, it still thrives in the dog training
mythos.
For example, alpha rolls. The early researchers saw this behavior and concluded that the
higher-ranking wolf was forcibly rolling the subordinate to exert his dominance. Well, not
exactly. This is actually an "appeasement ritual" instigated by the SUBORDINATE wolf.
The subordinate offers his muzzle, and when the higher-ranking wolf "pins" it, the lower-
ranking wolf voluntarily rolls and presents his belly. There is NO force. It is all entirely
voluntary.
A wolf would flip another wolf against his will ONLY if he were planning to kill it. Can you
imagine what a forced alpha roll does to the psyche of our dogs?
.
3. Finally, after the studies, the researchers made cavalier extrapolations from wolf-dog,
dog-dog, and dog-human based on their "findings." Unfortunately, this nonsense still
abounds.
So what's the truth? The truth is dogs aren't wolves. Honestly, when you take into account the
number of generations past, saying "I want to learn how to interact with my dog so I'll learn
from the wolves" makes about as much sense as saying, "I want to improve my parenting -- let's
see how the chimps do it!"
Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of
the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of
his findings:
• Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
• Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
• When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution,
but the females have "amendments."
• Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most
anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
• The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the
older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy hell -- psychologically torturing it until
it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom
of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.
• There is NO physical domination. Everything is accomplished through psychological
harassment. It's all ritualistic.
• A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that
did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
• The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position.
They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status
because...
• Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance
over other middle-ranked animals.
• Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position,
and they accept it.
• "Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many,
many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have
earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which
resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place
because he simply couldn't care less.
So what does this mean for the dog-human relationship?
• Using physical force of any kind reduces your "rank." Only middle-ranked animals insecure
in their place squabble.
• To be "alpha," control the resources. I don't mean hokey stuff like not allowing dogs on
beds or preceding them through doorways. I mean making resources contingent on
behavior. Does the dog want to be fed. Great -- ask him to sit first. Does the dog want to
go outside? Sit first. Dog want to greet people? Sit first. Want to play a game? Sit first.
Or whatever. If you are proactive enough to control the things your dogs want, *you* are
alpha by definition.
• Train your dog. This is the dog-human equivalent of the "revoking of puppy license" phase
in dog development. Children, women, elderly people, handicapped people -- all are capable
of training a dog. Very few people are capable of physical domination.
• Reward deferential behavior, rather than pushy behavior. I have two dogs. If one pushes
in front of the other, the other gets the attention, the food, whatever the first dog
wanted. The first dog to sit gets treated. Pulling on lead goes nowhere. Doors don't open
until dogs are seated and I say they may go out. Reward pushy, and you get pushy.
Your job is to be a leader, not a boss, not a dictator. Leadership is a huge responsibility. Your job
is to provide for all of your dog's needs... food, water, vet care, social needs, security, etc. If you
fail to provide what your dog needs, your dog will try to satisfy those needs on his own.
In a recent article in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) newsletter, Dr. Ray Coppinger -
- a biology professor at Hampshire College, co-founder of the Livestock Guarding Dog Project,
author of several books including Dogs : A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin,
Behavior, and Evolution; and an extremely well-respected member of the dog training community
-- says in regards to the dominance model (and alpha rolling)...
"I cannot think of many learning situations where I want my learning dogs responding with fear
and lack of motion. I never want my animals to be thinking social hierarchy. Once they do, they
will be spending their time trying to figure out how to move up in the hierarchy."
That pretty much sums it up, don't you think?
Melissa Alexander
melissa @ clickersolutions.com
copyright 2001 Melissa C. Alexander
Post a Comment
Dominance Theory
Note: The information in the following article came from an interview with Dr. Ian Dunbar, who
spent nine years studying the social behavior of dogs during the study mentioned below. In an
earlier version of this article, Dr. L. David Mech was credited with the 30-year study. This was a
mistake. The researcher who conducted the study was Dr. Frank Beach. An effort has been made
to correct this error. However, if you know of a place where the original article was published,
please notify the editor and request a correction.
The original alpha/dominance model was born out of short-term studies of wolf packs done in the
1940s. These were the first studies of their kind. These studies were a good start, but later
research has essentially disproved most of the findings. There were three major flaws in these
studies:
1. These were short-term studies, so the researchers concentrated on the most obvious,
overt parts of wolf life, such as hunting. The studies are therefore unrepresentative --
drawing conclusions about "wolf behavior" based on about 1% of wolf life.
2. The studies observed what are now known to be ritualistic displays and misinterpreted
them. Unfortunately, this is where the bulk of the "dominance model" comes from, and
though the information has been soundly disproved, it still thrives in the dog training
mythos.
For example, alpha rolls. The early researchers saw this behavior and concluded that the
higher-ranking wolf was forcibly rolling the subordinate to exert his dominance. Well, not
exactly. This is actually an "appeasement ritual" instigated by the SUBORDINATE wolf.
The subordinate offers his muzzle, and when the higher-ranking wolf "pins" it, the lower-
ranking wolf voluntarily rolls and presents his belly. There is NO force. It is all entirely
voluntary.
A wolf would flip another wolf against his will ONLY if he were planning to kill it. Can you
imagine what a forced alpha roll does to the psyche of our dogs?
.
3. Finally, after the studies, the researchers made cavalier extrapolations from wolf-dog,
dog-dog, and dog-human based on their "findings." Unfortunately, this nonsense still
abounds.
So what's the truth? The truth is dogs aren't wolves. Honestly, when you take into account the
number of generations past, saying "I want to learn how to interact with my dog so I'll learn
from the wolves" makes about as much sense as saying, "I want to improve my parenting -- let's
see how the chimps do it!"
Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of
the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of
his findings:
• Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
• Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
• When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution,
but the females have "amendments."
• Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most
anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
• The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the
older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy hell -- psychologically torturing it until
it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom
of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.
• There is NO physical domination. Everything is accomplished through psychological
harassment. It's all ritualistic.
• A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that
did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
• The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position.
They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status
because...
• Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance
over other middle-ranked animals.
• Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position,
and they accept it.
• "Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many,
many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have
earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which
resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place
because he simply couldn't care less.
So what does this mean for the dog-human relationship?
• Using physical force of any kind reduces your "rank." Only middle-ranked animals insecure
in their place squabble.
• To be "alpha," control the resources. I don't mean hokey stuff like not allowing dogs on
beds or preceding them through doorways. I mean making resources contingent on
behavior. Does the dog want to be fed. Great -- ask him to sit first. Does the dog want to
go outside? Sit first. Dog want to greet people? Sit first. Want to play a game? Sit first.
Or whatever. If you are proactive enough to control the things your dogs want, *you* are
alpha by definition.
• Train your dog. This is the dog-human equivalent of the "revoking of puppy license" phase
in dog development. Children, women, elderly people, handicapped people -- all are capable
of training a dog. Very few people are capable of physical domination.
• Reward deferential behavior, rather than pushy behavior. I have two dogs. If one pushes
in front of the other, the other gets the attention, the food, whatever the first dog
wanted. The first dog to sit gets treated. Pulling on lead goes nowhere. Doors don't open
until dogs are seated and I say they may go out. Reward pushy, and you get pushy.
Your job is to be a leader, not a boss, not a dictator. Leadership is a huge responsibility. Your job
is to provide for all of your dog's needs... food, water, vet care, social needs, security, etc. If you
fail to provide what your dog needs, your dog will try to satisfy those needs on his own.
In a recent article in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) newsletter, Dr. Ray Coppinger -
- a biology professor at Hampshire College, co-founder of the Livestock Guarding Dog Project,
author of several books including Dogs : A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin,
Behavior, and Evolution; and an extremely well-respected member of the dog training community
-- says in regards to the dominance model (and alpha rolling)...
"I cannot think of many learning situations where I want my learning dogs responding with fear
and lack of motion. I never want my animals to be thinking social hierarchy. Once they do, they
will be spending their time trying to figure out how to move up in the hierarchy."
That pretty much sums it up, don't you think?
Melissa Alexander
melissa @ clickersolutions.com
copyright 2001 Melissa C. Alexander
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