Dominance Theory Debunked
"You need to show him who's boss." "Don't let her on the furniture or she'll think she's dominant." "If you let him pull on the lead, he thinks he's in charge." "You must eat before your dog to maintain your alpha status."
If you've had dogs for any length of time, you've likely heard statements like these. They stem from "dominance theory" – the notion that dogs are constantly trying to achieve alpha status in their "pack" (your family), and that many behaviour problems result from dogs who think they've succeeded.
This theory has been perpetuated by popular television programs, outdated training books, and well-meaning but misinformed friends and family. The problem? It's based on flawed science, misunderstandings about canine behaviour, and has been thoroughly rejected by modern animal behaviourists, veterinarians, and the scientific community.
Let's explore why dominance theory doesn't apply to dog training, what science actually tells us about canine behaviour, and how this understanding leads to more effective, humane approaches to working with our dogs.
The dominance theory as applied to dogs originated primarily from research conducted in the 1940s by Swiss animal behaviourist Rudolph Schenkel, who studied captive wolves housed in artificial groups at a zoo. He observed aggressive behaviours as these unrelated wolves competed for resources in their unnatural environment and concluded that wolves establish dominance hierarchies with an "alpha" at the top.
This research was later popularized and expanded upon by L. David Mech in his 1970 book "The Wolf," which became highly influential in shaping how people understood wolf – and by extension, dog – social structures.
The foundation of dominance theory crumbled for several critical reasons:
1. Wolves in the Wild Don't Actually Behave This Way
The most significant blow to dominance theory came from L. David Mech himself, who later spent decades studying wolves in their natural environments and discovered that wild wolf packs don't operate with aggressive dominance hierarchies at all.
In natural settings, wolf packs are actually family units – typically consisting of a breeding pair (the parents) and their offspring from the current and previous years. The parents naturally guide the family's activities not through aggression or dominance displays, but through the natural parent-offspring relationship.
Mech was so concerned about the misapplication of his earlier work that he has spent years trying to correct the record, even stating: "The concept of the alpha wolf is outdated and has been rejected by experts in the field of wolf behaviour."
2. Dogs Aren't Wolves
Even if wolves did form strict dominance hierarchies (which they don't), applying this to domestic dogs ignores over 30,000 years of divergent evolution. Through domestication, dogs have developed different social structures and communication patterns than their wolf ancestors.
Research by Dr. Adam Miklósi and others at the Family Dog Project in Hungary has revealed that dogs evolved specific abilities to communicate and collaborate with humans – abilities that wolves lack even when raised identically to dogs.
Dogs understand human gestures, facial expressions, and vocal cues in ways wolves cannot. They've evolved to form social bonds with humans that are fundamentally different from wolf-wolf relationships.
3. Dogs Know We're Not Dogs
Perhaps the most obvious flaw in dominance theory as applied to human-dog relationships: dogs know we aren't dogs. Research clearly shows that dogs process human faces in specialized areas of their brains and respond differently to humans than to other dogs.
The notion that your dog sees you as another dog competing for "alpha" status simply doesn't align with what we know about canine cognition. Your dog doesn't think you're the "pack leader" – they recognize you're a human with whom they have a social relationship.
If dominance isn't driving your dog's pulling, jumping, ignoring recalls, or resource guarding, what is? The answer lies in much simpler and more scientifically sound explanations:
1. They're Doing What Works
Dogs repeat behaviours that are rewarded and eventually stop behaviours that aren't rewarded. This principle, known as operant conditioning, explains most unwanted behaviours:
A dog pulls on the lead because pulling successfully gets them where they want to go
A dog jumps on guests because it results in attention (even negative attention is still attention)
A dog ignores recalls because staying at the dog park is more rewarding than returning to their owner
No dominance motivation is needed to explain these behaviours – they're simply doing what has worked in the past.
2. They Haven't Been Taught an Alternative
Many "problem behaviours" occur simply because the dog hasn't been taught what to do instead. If a dog hasn't learned to greet people by sitting, jumping becomes the default because it's a natural canine greeting behaviour.
3. Fear and Anxiety Drive Many Behaviours
Many behaviours misinterpreted as "dominance" are actually rooted in fear or anxiety:
Resource guarding stems from insecurity about access to important resources
Reactivity toward other dogs often comes from fear or social anxiety
Reluctance to follow certain commands may be due to anxiety about the consequences
When we misinterpret these behaviours as dominance challenges, we often respond in ways that increase the dog's anxiety, making the problem worse.
4. Physical Discomfort or Pain
A frequently overlooked explanation for "disobedient" behaviour is physical discomfort or pain. Dogs can't tell us directly when something hurts, so behaviour changes are often their only way to communicate:
A dog who suddenly refuses to sit may have hip or back pain
Reluctance to jump into the car might indicate joint problems
Irritability when touched in certain areas could signal an injury
"Selective hearing" on walks might be due to arthritis making it uncomfortable to turn quickly
Tragically, many dogs have been punished for "dominance" when they were actually trying to avoid pain. Even subtle discomfort can significantly impact behaviour, especially in stoic breeds that don't obviously show pain.
Always consider a veterinary check-up when behaviour changes suddenly or when a dog consistently "refuses" behaviours they previously performed willingly.
Why Dominance-Based Training Is Harmful
Beyond being based on debunked science, dominance-based training approaches typically rely on intimidation, force, and punishment. These methods cause several serious problems:
1. Damaged Trust and Relationship
Methods like alpha rolls (forcing a dog onto their back), throat holds, leash corrections, and other intimidation tactics damage the human-dog bond and create fear rather than cooperation.
2. Increased Aggression Risk
Research published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour found that dogs trained with confrontational methods showed increased aggression. A study by the University of Bristol found that dogs trained using punishment were significantly more likely to show aggression toward family members and strangers.
3. Suppressed Warning Signs
Punishment-based methods often suppress warning signals (growling, backing away) without addressing the underlying emotional state. This can create dogs who appear suddenly aggressive because they've learned that displaying early warning signs leads to punishment.
4. Impaired Learning
Fear and stress significantly impair cognitive function in all animals, including dogs. A stressed dog physically cannot learn effectively, making training less successful.
What Works Instead: Understanding the Real Dog
If we discard the dominance myth, what should guide our understanding of dogs? Modern canine science offers much better explanations:
1. Dogs Are Opportunists
Dogs do what works to get what they want – food, attention, play, access to spaces, etc. They're not calculating how to overthrow you; they're simply doing what has successfully gained them rewards in the past.
2. Dogs Need Clear Communication
Dogs thrive when they understand what behaviours lead to rewards and what behaviours don't. Confusion and inconsistency lead to frustration and unwanted behaviours.
3. Dogs Have Emotional Lives
Modern canine science recognizes that dogs experience emotions including joy, fear, anxiety, frustration, and attachment. Many behaviour problems stem from emotional responses rather than dominance motivations.
4. Dogs Need Appropriate Outlets
Many unwanted behaviours occur because dogs' natural needs for physical exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, and species-appropriate activities aren't being met.
Better Solutions for Common Problems
Let's revisit some of the behaviours often misattributed to dominance and look at more effective approaches:
Pulling on Lead
Dominance myth: "He's pulling to control the walk and be the leader." Reality: Pulling works to get the dog where they want to go, and it's naturally reinforcing. Solution: Teach loose-leash walking through positive reinforcement – rewarding the dog for walking in position and making pulling unsuccessful by stopping movement.
Jumping on People
Dominance myth: "She's trying to assert her height over you to claim dominance." Reality: Jumping is a natural greeting behaviour that gets attention.
Solution: Teach an alternative greeting behaviour (like sitting) and ensure it gets rewarded while jumping doesn't.
Reluctance to Follow Commands
Dominance myth: "He's challenging your authority."
Reality: The dog either doesn't understand what's being asked, hasn't been properly motivated, or has negative associations with the command.
Solution: Revisit training with clearer communication and better rewards, making compliance more worthwhile than non-compliance.
Resource Guarding
Dominance myth: "She's asserting ownership over resources to maintain rank."
Reality: The dog is insecure about losing something valuable and is displaying defensive behaviour.
Solution: Build confidence through counterconditioning and teaching the dog that human approach to resources predicts good things, not loss.
Moving Forward: A Better Framework
Rather than viewing your relationship with your dog through the lens of dominance and submission, consider these healthier frameworks:
1. Teacher and Learner
You are your dog's guide to living successfully in a human world. Your job is to clearly communicate what behaviours work to get good things and what behaviours don't.
2. Provider of Resources
You control access to everything your dog values – food, walks, play, attention. This gives you natural influence without needing force or intimidation.
3. Guardian and Friend
Dogs who trust their humans and feel secure in their relationship are more likely to respond cooperatively than those who fear punishment.
4. Mutual Respect
The most successful human-dog relationships involve respect flowing in both directions – humans respecting dogs' needs and communication signals, and dogs learning to work with human expectations.
Final Thoughts
The dominance myth persists because it offers simple explanations for complex behaviours and promises quick fixes. Unfortunately, these explanations are wrong, and the quick fixes often create bigger problems in the long run.
By understanding the actual science of canine behaviour and learning, we can build stronger relationships with our dogs based on mutual understanding and cooperation rather than intimidation and control.
When we recognize that our dogs aren't plotting to overthrow us but are simply trying to navigate our world as best they can, we open the door to more effective, humane, and enjoyable relationships with our canine companions.
Academic Research and Publications
Mech, L.D. (1999). "Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs." Canadian Journal of Zoology, 77(8), 1196-1203. [The paper where Mech himself corrects his earlier work on alpha wolves]
Bradshaw, J.W.S., Blackwell, E.J., & Casey, R.A. (2009). "Dominance in domestic dogs—useful construct or bad habit?" Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 4(3), 135-144. [Comprehensive analysis of why dominance theory is inappropriate for domestic dogs]
Herron, M.E., Shofer, F.S., & Reisner, I.R. (2009). "Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors." Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 117(1-2), 47-54. [Research showing increased aggression in dogs trained with dominance-based methods]
Deldalle, S., & Gaunet, F. (2014). "Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on the dog–owner relationship." Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 9(2), 58-65. [Study showing negative effects of punishment-based training on dog welfare and the human-dog relationship]
Books
Mech, L.D., & Boitani, L. (2003). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press. [Contains Mech's updated research on wolf social structures]
Bradshaw, J. (2011). Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet. Basic Books. [Accessible explanation of modern canine science]
Burch, M.R., & Bailey, J.S. (1999). How Dogs Learn. Howell Book House. [Excellent resource on learning theory as applied to dogs]
Professional Organizations
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals: https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Position Statement on Dominance and Dog Training: https://apdt.com/resource-center/dominance-and-dog-training/
Online Resources
Dr. Sophia Yin's "Dominance vs. Unruly Behavior": https://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance/
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) resources on positive training: https://m.iaabc.org/
Have you encountered dominance-based training advice? What was your experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.