JUST SAY NO TO THE HARSH, DOMINANT ALPHA WOLF TRAINING METHOD!

THE CONTROLLING AND CORRECTION BASED ALPHA TRAINING METHOD WILL RUIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG AND POTENTIALLY CREATE AGGRESSION!

Recommended training that subjugates the dog is based on the theory that a dog is essentially a tamed wolf and behaves like a juvenile one. Therefore, in order to have peace in the pack, the human owner(s), even the young child, must morph into an alpha wolf, demonstrate dominance and physically show the pup who is boss. Since boss-wolf can be challenged at any time, the human owner has to vigilant, never show weakness and always stay on top of it, not allowing the family mutt any control.

Proponents observed wolf packs, drew parallels to the human-dog relationship(?), arrived at conclusions taken out of context, and developed a training method that is still popular today and results in such severe problems that many fine dogs end up in shelters or euthanasia tables.

Yes, it is NO training and WRONG training that ruin relationships.


The facts are:

Alpha equals breeding rights. It is a necessity for wolves' survival as a species to defend the right to pass the strongest genes on. That is not an issue for dogs. When not regulated by humans, dogs breed often and freely, regardless if there are already too many dogs, regardless of availability of food.

Alpha also means food rights. If there is famine and not enough food, the strongest, cleverest members need to survive to guarantee the survial of the species. That does not mean that the boss wolf always eats first, or most, or the best. If the alpha would pig out, at the expense of his underlings, the lower ranking wolves would become weak, therefore useless in hunting and killing large prey, which in turn would jeopardize the survival of the whole pack. The fact is, that the weakest members, the young puppies, are well taken care of even if food is scarce. In comparison, dominant trainers recommend for the humans to eat first, and to take food away from the puppy to score some alpha-points. It makes no sense.


Dogs don't hunt for food. They might prey chase for the thrill, and might even kill, but as a species they are either fed by humans or forage on human waste. If food and waste is scarce, they still breed, might fight over food - an injured dog is not a problem for the species since strength in a pack to bring down large prey is not required, but often mom-dog still tries to feed her pups. (Dad-dog, compared to dad-wolf, doesn't give a hoot about his puppies).

Feeding and breeding are the two factors that are crucial for wolves' survival. Social ranking ensures breeding and feeding rights of the genetically strongest members. Social ranking also ensures the functioning of the whole group that allows for large prey kill, and conflict free living. Conflicts equal injuries, which jeopardizes the whole group. To keep the peace, wolves engage in many ritualized and often subtle behaviors. Rituals most dog owners, and trainers, are not aware of and that would be impossible to emulate. The dominant trainers that recommend the alpha-roll and growl-in-the-face seldom engage in a polite butt sniff or subtle appeasing signals. Holding the tail high and perking the ears is generally also problematic.

That means that the family pet gets all the crude and out of context physical corrections, with none of the other important communication signals. AND HE IS NOT EVEN A WOLF!

YOU are not a wolf or a dog. Most humans don't understand what the dog is trying to say - what he is communicating every time he engages with you. And, it is impossible for humans to be fast enough, accurate and consistent in applying that little bit of dog talk they think they know. Take, for example, the nonsense "the person always has to enter and exit first and walk ahead of the dog" rule. What if you let the dog in the yard alone to go for a pee? Do you go out first, ask your dog out, then go instantly back in? Or do you just open the door and tell your dog to go out FIRST. Same with the car. I have yet to witness someone getting into the car first and then ask the dog in. What about the well-trained, cattle-driving Heeler? Is he in front, or the rancher?

INCONSISTENT HANDLING CONFUSES THE DOG. With the result that he will shut you out because you don't make sense. He is then labelled stubborn or dumb, the dominant methods are turned up a notch since he "has to be shown who's boss". The misunderstood pooch then either shuts down and becomes a mindless-obedient machine, persists a bit longer in his disobedience that resulted from the owner's lack of communication, redirects aggression as a stress relieve, or begins to challenge the owner and defend himself.


SOCIAL BEHAVIORS AND SOCIAL EVOLUTION ARE STUDIED MORE AND MORE.

READ ABOUT A HUNGARIAN STUDY THAT INDICATES THAT WOLVES AND DOGS ARE DIFFERENT.

READ WHAT WILDLIFE RESEARCH BIOLOGIST AND WORLD RENOWNED WOLF AUTHORITY L. DAVID MECH HAS OBSERVED REGARDING DOMINANCE IN WOLF PACKS. (Click on Search, type in L. David Mech and you'll get to the article titled: Wolf Status and Dominance in Pack - Alpha Status).


Go from alpha to free-dog-tips to read more about aggression.

True leaderhip, and that is what your companion dog needs, comes from a place of strength. Physical confrontation comes from a place of weakness. People and dogs who have social power are voluntarily deferred to. They do not have to force submission.

If forceful dominance is how the owner interacts with the dog, the dog learns to accept and EXPRESS aggression. It becomes a principle learned behavior trait.

Compliance enforced with intimidation requires constant vigilance. Dominance by force carries unpredictable violence by the dog.


Alpha wolf training methods are not needed. The dog is not a wolf, but a willing participant in a human-dog social group. He is eager and able to learn from you. And you don't have to, in fact, shouldn't try to speak dog. How to communicate in a human way that makes sense to your dog is explained in Silvia's four-step CALL program.

Applying the Alpha theory makes sense only if a person would live amongst a wolf pack AND has the ambition to be the one with sole mating rights. But you are not a wolf, or a dog. Your dog lives with you, not the other way around. You communicate well as a human, but your dog language skills are flawed and klutzy; frightens and confuses your dog.

So learn to understand doggish, communicate in humanish, close the communication gap and you are on your way to a well functioning mixed social group and a rewarding human-dog relationship - instead of a conflict filled alpha-beta-wolf-dog-dog/human-human one.


Why, you might ask, do many trainers still recommend and teach methods based on dominance, if they are so bad?

Simply, because alpha training lead to quick fixes and can look good in the classroom. A dog leash-corrected hard enough might heel in class and on the choke collar. But will she also heel in the park? On hikes? For your spouse and child? Without the collar?Dominant training methods lead to superficial obedience in certain, structured circumstances - it makes the trainer look like they are in control. Mindful leadership building leads permanent solutions and companionship.


We love to hear from you. Contact SILVIA.

Or link directly home for more options.