Comments on: Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/ For the love of dogs and their people Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:05:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Deborah Flick http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-9796 Deborah Flick Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:03:27 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-9796 Good for you for refusing to work with that trainer. I'm sorry your friendship suffered, but I applaud you for putting your dog's needs first. How wonderful that he's doing so well. I'm truly happy for you :-) Good for you for refusing to work with that trainer. I’m sorry your friendship suffered, but I applaud you for putting your dog’s needs first. How wonderful that he’s doing so well. I’m truly happy for you :-)

]]> By: In debt to Duke http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-9782 In debt to Duke Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:31:19 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-9782 I lost a friend over this very issue. She referred me to a trainer who was "wonderful" for my shy, other-dog aggressive black lab. I pushed the trainer about her dog training philosophy after hearing some stories about her classes. She finally snapped and told me she only alpha rolls dogs "when they need it." I ran the other direction as fast as I could. Years of hard work to get him to trust me could have been out the window. My friend did not speak to me for months after I stopped going to this trainer. My dog, by the way, has been through a positive obedience class since then with other dogs and was a rock star! He just needed a little help and understanding!! I lost a friend over this very issue. She referred me to a trainer who was “wonderful” for my shy, other-dog aggressive black lab. I pushed the trainer about her dog training philosophy after hearing some stories about her classes. She finally snapped and told me she only alpha rolls dogs “when they need it.” I ran the other direction as fast as I could. Years of hard work to get him to trust me could have been out the window. My friend did not speak to me for months after I stopped going to this trainer. My dog, by the way, has been through a positive obedience class since then with other dogs and was a rock star! He just needed a little help and understanding!!

]]> By: Buy Bark Off http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-1446 Buy Bark Off Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:57:52 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-1446 As a brand new dog owner I truly appreciate all the info here. I want my new puppy to be well trained and have a healthy and balanced setting to live in. Many thanks for the information and facts. As a brand new dog owner I truly appreciate all the info here. I want my new puppy to be well trained and have a healthy and balanced setting to live in. Many thanks for the information and facts.

]]> By: Deborah Flick http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-1200 Deborah Flick Fri, 21 May 2010 05:10:35 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-1200 Hi Dino I agree with you that there are few stones left unturned regarding the alpha fallacy. Nonetheless, that so many people hold the assumption that whenever our dogs behave other than the way we want them to it's because they are challenging our so-called leadership is astounding to me. I think that belief in alpha dogma is deeply embedded in our collective psyche. All the more reason to keep chipping away at it. BTW, I enjoyed your post. Thanks. Hi Dino

I agree with you that there are few stones left unturned regarding the alpha fallacy. Nonetheless, that so many people hold the assumption that whenever our dogs behave other than the way we want them to it’s because they are challenging our so-called leadership is astounding to me. I think that belief in alpha dogma is deeply embedded in our collective psyche. All the more reason to keep chipping away at it.

BTW, I enjoyed your post. Thanks.

]]> By: Dino Dogan http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-1198 Dino Dogan Thu, 20 May 2010 21:32:06 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-1198 Great post. I esp liked the part about walking through the door in front of your dog. We dont do it to be "alpha", we do it because its safer and better that I (the human) get the "lay of the land" before my dog does. Also, great point about the recall at the dog park. Its so important not to make a big deal out of these situations and understand that the dog is simply weighing her options. Its a great indicator that the the recall needs some suring-up. I believe there are few stones left unturned regarding the alpha issue. I offer my take on it in this post http://dogandogs.com/alpha-dog-alpha-wolf-alpha-male-alpha-what Great post. I esp liked the part about walking through the door in front of your dog. We dont do it to be “alpha”, we do it because its safer and better that I (the human) get the “lay of the land” before my dog does.

Also, great point about the recall at the dog park. Its so important not to make a big deal out of these situations and understand that the dog is simply weighing her options. Its a great indicator that the the recall needs some suring-up.

I believe there are few stones left unturned regarding the alpha issue. I offer my take on it in this post http://dogandogs.com/alpha-dog-alpha-wolf-alpha-male-alpha-what

]]> By: Mireille Goulet http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-144 Mireille Goulet Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:03:49 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-144 Same here! I'm in the Midst of Coppinger's Dogs: A startling new understanding of canine origin, behavior and evolution, such a great and intelligent read, should be available at all dog parks, humane societies and SPCAs... Same here! I’m in the Midst of Coppinger’s Dogs: A startling new understanding of canine origin, behavior and evolution, such a great and intelligent read, should be available at all dog parks, humane societies and SPCAs…

]]> By: Casey Lomonaco http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-140 Casey Lomonaco Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:41:58 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-140 As always, an inspirational entry. I will certainly be passing this along to every dog person I know, and to my students as well. Thanks for a good read at the end of a long, but wonderful day of training! As always, an inspirational entry. I will certainly be passing this along to every dog person I know, and to my students as well.

Thanks for a good read at the end of a long, but wonderful day of training!

]]> By: Boulder Dog » Blog Archive » Dismantling Cesar’s House of Domimance http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-104 Boulder Dog » Blog Archive » Dismantling Cesar’s House of Domimance Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:35:39 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-104 [...] Melissa’s predicament, I recalled two excellent articles I read in the last week that debunk alphadogma, as I call it, specifically as is spouted by CM. If you haven’t already discovered them, [...] [...] Melissa’s predicament, I recalled two excellent articles I read in the last week that debunk alphadogma, as I call it, specifically as is spouted by CM. If you haven’t already discovered them, [...]

]]> By: Goodbye Alpha Dogma. Goodbye Dominance « No Dog About It Blog http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-79 Goodbye Alpha Dogma. Goodbye Dominance « No Dog About It Blog Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:10:25 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-79 [...] Check out: Boulder Dog and “Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That” [...] [...] Check out: Boulder Dog and “Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That” [...]

]]> By: Mel F http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-76 Mel F Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:33:22 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-76 AMEN! Finally someone writes a phenomenal post about this outdated dog training belief. I just told a client (yesterday) that the "alpha roll" she was doing with her dog was not only outdated, but could lead to injury. I informed her of a recent study that found treating aggression with more aggression only begets more aggression. Goodbye Alpha Dogma! Hooray Deborah! AMEN! Finally someone writes a phenomenal post about this outdated dog training belief. I just told a client (yesterday) that the “alpha roll” she was doing with her dog was not only outdated, but could lead to injury. I informed her of a recent study that found treating aggression with more aggression only begets more aggression.
Goodbye Alpha Dogma! Hooray Deborah!

]]> By: Excellent post from @boulderdog1 “Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That”… www.boulderdog.net - Twitoaster http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-34 Excellent post from @boulderdog1 “Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That”… www.boulderdog.net - Twitoaster Mon, 25 May 2009 10:55:19 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-34 [...] fun4fido  May 21, 2009 Excellent post from @boulderdog1 "Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That"... http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alp... [...] [...] fun4fido  May 21, 2009 Excellent post from @boulderdog1 “Alpha Dogma: Goodbye to All That”… http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alp... [...]

]]> By: Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-33 Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT Fri, 22 May 2009 04:21:20 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-33 Hi! Nice to (t)meet you here! Great blog post. Did you read where the toilet repair guy told my clients with a barking dog to put a shock collar on their shitz something or other to teach it who is boss? Right in front of my during our session! Hi! Nice to (t)meet you here! Great blog post. Did you read where the toilet repair guy told my clients with a barking dog to put a shock collar on their shitz something or other to teach it who is boss? Right in front of my during our session!

]]> By: Stacy Braslau-Schneck, CPDT http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-32 Stacy Braslau-Schneck, CPDT Fri, 22 May 2009 04:01:07 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-32 Beautifully written. Kudos to you! Beautifully written. Kudos to you!

]]> By: Jolanta Benal, CPDT http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-30 Jolanta Benal, CPDT Thu, 21 May 2009 23:21:16 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-30 Go you! What a wonderful post. Go you! What a wonderful post.

]]> By: Miriam Hughes http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-29 Miriam Hughes Thu, 21 May 2009 22:32:18 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-29 Thank you for this awesome post. As a trainer, I am always trying to educated people about the "alpha dogma" or as I like to call it the "alpha dogdon't". Your examples are heartbreaking and I wish I could spare every dog in the world the abuse given under misguided training techniques. I love your writing style too! Thank you for this awesome post. As a trainer, I am always trying to educated people about the “alpha dogma” or as I like to call it the “alpha dogdon’t”. Your examples are heartbreaking and I wish I could spare every dog in the world the abuse given under misguided training techniques. I love your writing style too!

]]> By: Lee Charles Kelley http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-28 Lee Charles Kelley Thu, 21 May 2009 21:16:44 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-28 Excellent post. You should check out my post, "Cesar Millan: Pack Leader or Predator?" for a more in-depth look at why the idea of humans acting like pack leaders is dead wrong. LCK Excellent post. You should check out my post, “Cesar Millan: Pack Leader or Predator?” for a more in-depth look at why the idea of humans acting like pack leaders is dead wrong.
LCK

]]> By: Mary http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-27 Mary Thu, 21 May 2009 20:45:33 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-27 "The most I could muster was, “That’s really out-of-date.”" Oh, boy. I find myself in those situations and always feel tongue-tied and probably end up sounding mean. I just look at the poor dog and feel like someone, anyone, needs to stick up for them and their owner's terrible misunderstanding. Thanks for the great article. Love the term! “The most I could muster was, “That’s really out-of-date.””

Oh, boy. I find myself in those situations and always feel tongue-tied and probably end up sounding mean. I just look at the poor dog and feel like someone, anyone, needs to stick up for them and their owner’s terrible misunderstanding.

Thanks for the great article. Love the term!

]]> By: Lee Charles Kelley http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-26 Lee Charles Kelley Thu, 21 May 2009 20:28:46 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-26 Great post. For a really interesting take on what a dog's experience is like when someone acts like a "pack leader" toward them, check out my latest blog post: "Cesar Millan: Pack Leader or Predator?" I've not only written about this at length (in this and many other articles), I've also created a graphic in this article that I think tells it all. http://leecharleskelleysblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/cesar-millan-pack-leader-or-predator.html Keep up the good work! LCK Great post.
For a really interesting take on what a dog’s experience is like when someone acts like a “pack leader” toward them, check out my latest blog post: “Cesar Millan: Pack Leader or Predator?”
I’ve not only written about this at length (in this and many other articles), I’ve also created a graphic in this article that I think tells it all.
http://leecharleskelleysblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/cesar-millan-pack-leader-or-predator.html
Keep up the good work!
LCK

]]> By: Misa http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-25 Misa Thu, 21 May 2009 17:46:24 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-25 Posted to my Facebook feed, but never mind that. An *amazing* post! Thank you very much for writing it. Posted to my Facebook feed, but never mind that. An *amazing* post! Thank you very much for writing it.

]]> By: darf http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-24 darf Thu, 21 May 2009 15:09:17 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-24 This is an amazing blog post. We need to lead our dogs, like parents do their children. To teach them correct behavior. Sometimes my dog-ters' bad behavior is the result of fear or confusion. Correcting those behaviors requires intelligence and insight on my part. This is an amazing blog post. We need to lead our dogs, like parents do their children. To teach them correct behavior. Sometimes my dog-ters’ bad behavior is the result of fear or confusion. Correcting those behaviors requires intelligence and insight on my part.

]]> By: Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-23 Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart Thu, 21 May 2009 15:05:38 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-23 We could NOT agree more. This battle for control / dominance says FAR more about the people who believe these outdated, debunked ideas than the dogs themselves. We could NOT agree more. This battle for control / dominance says FAR more about the people who believe these outdated, debunked ideas than the dogs themselves.

]]> By: Betty http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-22 Betty Thu, 21 May 2009 14:58:23 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-22 This post is fantastic!! Hooray for the end of 'alpha dogma'. I have said for years that if we wanted little people, we would have adopted little people. We wanted little dogs and they get to BE little dogs. They are really good, for the most part. We stopped taking our 'kids' to obedience class because the instructor insisted on choke chains and I thought they were cruel! She finally relented and let me use a halter on Skooter, who weighed 3 1/2 pounds at the time. I just couldn't relate to her way of training; so, we left. I think you have exactly the right idea! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and some really good resources. This post is fantastic!! Hooray for the end of ‘alpha dogma’. I have said for years that if we wanted little people, we would have adopted little people. We wanted little dogs and they get to BE little dogs. They are really good, for the most part. We stopped taking our ‘kids’ to obedience class because the instructor insisted on choke chains and I thought they were cruel! She finally relented and let me use a halter on Skooter, who weighed 3 1/2 pounds at the time. I just couldn’t relate to her way of training; so, we left.

I think you have exactly the right idea! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and some really good resources.

]]> By: Lisa http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-21 Lisa Thu, 21 May 2009 14:42:46 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-21 I like your approach, which is what I do with my dogs. Being "alpha" does not mean showing them who is boss. I didn't have to roll my children to the floor to let them know I am in charge, and neither do I have to do that with my dogs. I show them what I want, and reinforce the good behavior by rewarding them. They are happy to do what I ask (most of the time, unless there is a really good distraction). Like with children, I teach mine how to behave by teaching, not terrorizing. My current pack contains 5 rescued dogs, 2 sibling pairs and one "odd man out". They all get along, and are even fine with an occasional foster dog tossed in the mix. We often foster dogs with problems, because they can learn very quickly from the other dogs about proper behavior. Our last foster was a very timid girl when we got her, and hit the floor at every unexpected sound. When she left, she was a happy, healthy dog who went to a carefully screened home with another dog for a companion. I like your approach, which is what I do with my dogs. Being “alpha” does not mean showing them who is boss. I didn’t have to roll my children to the floor to let them know I am in charge, and neither do I have to do that with my dogs. I show them what I want, and reinforce the good behavior by rewarding them. They are happy to do what I ask (most of the time, unless there is a really good distraction). Like with children, I teach mine how to behave by teaching, not terrorizing. My current pack contains 5 rescued dogs, 2 sibling pairs and one “odd man out”. They all get along, and are even fine with an occasional foster dog tossed in the mix. We often foster dogs with problems, because they can learn very quickly from the other dogs about proper behavior. Our last foster was a very timid girl when we got her, and hit the floor at every unexpected sound. When she left, she was a happy, healthy dog who went to a carefully screened home with another dog for a companion.

]]> By: barrie http://www.boulderdog.net/2009/05/20/alpha-dogma-goodbye-to-all-that/#comment-20 barrie Thu, 21 May 2009 14:07:14 +0000 http://boulderdog1.wordpress.com/?p=189#comment-20 What an amazing post! I am always telling people to read Coppinger but having the video of Dr. Mech to refer them to? An instant rebuttal of the whole alpha nonsense? Pure freaking gold!! What an amazing post! I am always telling people to read Coppinger but having the video of Dr. Mech to refer them to? An instant rebuttal of the whole alpha nonsense? Pure freaking gold!!

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