I often get calls from dog guardians who believe their dog is attempting to dominate them or establish themselves as the "alpha" in the household. They describe behaviours such as not letting people on the bed, sofa or into vehicles. They assume these actions stem from a desire for control.
The concept of the alpha dog is a misinterpretation rooted in outdated wolf research. In reality, domestic dogs do not operate under a dominance hierarchy aimed at challenging their human family members. Instead, dogs are social animals that thrive on clear communication and consistency. Their behaviour reflects learning and environmental influences, not a desire to assert dominance over humans.
The alpha wolf myth
In 1947, Rudolph Schenkel, a Swiss animal behaviourist, published a study titled "Expressions Studies on Wolves," which became the foundation for the alpha wolf concept.
Schenkel鈥檚 work was based on observations of captive wolves in a Swiss zoo. His findings suggested that wolf packs are dominated by a top-ranking male and a top-ranking female, who assert their status through aggression and dominance over subordinate pack members.
This idea captivated the public and shaped dog training and human understanding of wolf and dog behaviour for decades.
Schenkel鈥檚 conclusions were based on a flawed context
The wolves he studied were not free-roaming. They were wolves taken from numerous packs and forced together to coexist in an unnatural, confined environment with limited resources. This artificial setting created stress, heightened competition and aggressive behaviour that do not reflect the natural social structure of wild wolf packs.
Debunking the alpha wolf theory
In the 1970s, Dr. L. David Mech, a prominent wolf biologist, further propagated the alpha wolf narrative in his book The Wolf: Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species. However, after decades of studying wolves in their natural habitats, Mech himself renounced the alpha concept. His research revealed that wolf packs are not rigid hierarchies ruled by dominant individuals but are familial groups.
Wild wolf packs typically consist of a breeding pair 鈥� often referred to as the "parents" 鈥� and their offspring from several years. The so-called alpha wolves are merely the parents guiding their young, much like in human families. Decisions about hunting, territory, and movement are cooperative, with no need for aggression or dominance to maintain order.
Wolves achieve cohesion and survival through mutual care and collaboration, not through constant displays of dominance.
Implications for domestic dogs
The myth of the alpha wolf has significantly influenced how humans perceive and train domestic dogs, leading to dominance-based training methods. Many people mistakenly believe that dogs, as descendants of wolves, require strict hierarchies and dominance to behave appropriately.
This outdated notion has led to harmful practices, such as "alpha rolls" in which a dog is forcibly pinned to the ground to assert human dominance.
Modern canine behavioural science has debunked these ideas. Dogs are not striving for dominance over their human families. Instead, their behaviour is influenced by learning, environment, and individual temperament.
Domestic dogs have evolved alongside humans for thousands of years and operate within the cooperative framework of human households.
For our canine companions, this means adopting training methods that focus on positive reinforcement, mutual respect, understanding canine needs and instincts.
By moving away from the dominance model, guardians can build stronger, more respectful relationships with their dogs. When a dog won鈥檛 let you on the bed, this is most often a sign of resource guarding. This behaviour can be modified with positive reinforcement training, patience and understanding.
