Dominance Defined: What Dominance Is and What It Isn’t

I keep meaning to get back to this. This is a subject I revisit all too often but is necessary. It is based on a short presentation I do on the topic.

“[Dominance] has been erroneously used to describe a supposed trait of individual dogs, even though there is little evidence that such a trait exists. When used correctly to describe a relationship between 2 individuals, it tends to be misapplied as a motivation for social interactions, rather than simply a quality of that relationship.”

During the Pleistocene Era, humans were predominantly hunter/gatherers. Because resources were scarce, it is unlikely that dogs were domesticated at this time. However, because dogs and Pleistocene man were following the same herds, they were most likely in proximity to each other. At this stage, it is believed that dogs that came into the human camps had a short flight distance and by virtue of the fact that the dogs were in close proximity to each other, they would have bred, passing on that short flight distance.

Once Neolithic Man settled into agricultural communities, domestication seems to have begun in earnest. Only the dogs with the shortest flight distance would have remained and interbred. Especially the hunter/gatherers, but also the agrarian cultures would not have had the time to tame an aggressive or dominant dog, so dogs that became aggressive would have been driven off or killed.

The myth that wolves fight for dominance came out of a study in the 1960’s based on the observations of captive wolves. Dr. L. David Mech wrote the book, The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species, about the findings and in it coined the phrase “Alpha Wolf.” In later studies he determined that wolves do not form hierarchies by aggression, but what is known as the mating pair have offspring who stay with them until sexual maturity. The Wolf pack is actually a family unit. Dr. Mech has said that drawing conclusions about wolves by observing them in captivity is like learning about families by observing people in a concentration camp.

Dogs, however, are scavengers. This does not require them to form groups. As such they tend to be loners, only occasionally forming what Dr. Ian Dunbar calls “loose, transitory associations.” Dogs are often drawn together when food is limited or when a female is in estrous but then go their separate ways. Even during mating, unlike wolves, male dogs do not stay to help in the raising of the offspring.

As a side note, wolves and dogs do not alpha roll each other to show their dominance. Most of what we see is one dog voluntarily rolling onto their back to either show they mean or meant no harm, as what is called a “tap out” to say they want to be left alone, or to submit in a specific situation which will be discussed below. Dr. Mech said that when a dog or wolf does roll another, it is an aggressive act to get to the underside of the opponent so they can kill them easier and in the 35 years he’s studied wolves, he has only seen what he would call an alpha roll three times.

“Dominance is not a personality trait, but an aspect of a relationship”

~ Dr. L. David Mech

Great, so what does that mean?

Let’s say my wife and I are out to dinner. There’s one beer left and one slice of pizza. Who gets it?

I love a good beer. It’s one of my favorite things. My wife, on the other hand, is allergic to alcohol and would rather have wine than beer anyway. So she would most likely submit to me making me the dominant one.

On the other hand, my wife’s favorite food is pizza. She could eat it seven days a week. So likewise, I would probably submit to her, making her the dominant one.

Dominance is more about the desire for a resource and can, and usually does change from one situation to the next.

Worth mentioning at this point is resource guarding. Resource guarding is not dominant behavior. This is a desire to be safe and comfortable and a fear of losing that. It is a behavioral issue, not dominance, and should be addressed by a certified trainer or behaviorist. Punishing this type of behavior only confirms that the dog has something to fear.

“In animal behavior, dominance is defined as a relationship between individuals that is established through force, aggression and submission in order to establish priority access to all desired resources (food, the opposite sex, preferred resting spots, etc). A relationship is not established until one animal consistently defers to another.”

~Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS

Dominance is a relationship that establishes priority access to a resource. The relationship is not established until individual defers to the other, or submits.

Which brings us back to this quote:

“Dominance is not a personality trait, but an aspect of a relationship”

~ Dr. L. David Mech

References:

•         Coppinger, Raymond and Coppinger, Lorna. Dogs: A startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution. Simon & Schuster: New York, NY 2001

•         Donaldson, Jean. “Are Dogs Pack Animals?” Blog by Jean Donaldson. WordPress, Web. 16 Jan, 2013

•         Mech, L. David. L. David Mech. n.d. Web. 14 Jun, 2014

•         Serpell, James. The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behaviour and Interactions with People. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK 2007

•         Yin, Sophia. “The Dominance Controversy.” Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS. n.d. Web. 15 Jun, 2014

•         Bradshaw, John W.S.; Blackwell, Emily J.; Casey, Rachel A. Dominance in Domestic Dogs: Useful Construct or Bad Habit. University of Bristol: United Kingdom, 2009

Media and Such.

This is one of many projects I've been meaning to get back to. I've been reading a lot, working on a few new things, and I've been putting a lot of time and effort into a class I will be teaching later this month. I also keep seeing a lot of information about alphas and pack theory, so I'm sure I will be revisiting those topics and dispelling those myths with current, reliable, verifiable science.

For now though, the topic at hand. I will be teaching a class through the Columbia Parks and Recreation at the Waters Moss Activity Center on February 25, from 6:30 to 7:30. Pre-registration is required and there is a $10 fee. You can register at http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/Leisure_Times/. The class, "Dogs and Kids," is listed on page 16.

The class will discuss the a little bit about dominance and hierarchy, and what it is and isn't and the fact that dogs are not trying to dominate your children. The class will also cover communication dogs use use to show they are uncomfortable, about to bite, relaxed, or want to play. Finally I will talk about over-arousal and when and how to put an end to it.

For more information, you can see a couple of interviews I've recently done.

This is me on Radio Friends with Paul Pepper. A correction, I said "45 million dog bites." I was quoting statistics by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but I misspoke. That should have been "4.5 million."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZH4XnKKAY

This was done by The City Channel:
http://gocolumbiamo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=1026

Podcasts

Things are moving along, slowly but surely. In my spare time, to help stay abreast of current information, I've been listening to a lot of podcasts. I thought I'd mention a few here.

First, Patricia McConnell. She used to have a radio show on Wisconsin Public Radio. I would listen every week when we lived in Wisconsin. After moving back to Missouri I had to download it. Oh, the disappointment one Monday morning when I discovered that the show had been cancelled. However, WPR has graciously left her last several episodes on their website and they are still available for download at... Well, in my attempt to grab the link, I discovered the WPR has now taken down the audio archives of the show. Fortunately I have them on my computer, but that doesn't help you, the reader. I'll keep digging around to see if I can find them somewhere else.

Second, Victoria Stilwell Positively Podcast. I love this woman because, looking at her television shows in particular, you can see how much she has changed over the years. She is constantly educating herself to keep up with new research and information and adjusting her training to incorporate the new information. The scheduling and runs of her podcasts are a bit odd and unpredictable, but they are always informative. All the episodes, through season three, are available at http://positively.com/podcasts/

Finally (for now), my new favorite is In the Dog House with Nando Brown and Donna Saunders. This is a weekly radio show out of Spain. Not to worry, it's in English. Each week this two hour show has three or four of the top people in the field from all over the world as guests. My favorite part is each episode, they try to have member from the Pet Professional Guild on. Being a member of the PPG, it's nice to be able to put voice with the faces I constantly communicate with on forums and Facebook. Always an interesting show, even if the banter gets a little sophomoric sometimes, although not to the point of distraction. This is a radio show though, so be prepared to listen to or fast forward through unrelated commercials and some songs, if you don't like the music. An extensive archive is available at http://inthedoghousedtc.com/category/pet-radio

These are excellent for listening to while walking your dog, doing house work, or while at work, if time allows. Enjoy.

Hopefully by next week, I'll have finally finished the book I'm reading and will have a review and/or comments on it. I'm finally getting to the meat of the book and hate having to step away from it.

Back on track

Well, a lot has been going on. I closed the business and had to find a new job. I at least have a paycheck coming in, but it's time to get things back on track.

Then the birth of my second daughter. There were a few complications. Nothing major, but time consuming. We're finally settling into a routine, and now it's time to get things back on track.

I'm still looking for a career, not just a job. By trade, I'm a graphic artist/desktop publisher. I can do the job and do it well, but the market here is very competitive, and with the journalism school at the university, companies can get cheap, temporary labor. They don't see the benefit of a long-term employee who knows the business and knows it well or just want to succeed, but not excel... so is my viewpoint. I won't go any deeper into that as this blog is about dogs and not the economic state of my city. However, it is time to look at my priorities and find a balance between my career and my passion. Not just from an fiscal standpoint, but for my sanity as well.

So, to that end, I'm getting back to my original plan. First, my book. I've had my sketchpad sitting on my end table for a year or more now. I think it's time to get that done. Most of the reference art is done. I just need to scan it and set it up for printing.

With that, I need to go through the text and make sure it is still up to date. So many new studies have come out, I need to make sure all the information is current. This means reading the studies and making sure I understand them to the point that I can explain it to my daughter, who the book is written for.

Next, my whole intention when I became a trainer was to train. I enjoy the group classes I do at CCSC and plan on being there for a while yet, but I want to do private lessons where I can tailor the class to the individual needs, one at a time. This will also lead, as has been my plan, into behavior modification (aggression, fear, etc.). I have an understanding of the theory and practice, but no formal education and minimal hands on experience.

Finally, this blog. I have so much information I'd like to share and really need to get back to consistently posting. I truly believe that I am standing on the shoulders of giants. I have made so many connections with people who have been doing this longer than me and, truth be told, better than me, I want to help get their information out there. This entails reading the books, studies, and conversations, putting that information in layman's terms, and providing access to the original information so people can make their own inferences.

So there's my plan. Not only to share with others, but to hopefully give me the kick in the pants I need to get these things done. I'll keep you posted on how things are progressing and hopefully provide some useful information to boot. I haven't been totally complacent and will have some things to share in the coming days and weeks, including a letter to a local shelter and a review of a book about trainer/people interactions.

New Age Mumbo Jumbo

Between a new job and a baby on the way, I haven't been too good at keeping up with this. I'll try to do better.

I got in a discussion this weekend about "energy," as heard on one of my least favorite trainer's tv shows. I hold the strong opinion of if you can't explain something so it is understood by your grandparent or a child, you don't truly understand it yourself. So, in a word, like so many other things, said tv "trainer" doesn't know what he's talking about.

What's actually happening is all about body language. Dogs communicate predominately through body language: stance, ears, tail, lips, mouth, etc. Likewise, they pick up on our body language. Although dogs have to learn a lot about how to communicate, there are some things that cross species.

When two people meet, it is polite to face the person, make eye contact, extend a hand to shake, or hug if the person is very familiar to you. Dogs see most of these things as a threat, intimidating, or just plain rude.  When dogs approach each other, they approach at an angle, they avoid direct eye contact for any length of time, they stand side by side, head to tail until they are comfortable with each other. I am only using social meetings here where the outcome is both parties are at ease with each other.

This relates to "energy" in that the aforementioned tv "trainer"walks up to the dog directly, stares at him, hovers over him, and basically does everything he can as a person to intimidate the dogs. When I had the store and in my classes, when I approach a dog for the first time, I turn sideways to them, I squat down to make myself as non-threatening as possible, I don't make direct eye contact, I wait for the dog to approach me. On numerous occasions people have commented that their dog hardly ever approaches strangers or doesn't like strangers and how surprised they are the dog was choosing to interact with me. (This, of course is all after I have asked the owner if I can pet their dog.)

So there it is in a nutshell: "energy" = body language. The thing to keep in mind after all this is if you approach a dog in an intimidating manner, the dog is much more likely to either go the other way or, if he feels he can't get away (is on a leach, in a yard, etc.) the dog is more likely to retaliate, even to the point of biting.

About the new blog

I just wanted to write a quick word about the blog and it's name, for clarification.

Blogger.com was nice enough to allow me to move everything from the business site to a new site, now that the business is closed. There are still a few things relevant to the business, but I'll probably take those down eventually.

As for the name, there was a mosaic uncovered in 1824, in what has become known as "The House of the Tragic Poet"... or at the entrance. It was some of the earliest evidence, when it was uncovered, how early dogs were used for specific functions other than hunting. The mosaic is of a growling, chained dog with the words "Cave Canem" under it. The house where it was uncovered dates back to the 2nd Century BC. After the discovery, several similar mosaics were uncovered.

Reading List

I didn't come to training with a mind set and looked for evidence to back up that position. when I started out, I believed in the alpha hierarchy and punishment, etc. But I read everything I could get my hands on and kept up with the current research. I think that's the difference between me and trainers I don't care for. Here is a list of books well worth reading for the most current research and understanding. I've put and asterisk (*) next to what I call the short list. These are the books I would recommend starting with if your time or funds are short.

These are books for just understanding learning and behavior:

These four are on every trainer-that-is-worth-their-salt's bookshelf:
*Coercion and its Fallout by Murray Sidman
*The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
The Domestic Dog by James Serpell
Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger

These are REALLY good, but not as widely known:
Learning and Behavior by Paul Chance
Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians by Bonnie Beaver
Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog by John Bradshaw


Actual training books:

These two, again, are on every good trainer's bookshelf:
*Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor

Not as well known, but I found them very helpful:
The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Tamases Fisher
Family Friendly Dog Training: A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog by Patricia McConnell and Aimee M. Moore
Puppy Training by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Skidmore

For specific behavior problems and understanding dog communication, I highly recommend:
The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnaj (DVD)
For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
(Patricia McConnell also has a number of reasonably price booklet that deal with separation anxiety, multidog households, and a number of other problem behaviors.)
Jean Donaldson has a great video (I think 6 parts) on Youtube about dog body language - Dog Body Language by Jean Donaldson (Part 1) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmWizZueFQ