Dominance in dogs: myth or reality?

"My dog is dominant, I can't let him off the leash around other dogs."

Who hasn’t heard this phrase before? Many dog owners think that a dog with a high tail and erect ears is an alpha dog, a dominant dog that will constantly try to assert dominance over its peers. But if this statement were true, what about dogs without tails or with floppy ears? Let’s separate fact from fiction.

1️⃣ Understanding the notion of dominance

A Human perspective on canine dominance
Labeling a dog as dominant is a purely human perspective on our canine friends. Describing a dog as dominant often serves as an excuse to avoid further analysis: this word immediately creates a barrier to understanding our dogs' behavior.

2️⃣ Dominance in dogs: myth or reality?

Dominance depends on the context
We’ve all witnessed situations where one dog seems to dominate another. How can this be explained? A dog can be dominant, but it will depend on the moment, environment, and context. Dominance is always the result of a situation! It is not a descriptive quality like color or size. A dog does not dominate for the sake of dominating; it is an interaction for a specific reason: a ball, a stick, the best spot to sleep, a treat…

3️⃣ Practical example: Understanding situational dominance

The importance of motivation in dogs
To clarify, let’s take an example with two dogs: one considered dominant and aggressive, who is given plenty of food for a week, and another considered submissive, who is starved during the same period. No worries, our canine friends are always well cared for at Pet Cheri; this is just an illustration to better understand the concept! If these two dogs are presented with food, their roles will completely reverse. The “dominant” dog has no interest in fighting for food, while the “submissive” dog has a huge motivation to react to obtain the food he has missed for a week. Thus, the so-called submissive dog will dominate the so-called dominant dog.

4️⃣ Dominance: A matter of context and otivation

Observing and anticipating canine behavior
It’s all about motivation! The greater the dog's motivation to obtain something, the more he will strive to get it and dominate a peer who might block his goal. If dominating at a specific moment helped him achieve something, he will remember it and won’t hesitate to repeat the behavior in the future to reach his objective. Therefore, it’s crucial to avoid such conflicts as much as possible, and everything comes down to anticipation. Remember, a dog doesn’t have a single behavior but a range of them. He will try different things to find out what works best; our dogs are quite clever ;)

5️⃣ Breeds and the misconception of innate dominance

Morphology and communication in breeds reputed as dominant
Some breeds are also reputed to be dominant. This is the case, for example, with the American Akita or the Sharpei. They are often considered unpredictable and aggressive. However, the reasons are very simple: their morphology and way of communicating. These factors play a significant role in how they interact with other dogs. Some of their behaviors are harder for their peers to read, making it difficult to interpret their intentions and emotions. In short, it has nothing to do with dominance.

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Thus, dominance is merely a relational state that appears based on the dog’s motivation to obtain something, his experience, and depending on the moment, environment, and context. It is more prudent to learn to observe your dog rather than label him with terms that can do more harm than good. So, let’s clear our minds, ditch the idea of the dominant dog, and don’t hesitate to share this knowledge around!