Alpha dog?

[PJ's Mom]

Does every household with more than one dog have an alpha dog?

Both of mine seem to be pretty equal so how do I tell who the boss is?

You know if I ask them they'll both say, "I am." :D

[LuvGold00]

I have an alpha dog.... It's Starr.

[Cookiebaker]

I have an alpha cat - Marigold. ;) She rules the roost around here keeping them bad dogs in line!

I think Malone is alpha over Emerson, but it is pretty equal. They don't really fight or show submission or anything like that.

[chocolatepuppy]

With my two it's hard to tell, but most of the time I think Mandy is the alpha.

[Glacier]

Well, I'm gonna get slammed for this, but IMHO, No! In my pack, I am the alpha female, period, end of conversation. I make the rules and I enforce them. The dogs know that. They know when they hear the "wrath of Mom" voice that whatever they are doing will cease and desist immediately. I wish it worked that well on my husband, but somehow yelling "NOW" at him is not effective!:p

The dogs have an order amongst themselves, but it's not set in stone. It changes every day. Muskwa is a very dominant male, but he doesn't always want to be charge. Somedays he is very submissive. I've seen him approach Goldie on his belly trying to get her to play. He is protective of Earle. None of the other dogs are allowed to be nasty to Earle or Muskwa will step in. I've seen Antare decide to be boss dog and he's afraid of his shadow! The pack order is a very fluid thing, not a clear heirarchy.

I don't follow any "alpha rules". I feed them all at the same time, I let them through the door before me, I step over them instead of making them move and they get fed before I even start cooking my supper. I don't reinforce one dog as the boss dog. Muskwa, who most people would call my alpha dog, is fed with the others at the same time, he doesn't get different food or fed first. He gets the same treats, the same attention.

I think that alot of people use "alpha" as an excuse for tolerating aggressive behavior. A true alpha leader uses aggression as an absolute last resort, not as their first tool.

[IRescue452]

I have an alpha cat. Of the dogs, Pepper rules. They are pretty equal, but its little things that count. If Pepper decides to get to Autumns dish first, Autumn won't push her away, she'll come whining to me to help her.

[chocolatepuppy]

I think that alot of people use "alpha" as an excuse for tolerating aggressive behavior. A true alpha leader uses aggression as an absolute last resort, not as their first tool.

I don't tolerate any aggressive behavior but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. My dogs know I'm the boss in my house, but they still try to boss each other sometimes.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Echo used to be Alpha when she was here. Tia's the alpha now:)

[Glacier]

Originally posted by chocolatepuppy
I don't tolerate any aggressive behavior but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. My dogs know I'm the boss in my house, but they still try to boss each other sometimes.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I agree that bossy behavior and occasionally even worse happens, in any multi-dog household. My dogs can be pushy little jerks to each sometimes and occasionally, they even have a full fledged fight.

I meant more the people who don't bother to control their dog aggressive dogs. For example, I have a highly dog aggressive dog. Kayleigh hates other dogs and approaches them aggressively all the time--she has no nice manners when meeting a new dog. I've run into people with dogs like her who let their dog off leash and then when it gets in a fight, they justify it by saying the dog is an "alpha". I believe that it's a completey different thing. My most alpha like dog is perfectly fine meeting other dogs. Kayleigh is not and I have to protect her and other dogs from her. She is not an alpha female, she's dog aggressive.

[PJ's Mom]

Glacier, I always thought alpha dogs happened, especially in households like yours that have a lot of dogs. Thanks for clearing that up. :)

I guess I shouldn't feel bad that I don't have an alpha dog. :)

[RobiLee]

Glacier, I loved everything you wrote! It really helped clear things up for me. I first read the question and was sitting here trying figure out which of my dogs were alpha. I am always watching them and trying to figure that out. I normally would say Katie but sometimes I get confused because Katie lets Tori get away with so much. Tori will pick on her, pester her and steal her bones and Katie will just let her. So at those times I wonder if it is Tori who is alpha, but then all of a sudden its like Katie will have her fill and snap at Tori and lets her know its time to quit. So of course then I think Katie is truly the alpha dog. After reading what you wrote though I have come to realize that I or maybe I should say my husband is truly the alpha leader. If we say "knock it off" that is what they do! I have to laugh becuase right from the start when we got Katie as a puppy Alden would stare her right in the eyes and say "Remember I am Alpha"!

[LeahMM]

All four of my dogs pick on eachother but If I had to pick an alpha, I believe it would be my BC Niki.

[lv4dogs]

Nanook used to be alpha, but now that he is older I would say they are equal.
I never ever thought I would not have an alpha with multiple dogs but now I do. :)

*edited to add that I am alpha, I was just refering to how they are in their own dog pack, no human. lol

[PJ's Mom]

Is it wrong that I treat one dog as the alpha dog?

For example, I always give Peej his treats first, and when it's time to go for a walk, I always put his leash and collar on first.

I guess I do this because he was here first. :confused:

[Glacier]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
Is it wrong that I treat one dog as the alpha dog?

For example, I always give Peej his treats first, and when it's time to go for a walk, I always put his leash and collar on first.

I guess I do this because he was here first. :confused:

I don't think it's wrong. That just sounds like a routine that both you and your dogs are used to. Someone has to get the treat first! When I hand out treats, whoever sits first gets theirs first. If whatever you are doing with your dogs is working, don't worry about it!

[Denyce]

I agree with pretty much everythig Glacier has said. I have only one dog but 5 cats and a betta. All my animals are dominant animals. That is why none of them get along with each other. But I am the Alpha in the house. When I whip around and hollar at them they quit what they are doing pretty much immediately. Once in a while it requires an actual hiss.

With Sequoia we are still working things out. We have never had a husky. Actually neither of us has had a dog since we were children so it is a learning curve. But we read a lot and try to do all the right things so she knows that she is not the top dog in the house. Sometimes she challenges us and I have to look her in the eye and give her the firm NO. Then she will put her ears back and try to lick my face. But like I said we are still learning about husky behavoir.

Denyce

[DogLover9501]

Piddle!!

Piddle is definatly the boss in this house, Jasper is scared of him, and Piddle will growl, chase AND bite at Jasper if Jasper just does something as simple as get too closer, or touch him/his fur by accident.

We have tried working with this, but Jasper basically solves it himself, and tries to just stay away from Piddle.

[PJ's Mom]

Little Piddle is the boss? :D That gives hope to all tiny dogs everywhere. lol

I was always under the impression that you had to create the alpha dog, or at the very least, reinforce who the alpha dog is. This is all very interesting. :)

[binka_nugget]

I was just pondering over this last night. Of course, both boys know I'm alpha but I think the ranking between the two isn't set in stone. Kaedyn likes to be pushy now and then but when it comes down to it, Kai always has the last "word". If they get in a fight, Kai always wins.. but Kai only fights if he really has to.

[cali]

Misty is alpha dog in my house, but knows perfectly well she is under me lol Ripley is the Alpha male(equal to Misty) Perky is under Misty and Ripley, and I have noi idea what order Happy and Blair are in lol I do believe in Alpha, however not to a huge extent, it has helped us solve a major issue afterall, Happy and Misty were not getting along at all, fogered out Happy was being treated more as alpha then Misty was, changed that and all they they love eachother more then they ever have, and play together more in the first week then they ever had.

[cali]

Kaedyn likes to be pushy now and then but when it comes down to it, Kai always has the last "word". If they get in a fight, Kai always wins.. but Kai only fights if he really has to.

sounds like kai is Alpha, the alpha dog NEVER fights unless absolutly nessasary, they mostly ignore the other dogs, and they do allow the lower ranking dog do stuff as well, and the lower ranking member is allowed to get there way sometimes :p

[jesse_3]

Out of Jesse and Sammy, Jesse is definetely the boss. Sammy always follows her and Jesse gets EVERYTHING first. Sammy now refuses to because she knows Jes is in charge. Jesse and Sammy have never been in a fight, but Jesse will mouth her once in a while when Sammy has forgotten her place. I have to have seperate bowls for them because Jesse chases Sammy off if they share.
I guess that I would just observe your dogs and see who leads the other one around, eats first, etc.
Hope that helps!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

In my house if I had to pick one of them as the leader of the pack, I'd say most often it's Nacey. They know I rule the roost, but out of the 5 of them Nacey is top dog.


Originally posted by PJ's Mom
Little Piddle is the boss? :D That gives hope to all tiny dogs everywhere. lol

Heehee, that reminds me of when I was a kid. We had a yorkie and my grandma, who lived across the road, had a lab. The 2 dogs were together almost everyday, but our little 5 lb. yorkie was with out a doubt the alpha over Ace, the lab.

[cloverfdx]

Piddle is definatly the boss in this house, Jasper is scared of him, and Piddle will growl, chase AND bite at Jasper if Jasper just does something as simple as get too closer, or touch him/his fur by accident.
But does Piddle know your the boss though?

First off i am the alpha, they do as i say and look up to me for direction.

I have been thinking about this for a while now and was no closer to figuring it out until a few nights ago. Elvis thinks it is time to assert himself over Clover and the last few days have been interesting, Elvis is being very pushy (Not agressive, i will NOT tollerate agression). Just little things i have noticed like, he forces Clover into playing and will corner her, he has even started to mount her.

El has started to constantly mark territory when we are out and even in the backyard, and has no problems marking over where Clover has peed. He is going to be 18 months old on the 13th so he is maturing.

[senorita02]

My Alpha dog is Face but Senorita has lately been showing signs of trying to change that, Face is getting older and is more passive than before , so she knows she has a good oppurtunity, but i really dont think Face is going to allow it, ;)

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
I was always under the impression that you had to create the alpha dog, or at the very least, reinforce who the alpha dog is. This is all very interesting. :)

You do not create an alpha dog. It is either in their genetic makeup or it isn't. Some dogs don't show their alpha characteristics until the need arises. For instance, my Dixie is a alpha dog. She always submitted to her Aunt Jazz and never challenged for the alpha position when Jazz was around. Then one day out of the blue the two started growling and a mild attack out of the blue ocurred. Jazz won but not by much and then we discovered that Jazz had cancer and within 4 months passed on. Dixie realized her Aunt Jazz's weakened condition even before the humans did and challenged her for alpha position amongst themselves.

Dusty went through a stage where he wanted to be alpha over Dixie but she always put him in his place. If other dogs come over or we meet other dogs at the dog park, Dixie is happy to make sure everything stays in order with all the other dogs but she never exerts her alpha status. She just has a presence about her that lets other dogs know she is alpha.

If you don't clearly know what dog is alpha, my guess is, you don't have alpha dogs (period). In this case you don't need to worry about following "alpha rules" at all. If you had an alpha you would know it, you wouldn't have to figure it out.

In my case, I am alpha over both Dixie and Dusty and they know it. Dusty also knows his mom is alpha over him. So I don't particularly follow alpha rules in my house either. I pet who I want when I want and feed them in no particular order. I also treat them to the first one who does what ever behavior I tell them to do. I always incorporate a little NILIF to their routines. Not as much as when they are puppies and learning the ropes but enough that they realize I am the boss.

If you do have an alpha and a challenge arises in the pack, then you need to follow "alpha rules" to ensure harmony presides in the pack. However, the human is always the head alpha no matter what heirarchy the dogs assume. You just need to be aware of the canine heirarchy and reinforce it if you have two alphas that challenge for the top position. Otherwise, don't worry about it and just enjoy the fact that both your dogs are probably not alpha by genetics.

The biggest problem I see with people and Alpha misconceptions is "this dog was here first, so it's the alpha". The alpha could be a newcomer over a dog that was here for years. It's the strength and dominance the dog exerts over the others in the pack that makes it the alpha. Not who was here first. When people have a alpha newcomer and they treat the "first come" as the alpha even though it is not, problems could arise that are unneccessary. I always say let the dogs work it out amongst themselves and let the human abide by there choice, as long as the human is always alpha over them all! :D