"alpha" dog

[schteve_d]

I am asking this purely out of curiosity as I have been coming here for a little while now and it sounds like most people that have more than one dog in their home on here have one definate alpha dog. Again, this is just out of curiosity as it has never once caused a problem for "us". I got Bud and Tash about four months apart, Bud is three months to the day older than Tash, completely different parents, etc. and they each have places where they are dominant, very definately dominant. For instance, when it comes to food, the car, or the back yard, Buddy is definately the alpha dog. In their bed, on their walks, and on the "dog couch", Tasha is definately the alpha dog. Do other people who have multiple dogs experience this? I guess I just always thought that one dog was dominant and that was it. They are nine now so I don't see their "pecking order" changing.

[cloverfdx]

Yes our dogs are like that. Clover is definitely the boss when it comes to food. Elvis like to take the lead at the park though and will always get the ball first.

[cali]

yup, i read somewhere that dogs always do that, obviously mine are exepstions lol because Misty is total Alpha at my house lol

[Glacier]

Yanno, I don't put much stock in the whole alpha thing...as my friend Sydney says all the time "alpha-schmalfa!" My dogs are all breeds that are supposed to need a clear, defined alpha dog at all times. Well, that dog changes every day. I have a dominant male who is an alpha type temperment. However, he also regularly submits to other dogs--because he wants to play. Just this morning, I watched him playbow and roll on his back trying to entice one of my shy boys into wrestling with him. The dogs speak their own language to each other and very clearly, but I think the boss dog changes constantly and with the situation.

I don't reinforce "alpha status" at all, ever. I step over them instead of making them move. I feed them first and in no particular order. They sleep on my bed and jump on the couch if they want to. I don't always go through the door first. Sometimes I let them stampede right on by me! Nobody is allowed to growl or be snappy in the house over anything. They can disagree about who owns the bone all they want outside, but inside no one gets to growl. If it is the dominant dog, he gets kicked outside, just like the submissive ones would!

It seems to work...I have 21 dogs, all but one of them can live as a pack dog and fights are rare. My dogs are well mannered--if I tell them to get off the couch, they do. they've done therapy visits to nursing homes, they've given skijoring and mushing demonstrations to school kids, foreign exchange students and community groups. We get lots of compliments on their good behavior.

When it comes right down to it, I am their alpha, leader of their pack and as long as they respect that I don't much care about their pack order.

[micki76]

There is usually an Alpha male and an Alpha female in each pack. :)