Alpha dog?

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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. :)

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"!

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

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

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:

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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:

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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!