Do you believe in dominace theory?

[Twisterdog]

Dogs are pack animals. Therefore, they have a pack order. There is no such thing as "equal rights" to a dog. No dog is "equal" to another dog in the pack. There is a ladder system, where one dog occupies one rung, with dogs above and below them. This is the natural order of a dog's mind.

I believe how "dominant" you must present yourself as to your dog depends on how dominant your dog is naturally. Alpha dogs are born, IMO. If the dog has dominant tendencies, you will need to be more dominant to the dog in order to say to him/her, in his/her own language, "You can be the number two creature in this pack, but I am the number one!"

With a naturally submissive dog, sometimes all you have to do is give them "the look" once.

I have never encountered a dog, even very dominant dogs, that anyone would have to go through even close to all of the above mentioned steps with, in order to establish dominance. But, I'm sure they exist.

I think a lot of it has to do with your natural level of dominance as well. Some people, like some dogs, just naturally are leaders. Dogs sense this. I know I have far less trouble with dominant dogs than one of my employees does. She is a very submissive person by nature. I am not.