Originally posted by Tonya
But for some reason, she's wierd towards me. I've never laid hands on her or yelled at her. I guess she recognizes me as alpha and respects me a little to much?
It's a very positive sign that she responds well to so many other people and things. Much more hopeful that she'll make progress with you too. I doubt it's a matter of alpha status. I'd bet money that when Roxy was under 4 months old, someone who vaguely resembles you in some way, was mean to her. Dogs should receive most of their socialization under 4 months old. The things they learned then they don't forget, but they can overcome! I bet a woman was creul to Roxy. I have a couple dogs who are fine with my husband until he puts a ball cap on. Then they run and cower or bark incessantly at him. Someone in a hat was mean to Delta & Antare.

Personally, I don't put a whole lot of stock in the alpha thing. I have 21 dogs here and i've never actively enforced that I'm their alpha. I do lots of things they say you shouldn't--I feed them first, I step over them instead of making them move, I let them in and out of doorways before I go through, they sleep on the bed ect. But they all listen to me, respond when I call them, are generally well behaved and I can usually break up a fight just by screaming a few words I can't type on PT! They know who buys the dog food around here!