20/01/2026
"Reactive dogs need an advocate, not an 'alpha.'" Thanks to Lavinia Tan of Adaptive Behaviour for this post.
Understanding canine behaviour can be complex, and with so much (conflicting) information out there, well-meaning dog owners can often be mislead by outdated theories.
I recently spoke with someone who addressing their dog's reactive behaviour by establishing themselves as 'leader of the pack’ - making sure to eat and go through doorways before their dog.
This is all based on dominance theory, which tells people dogs need to know their place in the hierarchy, and that humans need to establish themselves as the "alpha" or "pack leader” through these patterns of interaction.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆
There are multiple issues with taking this approach in dog training:
🐺 It’s based on a flawed and debunked understanding of wolf pack dynamics based on captive unrelated wolves, and not natural wolf family packs (see Mech, 1999).
🐶 Dogs are not wolves, with very different social behaviour.
👨💻 Humans aren’t dogs (and dogs treat us differently to other dogs).
🍗 Dominance refers specifically to dynamics between individuals competing for resources, not leadership. In our human-dog relationships, we control (almost) all resources of our dogs' lives so there is no competition.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
Contrary to popular belief, reactive dogs don’t need you to be an “Alpha” and don't need to be forced into submission. It's highly unlikely they've claimed the position of pack leader and the responsibility of protecting you on walks. Your reactive dog's big reactions serve to protect themselves and to help them resolve a stressful situation the best way they know how. Reactivity has nothing to do with dominance.
Instead, what reactive dogs 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 need:
👍 Help effectively managing their stress and arousal
👍 Time and space to safely process their environment
👍 Opportunities to relax and decompress
👍 Choice and agency
👍 Kindness, patience and understanding
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
Now this doesn't mean abandoning all rules or letting our dogs do whatever they want whenever they want. It means being mindful of our dogs' needs and finding routines that work best for both our dogs and families. Whether this includes eating before or after our dogs, or and finding ways to navigate movement and transitions successfully, the key is to prioritize what's most important, safe, and least stressful for everyone.
Instead of worrying about unnecessary rituals to enforce “dominance” over our dogs, it's much more effective to investigate and address the main drivers of their behaviour (i.e. stress, arousal, frustration, fear, anxiety).
Let’s lead by teaching our dogs the skills they need to succeed, and supporting them so they can not just cope, but thrive, in a human world that is often unpredictable and overwhelming. 💗
