Dominance Theory

Behavioral Training

This link is to a page of position statements put out by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The one on dominance has a bad link, but might be better by the time you read this. It is a position statement on the use of dominance theory to modify behavior in pets. In basic terms it says “quit listening to those people on TV who need to prove in one hour that they can modify your pet’s behavior for the better”!

The paper actually says a lot more than that and is well worth your time to read.

It discusses the difference between dominance, which sets up a relationship that will need to be continually retested, and/or a relationship that can increase aggressive behaviors due to fear issues, and leadership, which sets up a relationship of willing partners.

The paper discusses how dominance/submission might work in the animal kingdom. One animal may be “dominant” or alpha, but when that animal’s back is turned a lower ranking animal will do whatever he/she wants or needs to do. Their example included a herd of cattle. The alpha bull will not allow the beta bulls a chance to mate. However, when alpha is out of sight or far away, the subordinate animals will go ahead and mate. In other words, you may clearly be the alpha of your pack at home, but when your back is turned, the furniture is fair game.

This position statement is a fantastic new tool for animal communicators to keep close at hand. Often times we are asked about “bad” or inappropriate behaviors. There can be many reasons for such behaviors including medical, animals who take on their owners “stuff” (hear Mary Savage Tibbitts), or some event that happens when we’re not at home. But a common reason for inappropriate behavior is the positive reinforcement pets receive from us without us even being aware of what we are doing!

Examples are everywhere. Counter surfers will often end up with a treat of some sort that we accidentally left out just that one time. Jumpers can get closest to their loved one by getting nearest to their face. Leash pullers have more and longer access to interesting smells. And barkers eventually get someone to talk with them – even if it is in a loud voice!

It’s tricky because our pets (and our dogs especially) watch us so closely that we don’t even know what it is that they are learning from us. I go and visit my horses daily. Before I go I, use the restroom, check the lock on the front door, put on my boots, ask the dog about going outside, grab some carrots and a dog cookie, ask the dog to kennel up, leave the cookie and then leave. I no longer need to ask the dog to kennel up because he has learned all of these steps and goes to his kennel as he sees me move to lock the front door. And honestly I must use the sentence “I think I’ll go see the ponies now” a lot because when I say that, no matter when I say it, Axel goes to his kennel.

That is an example of how a dog will pay close attention to patterns. Horses will do the same. If every time you arrive to visit your horse you park, grab a halter, call your horse, put on the halter, walk him/her to the hitching post, groom, roundpen, then ride but your horse does not like to work in the round pen, it will not take long before your horse will no longer enjoy being groomed. Given more time he/she will quit coming when called or will walk away as you go to get a halter.

When we communicate with pets the two competing relationship patterns noted in the position statement can help us get to the gist of problems. Is the relationship one of dominance/submission? Is the pet owner giving out rewards for unwanted behavior without realizing it? And finally – how can the problem be solved?