Alpha Dog Or Alpha Myth? Why Your Dog Is Not The Pack Leader

I wish I had a dollar for the number of times someone has asked me how I can tell which of my four dogs is the alpha.

I usually give a quick shake of the head and respond with a wry smile, “None of them.”

This tends to leave the questioner feeling somewhat skeptical, assuming that I have missed some crucial aspect of my dogs’ personalities.

But the truth is, the concept of “alpha dogs” and “pack leaders” in domesticated dogs is a myth that just won’t go away.

Even though it has been well and truly debunked by science. 

While it may have seemed logical at some stage in distant history to apply wolf pack dynamics to domestic dogs (even though it wasn’t), we now know that domestic dogs do not form rigid social hierarchies.

So you can stop wondering how to tell which of your dogs is the alpha because the real answer is: ‘None of them.’

Whew!

Why There’s No Such Thing As An Alpha Dog

Dominance theory is founded on the false belief that dogs are constantly fighting to be the alpha dog or leader of the pack. 

The concept originated in the 1930s and 1940s, based on observations of captive wolves by Swiss animal behaviorist Rudolph Schenkel. 

Schenkel studied how these unrelated wolves behaved in the unnatural setting of captivity. 

His observations resulted in the idea that wolves maintain a rigid, military-like hierarchy with an alpha wolf leading the pack through force and intimidation.

Schenkel’s findings were mistakenly applied to the behavior of wild wolf packs and then to pet dogs. 

Captive Wolves vs. Wild Wolves

The distinction between captive wolves and wild wolves is crucial to understanding the flaws in the initial dominance theory. 

When unrelated wolves in captivity (like those in Schenkel’s study) are forced to live together for many years, it creates tension between mature adults that just wouldn’t happen in the wild. 

In fact, wolves are social creatures who collaborate and work together collectively as a team.

They care for each other, form individual friendships, and nurture their own elderly, sick, and injured. 

“The concept of the alpha wolf as a ‘top dog’ ruling a group of similar-aged compatriots is particularly misleading,” says biologist Dr. David Mech. 

In a wolf pack, the alpha pair serves primarily as the breeding pair. 

There is usually only one breeding pair per pack, and their main responsibility is to maintain order and cohesion within the group. 

Dogs Are Not Wolves

Domestic dogs have evolved primarily as scavengers who have lived alongside human beings for at least 30,000 years. 

It’s a co-evolution that has taken dogs down a vastly different path from that of their wolf ancestors, despite their genetic similarities.

Nevertheless, Schenkel’s observations have filtered down through the ages to unsuspecting dog parents, who have been led to believe that dogs have a strict pack order with an “alpha” leader, with other dogs being dominant or submissive—beta dogs or omega dogs, if you will.

Luckily, for the sake of pet dogs everywhere, recent research paints a completely different picture. 

This new way of thinking recognizes that dogs have complex social lives that don’t fit the old idea of a strict pecking order.

At all.

Canine Social Dynamics

Dominance/alpha dog/pack leader is often mistakenly labeled as a personality trait within individual dogs. 

But this misrepresents the fluidity of dog social dynamics and misunderstands how dogs behave.

Personality traits in dogs are complex and multifaceted, with dominance being an overly simplistic label that does not accurately reflect their behavior.

Rather, dogs’ relationships with each other (and with humans) vary depending on context and environment.

Dominance theory only applies to two dogs fighting over a resource,” says Angelica Steinker, accredited dog trainer and behavior consultant and founder/owner of Courteous Canine Inc., in Lutz, Florida. 

“Its purpose is to identify who will win the resource.”

Dogs And Dominance

While dominance can exist between dogs, it is primarily a way to determine who has priority access to important resources, like food and preferred resting spots. 

This tends to be flexible. 

In other words, while a dog may compete for control in some situations, he will be quite happy to defer to another dog in others.

It depends very much on the individual, the context, and what’s at stake. 

But none of it has anything to do with dominance as a fixed personality trait or being ‘an alpha dog.’

If My Dog Isn’t The Alpha, Why Does He…?

Dogs do what they do to get what they want or need. 

Their behavior is driven by instinct and their own internal motivations. 

This also applies to behaviors that may (erroneously) be viewed as aggressive behaviors or signs of dominance.

…Growl At My Other Dog?

For example, if your dog growls at another dog from across the room because he has a chew toy, it’s not because he is trying to assert his position as the alpha male or is engaging in dominant behavior. 

Instead, he is simply guarding his resource and ensuring that another dog does not take it from him.

…Stare At My Other Dog?

Similarly, if one dog stares at another dog, it’s not necessarily a sign of aggression or dominance. 

Eye contact between dogs can simply be a sign of curiosity or a part of play.

A hard stare however, accompanied by a rigid body and tense muscles, is usually a sign of emotional arousal, perhaps a warning to stay away (guarding that resource again) or a sign of excitement.

…Bark At My Other Dog When I Get Home?

And if your dog jumps on you when you come home and nips at your hand for attention while barking at your other dog, it’s not because he thinks he is the pack leader. 

Rather, it’s because he has learned that this behavior gets him the attention he wants from you and temporarily keeps the other dog out of the way.

Dominant Dog Or Submissive Dog?

Each of these examples is just a normal behavior where the dog has not yet been trained a more appropriate alternative. 

But they are not signs of dominant behavior or an “alpha dog” trying to take on some sort of fabled leadership role.

“Rather than a personality trait of an individual, dominance is a property of interactions between several individuals,” confirms canine behavior researcher, Dr. Clive Wynne.

Dogs are constantly learning and adapting, and their behaviors can change depending on the consequences they receive. 

Labeling a dog as “dominant” or “submissive” based on isolated incidents is not accurate or helpful and misses the mark completely when trying to understand the motivation behind his behavior.

Seeking Access, Not Dominance

As we’ve established by now, dogs are not on a mission to be the alpha and take over the household. 

Instead, they exhibit certain behaviors to gain access to valued resources.

Behavior that is interpreted as resource guarding, such as when a dog positions himself near an item he values, is actually a bid to maintain access to that item. 

His intent is to keep enjoying the possession rather than to control the social dynamics of the group.

For example:

• A dog may guard a food bowl or favorite sleeping spot to signal that the resource belongs to him during that particular interaction. 
• But in another setting or at a different time, the hierarchy can shuffle, and a dog who previously guarded the resource is no longer interested. Perhaps he’s not tired or hungry at that point, so the resource isn’t as important.
• Meanwhile, the dog deferred earlier may take a more controlling position when vying for a different resource, or gaining access to the original resource at a different time. 

Dogs are much more interested in securing positive outcomes for themselves—like a comfortable spot for sleeping or a preferred treat—than they are in pursuing any hierarchical status.

Human ‘Super-Dominance’

Because some dog owners (and even trainers) still believe that dogs operate on a strict pack hierarchy with the alpha at the top and subordinates below, they believe that they must assert their own dominance to maintain control.

But think about it like this: 

We control just about everything in our dogs’ lives. 

This includes when, where, and what they eat, where they sleep, when they get bathroom breaks, when they get to play with their friends, go out for a walk, or receive veterinary care. 

If anyone is superior in this relationship, surely it’s us. 

Clive Wynne goes as far as to suggest that humans occupy a position of “super dominance” over dogs, and it’s easy to see why.

Instead of getting caught up in the idea that our canine companions are trying to establish their social status if they jump up on the sofa or push through a doorway, all we have to do is work out what is driving the behavior. 

Once we’ve done that, we can redirect the behavior or train an alternative so our pups can learn to behave with the good manners we would prefer. 

Communication Between Dogs

Dogs use their body language and facial expressions to communicate with other dogs and express how they are feeling.

They are social animals, and their social structure and instincts are influenced by their genetics, upbringing, environment, and personal experiences.

Each dog is an individual with unique needs and his own personality and preferences.

Positive Reinforcement Training

Instead of focusing on the notion that one dog is trying to establish an alpha position over another, dog owners would do well to work with their dogs as a team to understand their individual motivations and help them develop healthy social skills.

This involves providing proper positive reinforcement training, exercise, and environmental enrichment.

Engaging in consistent positive reinforcement training methods teaches dogs good manners and provides them with the essential life skills they need, while fostering a trusting, harmonious relationship with their human family members.

Aversive Training Methods

Old-fashioned training methods (like alpha rolls and punishment) and equipment designed to work by using pain and fear (like spray bottles, startle devices like anti-bark collars, prong and choke collars, and electric shock collars) should be avoided at all costs.

These methods risk harming the physical and mental well-being of dogs, but they can also damage the relationship between dog and owner. 

Positive reinforcement training, on the other hand, focuses on rewarding desired behaviors—rather than punishing undesirable behaviors.

This sets dogs up for success and creates a positive and enjoyable learning experience for both the dog and their owner, resulting in a confident, well-behaved, and happy dog.

Social Dynamics Of Free-Ranging Dogs

To give something of a wider context to the whole alpha dog/dominance hierarchy debate, we can look to free-ranging dogs to see how they organize themselves without human interference.

Studies of free-ranging dogs in human-populated areas have shown that they typically bond in groups of two or three individuals, or even groups of up to five to six dogs.

“Within their group, dogs get along peacefully and as a family,” says canine behavior researcher Marco Adda, referencing his observations of the free-ranging street dogs who live in Bali, Indonesia. 

“Some moments of tension may occur due to resource guarding. Some growling may be present, but rarely has that been observed to escalate, for every dog seems to be aware of their social status within a group,” he says.

“During those hours when they are very active, dogs move around and may come across other groups or dogs. Their typical behavior is very cautious, yet calm and respectful of each other. They apply many strategies to avoid conflict.”

This shows us that even in a natural setting, dogs value and prioritize social harmony within their groups and with outsiders. 

Again, we can see that the notion of one “alpha” dog controlling the entire group is completely inaccurate. 

Instead, Bali street dogs, just like their domestic canine counterparts, form social bonds with other individuals based on their individual needs and personalities.

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Resources

• A Better Dog-Human Understanding – Susan Nilson (with Marco Adda)
• Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs – David Mech 
• Debunking the “Alpha Dog” Theory – Pat Miller 
• Leadership in Wolf, Canis lupus, Packs – David Mech 
• Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals – American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
• The Indispensable Dog – Clive D. L. Wynne