Is your dog always trying to dominate you? Do you have to be the Alpha pack leader? Do you have to go through the door first? Do you have to eat first?...

In the 1950s, the dominance model was used. This was based on wolves in captivity. These wolves had a distinct alpha male and female that gained their position by winning conflicts. Through aggression the other wolves always tried to get alpha status. After some time the submissive wolves submitted and there was peace again. From this theory you had to be dominant over your dog at all times. Examples are: eat first, dog is not allowed in the couch or bed, dog may never win, a dog that puts a paw on you is dominant, the dog must first look away when you look at him, you must first go through the door, ... If not to this day, various aids are used such as choke chains, prong chains, electric collars and dominant actions such as pushing on the back, tapping the nose, grabbing by the scruff of the neck, etc..

Since the 1980s, this dominance theory has become obsolete.Because the wolves were monitored in captivity, they showed completely different behavior due to lack of space, unnatural group composition, limited food sources, ... The hierarchy was mainly formed to keep the peace. It concerned 10 wolves on a site of 10m x 20m!

Wolves in the wild exhibited behavior very similar to that of a human family. The mother takes care of the puppies along with the other wolves and the father gets food. Conflicts were avoided as much as possible by means of calming signals and possible threatening behaviour. There was no continuous attempt to gain a dominant position.

This social behavior has also been recognized by science.

If you know that this theory has been outdated since the 1980s, it is incomprehensible that there are still dog schools or trainers that work according to the dominance model. Without friendship and trust there is no stable relationship. Our dogs show more intention to cooperate with people than with their peers. This genetic basis was also found in (socialized) wolves. So the base is already there.

Many behavioral problems are unconsciously promoted by people. Therefore, do not use choke chains, gentle leader, e-collars and other corrective tools. These things are a quick fix at best! A quick fix will temporarily solve the problem but will not look at the underlying cause. From experience I can tell you that such remedies rarely solve the problems and in most cases make them much worse in the long run.

Moreover, there are all important organs where you put the choke chain (thyroid gland, aorta, skin, etc.). By using choke chains and unfortunately also regular collars, you damage these vital organs. A thyroid gland that is not working properly can result in behavioral problems. Let alone what this means for the bond with your dog.