The Dominant Dog

By Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman - Professor and Head, Section of Animal Behavior; Director of Behavior Clinic, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine

Dominance is a personality trait of dogs (and people) that creates an individual who is both independent and willful. Such individuals not only know their own minds but are more than willing to "act out" to achieve their goals should the need arise. I call dominance the "George Foreman syndrome" because the attitude conjures up Foreman's unforgettable words in the Meineke advertisement, "I am not going to pay a lot for this muffler."

For dominant dogs, food, toys, a favorite resting place, certain postural interventions (a positioned hand over the dog's head), and an unwillingness to be controlled or disciplined are often the bones of contention. Dominance is not necessarily undesirable, and in some working dogs, is even viewed as an advantage because it confers character and initiative.

Many owners think of dominance and aggression as synonymous, but this is not necessarily so. In fact, dominance and aggression may move in opposite directions. Some of the most dominant dogs are often not particularly aggressive while their more insecure, anxious counterparts, the dominant "wannabes," seem preoccupied with one-upmanship and getting their own way. Sounds almost human, doesn't it?

Nature and nurture combine to produce the dominant aggressive dog. While a genetic tendency toward dominance is an essential ingredient for its expression, life's experiences hone the final product. Inadequate leadership by well-meaning but misinformed owners is one of the more common environmental influences permitting dominance aggression to rear its ugly head.

As with other behavior problems, prevention of dominance aggression is better than a cure and new puppy owners should establish some ground rules for their pet right from the get-go. For example, it is important to insist that the would-be dominant dog should be trained to obey a one word command, such as "sit" or "down," in order to receive its food and treats.

Even when dominance aggression has expressed itself in a mature dog, owners can still regain control by implementing a tough love program often known as, "Nothing in Life is Free." Nine out of ten owners report that their dog's aggression is much improved following such a program and seventy percent of these regard their dog as "cured." So, for those owners whose dogs literally bite the hand that feeds, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.