A UK-based small animal veterinary surgeon has warned dog owners to steer clear of trainers who tell them to become the 'alpha' over their pet, saying the outdated approach can do more harm than good.
Ben the Vet, as he is known on social media, said dog owners should "run the other way" if a trainer tells them to "be the alpha", warning that the technique can build fear in the animal and be dangerous, particularly with larger dogs.
Video highlights the risk
In a TikTok video, he discussed a clip of a Rottweiler lying on top of its owner, with overlaid text reading: "Why you need to stop trying to be an alpha to your dog."
He said: "Now, clearly this is a catastrophic dog bite waiting to happen. I wanted to use it to highlight that if a dog trainer ever tells you to be the alpha, or be the pack leader, you need to run in the opposite direction and find another trainer."
Dominance theory debunked
He explained that the dominance theory is an "extrapolation from a study in the 1940s on captive, unrelated wolves forced to live together in a zoo in Switzerland."
He added: "These wolves did use aggression to fight for control, but subsequent research has debunked the theory that all wolves behave in this manner, finding that wild wolf packs, which are actually just natural family units led by parents, do not behave like that.
"More importantly, contrary to what a lot of people claim, domestic dogs are not wolves."
Fear and danger
He said trying to 'alpha' your dog, eating before them, or trying to show leadership does not teach a lesson in hierarchy. Instead, he claims it can build fear in the pet.
He added: "Your dog doesn't think you're some sort of giant weird dog. These techniques just make them feel scared and can be really dangerous, particularly if this is a big dog we're talking about.
"When dogs display 'bad behaviour', like growling or guarding resources, almost never are they trying to dominate you. It's almost always driven by fear or anxiety or lack of clear communication. Suppressing those behaviours with force doesn't fix those root problems."
Positive reinforcement approach
He advised: "If you need advice to your dog, look for a modern trainer or behaviourist who bases their advice on scientific evidence and focuses on positive reinforcement training.
"The key is to set clear boundaries, reward good behaviour and build trust, not destroy it."
Commenting on his post, one user said: "What you’re saying is greatly supported by the way guide dogs are trained. I don’t mean fake service dogs, I mean guide dogs trained to lead blind people. You have to be able to put all your trust in that dog and how we approach the training and building of confidence and trust in the dogs meant to one day do that (incredible) work teaches us a lot. I can’t trust any dog that doesn’t trust me."
Another user added: "Dogs like kids just need clear boundaries and to feel safe and cared for." A third user said: "Yes, look for qualified people who have studied behavioural science we know the theory and how to apply it affectively."
