283:. The wolves were kept in an area too small for their numbers and composed of members that would not be found together in a wild pack. These conditions resulted in increased numbers of conflicts that scientists today know are not typical of wolves living in the wild. Behaviors seen in wolves (specifically the alpha roll) living in atypical social groups and crowded conditions do not translate to domestic dog training, especially because using the technique can be harmful to both the handler and the dog.
272:. However, in the 2002 second edition of the book, the monks recanted and strongly discouraged the technique, describing it as "too risky and demanding for the average dog owner." Although the 1978 book is widely regarded as a classic in dog training literature and highly recommended for people trying to better understand their dog, the alpha roll is now highly controversial among animal behaviorists because the theory of canine
66:
25:
168:
318:
Position statements on dominance released by AVSAB question the science behind training techniques that rely on dominance theory. They recommend the alpha roll should never be used by inexperienced trainers, and never to correct undesired behavior caused by the dog's failure to understand a command.
347:
argues the reasons that many people have difficulty comprehending the theory of dominance are because the term is poorly defined and political correctness. Colin
Tennant, who is the chairman of the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association, said “It is political correctness. If you treat a dog like a
426:
and strongly discourage its use to our clients.... The conditions in which it might be used effectively are simply too risky and demanding for the average dog owner; there are other ways of dealing with problem behavior that are much safer and, in the long run, just as
327:
in dogs with no previous known history of aggression. The study also examined the development of hierarchy in domestic dogs and found that no definitive hierarchical structure developed within the group, leading study authors to question the alpha role in this group.
319:
Used in a controlled way and coupled with praise and rewards when the dog changes its behavior appropriately, it may have positive effect in the short-term, but there is disagreement about its long-term effectiveness and safety. A 2009 study by the
343:, “In some training and behavioural circles, all talk of dominance is classed as politically incorrect, and that these people are ardently opposed to anyone using the word in the context of dogs”. Portuguese animal behaviourist
302:
While "alpha rolling" can appear to be effective in the short term, there are serious questions about the safety of implementing this technique, as well as potential long-term negative behavioral effects of doing so.
294:
The name "alpha roll" is considered to be a misnomer by some wolf researchers because the practice when used as a behavioral correction bears little relation to the natural behavior shown by wild wolves.
517:
331:
Nevertheless, there are some modern-day dog trainers and animal researchers who have argued that the alpha roll is valid because dominance does exist in dogs and to deny it is motivated by
443:
311:
The use of the alpha roll is currently viewed unfavorably by the positive reinforcement training community as an outdated technique. In addition, the same scientist,
291:
It has been argued by some that a dog will only forcibly flip another onto its back during a serious fight where the intent may be to kill the opponent.
521:
490:
596:
833:
500:
818:
782:
415:
386:
225:
207:
149:
52:
712:
681:
Bradshaw, John W.S.; Blackwell, Emily J.; Casey, Rachel A. (2009). "Dominance in domestic dogs—useful construct or bad habit?".
323:'s Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences showed that methods of handling that relied on dominance theory actually provoked
356:
wrote, "You are the alpha dog... You must communicate that you are the pack leader and dominant". Mexican-American dog trainer
256:
animal). Methods include when a dog misbehaves to pin the dog on its back and held in that position, sometimes by the throat.
248:
technique that is considered outdated by many modern-day dog trainers. The theory behind the training method is that dogs are
87:
623:
450:
130:
566:
276:
has since been disproved. In the original context, the alpha roll was meant to be used only in the most serious cases.
102:
83:
38:
189:
178:
109:
828:
116:
76:
279:
The theory behind the alpha roll is based on a 1947 research study which looked at the behavior of captive
252:
animals. The technique is used to teach the dog that the trainer or owner of the dog is the pack leader (
332:
320:
422:
In the original edition of this book, we recommended a technique we termed "the alpha-wolf rollover"...
98:
265:
751:
273:
660:
473:
336:
544:
823:
778:
496:
411:
382:
690:
578:
774:
253:
185:
44:
733:
123:
597:"New Study Finds Popular "Alpha Dog" Training Techniques Can Cause More Harm than Good"
518:"New study finds popular "Alpha Dog" training techniques can cause more harm than good"
444:"Position statement on the use of dominance theory in behavior modification of Animals"
404:
344:
812:
349:
312:
357:
245:
767:
315:, who pioneered the theory of "alpha" behavior has since debunked his own theory.
631:
798:
65:
694:
654:
324:
296:
249:
360:
argues that “Dogs are social pack animals with a leader and followers”.
582:
683:
Journal of
Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research
348:
human it will treat you like a dog”. Psychologist and dog trainer
449:. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Archived from
280:
567:"Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs"
161:
59:
18:
299:
refers to this behavior as "pinning", a dominance behavior.
773:(First Fireside ed.). Simon & Schuster. p.
339:
who is an expert in animal behaviour, wrote in her book
188:. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are
799:"How to Tell Which Dog is Alpha: Dog Pack Hierarchy"
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
766:
713:"Pet trainers tussle over whose method is top dog"
403:
442:American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
8:
264:The alpha roll was first popularized by the
706:
704:
495:. Oxford University Press. pp. 83–93.
410:(2 ed.). Little, Brown & Company.
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
624:"Guys, We Need to Talk About Behaviorists"
226:Learn how and when to remove this message
208:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
335:. American Adjunct Professor of Zoology
184:Relevant discussion may be found on the
437:
435:
369:
711:Chittenden, Maurice (8 August 2010).
663:from the original on 21 December 2021
492:Dog Behavior, Evolution and Cognition
424:We no longer recommend this technique
7:
88:adding citations to reliable sources
622:Cameron, Ross (27 September 2016).
14:
34:This article has multiple issues.
406:How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend
379:How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend
270:How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend
166:
64:
23:
402:The Monks of New Skete (2002).
381:. Little, Brown & Company.
377:The Monks of New Skete (1978).
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
1:
765:Coren, Stanley (2001). "20".
752:"Roger Abrantes On Dominance"
734:"DOGS AND DOMINANT BEHAVIOUR"
834:Animal-related controversies
475:Expression Studies on Wolves
653:eduweb (15 February 2008),
571:Canadian Journal of Zoology
850:
695:10.1016/j.jveb.2008.08.004
545:"Leadership vs. Dominance"
472:Schenkel, Rudolph (1947).
341:The Other End of the Leash
819:Dog training and behavior
722:(subscription required)
16:Dog training technique
489:Adam Miklosi (2007).
333:political correctness
321:University of Bristol
177:factual accuracy is
84:improve this article
634:on 23 February 2019
565:Mech, L.D. (1999).
453:on 16 December 2011
325:aggressive behavior
268:, in the 1978 book
543:Wilde, N. (2001).
337:Patricia McConnell
266:Monks of New Skete
801:. 24 August 2020.
524:on 15 August 2011
502:978-0-19-295852-5
352:in the 2001 book
236:
235:
228:
218:
217:
210:
160:
159:
152:
134:
57:
841:
803:
802:
795:
789:
788:
772:
769:How to Speak Dog
762:
756:
755:
748:
742:
741:
730:
724:
723:
720:
708:
699:
698:
678:
672:
671:
670:
668:
650:
644:
643:
641:
639:
630:. Archived from
619:
613:
612:
610:
608:
593:
587:
586:
577:(8): 1196–1203.
562:
556:
555:
553:
551:
540:
534:
533:
531:
529:
520:. Archived from
513:
507:
506:
486:
480:
479:
469:
463:
462:
460:
458:
448:
439:
430:
429:
409:
399:
393:
392:
374:
354:How to Speak Dog
307:Contemporary use
231:
224:
213:
206:
202:
199:
193:
190:reliably sourced
170:
169:
162:
155:
148:
144:
141:
135:
133:
92:
68:
60:
49:
27:
26:
19:
849:
848:
844:
843:
842:
840:
839:
838:
829:1978 neologisms
809:
808:
807:
806:
797:
796:
792:
785:
764:
763:
759:
750:
749:
745:
732:
731:
727:
721:
710:
709:
702:
680:
679:
675:
666:
664:
652:
651:
647:
637:
635:
621:
620:
616:
606:
604:
595:
594:
590:
583:10.1139/z99-099
564:
563:
559:
549:
547:
542:
541:
537:
527:
525:
515:
514:
510:
503:
488:
487:
483:
471:
470:
466:
456:
454:
446:
441:
440:
433:
418:
401:
400:
396:
389:
376:
375:
371:
366:
309:
289:
262:
232:
221:
220:
219:
214:
203:
197:
194:
183:
175:This article's
171:
167:
156:
145:
139:
136:
93:
91:
81:
69:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
847:
845:
837:
836:
831:
826:
821:
811:
810:
805:
804:
790:
783:
757:
743:
740:. 1 July 2012.
725:
700:
689:(3): 135–144.
673:
645:
614:
603:. 9 March 2009
601:Dr. Sophia Yin
588:
557:
535:
508:
501:
481:
464:
431:
416:
394:
387:
368:
367:
365:
362:
345:Roger Abrantes
308:
305:
288:
285:
261:
258:
234:
233:
216:
215:
174:
172:
165:
158:
157:
72:
70:
63:
58:
32:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
846:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
816:
814:
800:
794:
791:
786:
784:0-684-86534-3
780:
776:
771:
770:
761:
758:
753:
747:
744:
739:
735:
729:
726:
718:
714:
707:
705:
701:
696:
692:
688:
684:
677:
674:
662:
658:
657:
656:"Alpha" Wolf?
649:
646:
633:
629:
625:
618:
615:
602:
598:
592:
589:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
561:
558:
546:
539:
536:
523:
519:
512:
509:
504:
498:
494:
493:
485:
482:
477:
476:
468:
465:
452:
445:
438:
436:
432:
428:
425:
419:
417:0-316-61000-3
413:
408:
407:
398:
395:
390:
388:0-316-60491-7
384:
380:
373:
370:
363:
361:
359:
355:
351:
350:Stanley Coren
346:
342:
338:
334:
329:
326:
322:
316:
314:
306:
304:
300:
298:
292:
286:
284:
282:
277:
275:
271:
267:
259:
257:
255:
251:
247:
243:
238:
230:
227:
212:
209:
201:
198:November 2008
191:
187:
181:
180:
173:
164:
163:
154:
151:
143:
132:
129:
125:
122:
118:
115:
111:
108:
104:
101: –
100:
96:
95:Find sources:
89:
85:
79:
78:
73:This article
71:
67:
62:
61:
56:
54:
47:
46:
41:
40:
35:
30:
21:
20:
793:
768:
760:
746:
738:Dog Listener
737:
728:
716:
686:
682:
676:
665:, retrieved
655:
648:
636:. Retrieved
632:the original
627:
617:
605:. Retrieved
600:
591:
574:
570:
560:
548:. Retrieved
538:
526:. Retrieved
522:the original
511:
491:
484:
474:
467:
455:. Retrieved
451:the original
423:
421:
405:
397:
378:
372:
358:Cesar Millan
353:
340:
330:
317:
310:
301:
293:
290:
278:
269:
263:
250:hierarchical
246:dog training
241:
239:
237:
222:
204:
195:
176:
146:
140:October 2009
137:
127:
120:
113:
106:
99:"Alpha roll"
94:
82:Please help
77:verification
74:
50:
43:
37:
36:Please help
33:
667:22 February
638:22 February
607:22 February
813:Categories
427:effective.
364:References
313:David Mech
297:David Mech
242:alpha roll
110:newspapers
39:improve it
717:The Times
550:8 October
274:dominance
186:talk page
45:talk page
824:Ethology
661:archived
516:Yin, S.
179:disputed
287:Effects
260:History
124:scholar
781:
499:
457:2 July
414:
385:
281:wolves
126:
119:
112:
105:
97:
628:CCPDT
528:5 May
447:(PDF)
254:alpha
244:is a
131:JSTOR
117:books
779:ISBN
669:2019
640:2019
609:2019
552:2007
530:2011
497:ISBN
459:2016
412:ISBN
383:ISBN
240:The
103:news
775:250
691:doi
579:doi
86:by
815::
777:.
736:.
715:.
703:^
685:.
659:,
626:.
599:.
575:77
573:.
569:.
434:^
420:.
48:.
787:.
754:.
719:.
697:.
693::
687:4
642:.
611:.
585:.
581::
554:.
532:.
505:.
478:.
461:.
391:.
229:)
223:(
211:)
205:(
200:)
196:(
192:.
182:.
153:)
147:(
142:)
138:(
128:·
121:·
114:·
107:·
80:.
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
