# Dominance towards puppies



## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

So we have a new situation with Miles. 

He has just turned 11 months and has very recently begun asserting his dominance over puppies. It's not all puppies, just some, but he will march over to them, posture, and low growl to them. He does the same if a puppy jumps on him. Our breeder says it's normal for him at this age to try to assert himself as an adult and if the puppy owner isn't freaked out to let them work it out, and if it were to escalate we are to reprimand Miles for his behavior. 

While this may be normal for his age, I can't help but feel embarrassed when it happens and I worry that maybe it's not a phase and he will always dislike puppies. We are hoping to get another V next year. Has anyone else experienced this?? Advice/ experiences appreciated!


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of his findings:

1. Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
2. Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
3. When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution, but the females have "amendments."
4. Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
5. *The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy **** -- psychologically torturing it until it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.*
There is NO physical domination. Everything is accomplished through psychological harassment. It's all ritualistic.
6. A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
7. The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position. They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status because...
8. Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance over other middle-ranked animals.
9. Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position, and they accept it.
10. "Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many, many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place because he simply couldn't care less.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-and-misconceptions-of-dominance.html

MilesMom, You may have already seen this but your dog is doing what nature tells him to do. Just educate the puppy owners that it all part of being a dog.

Corrections are what dogs do to each other in their social pack. Folks just don't see the difference. I sure didn't know the difference six years ago. If you go on enough Vizsla Walks and talk to long time owners they will show you the difference. You start seeing how dogs learn how to work it out. It is the puppies that don't get those corrections that grow up somewhat confused on pack dynamics.

Hope that helps. Off to a Vizsla Walk along the SF Bay with a pack of maybe 20 dogs. I always enjoy watching the interaction of the dogs in the pack on a long walk.

RBD


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Thank you! Feeling a little bit better about the whole thing.


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

RBD I found your post so interesting. I have Bella 3 years old and Layla 14 weeks old, Bella is very dominant with my dad's rescue dog, a male collie cross, she isn't aggressive but she uses her body weight to push him out of the way, and puts her head over his back etc. 
The pup however is a different story, the pup can do whatever she likes with Bella and get away with it. She walks up to Bella and takes toys off her, I have to supervise mealtimes because the pup would steal Bella's food and Bella would let her. In a game of tug of war, the pup eventually loses her temper and will snap and growl...the big dog just walks away. 
Out on walks however Bella does run at the pup and knock her over a few times, and I think she is getting her own back a bit! Do you think then, when the pup gets a little older, Bella will suddenly start putting her in her place? To be honest I wish she would at times. 
The pup is very biddable and quite easy to handle compared to how the older dogs was as a youngster (she was quite defiant and strongwilled) it just seems like she bosses Bella around, but accepts we are pack leaders.
Its been quite fascinating to watch my huge 3 year old give up toys, food and treats to a little scrap of a pup!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

The corrections are a GOOD thing! Riley is a much better behaved adult because of all the times she was told off as a puppy. Chloe has growled at her a few times & Bailey even body-checked her once when she was challenging him!  She knows how to approach another dog correctly & how to act around the dominant pack members. I've recently even seen her give young pups some gentle corrections herself. Just tell the puppy owners Miles is doing them a favor by teaching the pups some manners.


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