dominance

[kendal]

i know that pack order is important for dogs and that were are to be at the top, but when it comes to the dogs themselves do you find that one of your dogs is always more dominant. with our two, Gypsy tends to be more dominant but when they are playing with toys Inca always wins.

dose anyone think that there is a set dominance between there dogs or dose it change depending on the situation.
or are my two just weard.
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microchiping and grooming www.chipnclip.co.uk

[John Thomson]

Kendal,

the pack order constantly evolve and changes...which is why following the 'rules' is so important for us humans.
An example is every time you re join the 'pack' a re-evaluation takes place in the dogs mind and it will pick up on any changes....if you or any member of the pack display behavior beneath the status of others your dog will interpret that as a promotion for them.

Same with feeding, sleeping arrangements and position on a hunt ( walk)

did that make sense?
_________________
John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Nicola]

Kendal,

When Roxy came along (August last year), Molly was very much the dominant one between the two of them.

As Molly was one the scene first, I fed her first, put her lead on to go out first, etc etc, so that she wouldn't feel that Roxy has just came along and taken over.

Later on, for example, if Roxy was laying somewhere and Molly wanted to lie where Roxy was, Molly would nudge Roxy until she moved. Also, if Roxy had a toy Molly wanted, Roxy would not hesitate to give Molly that toy.

Now though, things seem to have changed. If Molly has a toy Roxy wants, Roxy will go over and take it from her. Molly looks at us as if to say "hey, she's just taken my toy!", however, I just leave them to get on with it - I don't intervene.

Now, Roxy won't always move if Molly nudges her to move. Roxy would have always got up and moved away completely, now Molly is lucky if she budges up a bit to let Molly lie beside her!

Roxy was in her bed the other night, Molly went over and got in beside her. Roxy did not move at all. They both slept quite happily in the same bed - Roxy at the back, Molly at the front.

They seem to have respect for each other. Molly gets fed in the hall, while Roxy gets fed in the kitchen - there are no doors or boundaries between them when they are eating, it's just that the get fed in different rooms to give them space so they don't feel as if they are being watched by each other when they are eating.

Molly is always usually finished her food first. She will go into the kitchen to see if Roxy is finished, but she never goes closer than about 3 feet away from Roxy, and if Roxy isn't finished, Molly will leave the kitchen and go somewhere else, and vice versa. When they are both finished, they will then lick each others bowls and then go and lie down. Neither every leave a morsel.

So, although Molly was very much the dominant one between them at first, it seems to have evened out more now and it's working very well indeed for all of us.

[Suzanne H]

I don't have another dog, but I can see it with the other humans in our pack.

Otto clearly sees Ian as the alpha male and rarely tries to dominate him physically. They do like to wrestle, but Ian is very big. I couldn't wrestle him.

But interestingly he also knows I rule the house and garden, he does what I tell him because I am better at sticking to the rules and checking bad behaviour and he knows it.

And as for my stepson - Otto sees him as probably equal to him and largely ignores him.

[Lindy]

Tables are turing in my house they both see me as the boss, and up until now Dora was the more dominante however Lizzy is always pushing the boundaries and Dora is being very complacent, over the next 18 months I am expecting some changes with them and some fights as Lizzy is very pushy and as Dora has got older is very quiet and contented but I think she might get fed up with Lizzys carryon. As for Alan I'm not sure how they view him, Dora seems to respect him and likes to spend time with him but Lizzy isn't that bothered she like to get attention form him but knows I am the boss.

[carol]

In our pack of 10 dogs, the dogs know their positioning, as the eldest dogs get older they positions are taken by the younger more dominant dogs. The Parson Terrier, Jilly has lead position, that is behind me of course, but she has been pushing for that for the last 2 years, the 14 year old who did have lead position has now got arthritis in her spine, although she can still move around, she is slower, so she has gone down a peg or two. I have 3 neutered border collie males, age 11, 5, 2. positioning in that order. The male age 5 has recently had a back injury, he can move around now and has almost recovered but that has been 3 months. The teenager of them (age 2) decided to challenge the 5 year old with the sore back, i stepped in. A couple a days later he trys again, this time he get the 5 year old on his back, he cant move, 2 year old get big telling off from me and excluded. In his eyes he has move up a rank, yesterday the 2 year old challenged male 11 year. Big mistake! 2 year old, now been put firmly back in his place.