The Alpha Roll: Important Information for Dog Owners

If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase, an “Alpha roll” occurs when you physically yank your dog into a submissive posture, such as on its side, and hold it there for a period of time. The idea behind this is to demonstrate to your dog that you’re the dominant person in the relationship, so they should submit to you.

Proponents of the approach compare dogs to wolves and argue that in order for a connection to succeed, you have to be the leader, or else your dog will attempt to dominate you.

On the other hand, force-free, science-based training techniques have been shown to be more successful and guarantee that you and your dog will have a far better, healthier connection.

Either way, dogs aren’t wolves, and wolves don’t Alpha Roll.

The initial research on wolf behavior carried out in the 1940s took place in a captive setting. These were not related wolves, brought together at different points in their lives. Tension resulted from this, and there might have been conflict within the team’s hierarchy.

A pack in the wild is typically made up of individuals that are connected to one another; there is typically no hierarchical conflict, and the idea of an “Alpha” is no longer relevant.
Seldom do wolves attempt to subjugate another pack member by pinning them down. More often than not, you may see a group member willingly adopt a passive, subservient posture when there is conflict.

Dogs also exhibit this appeasing behavior by demonstrating that they pose no threat and merely seek to maintain peace. Dogs and wolves do not naturally engage in the Alpha Roll.

Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that dogs behave very differently from their wolf predecessors, so it is inappropriate to apply the same guidelines to all situations.

Why It’s Not a Good Idea to Train Using the Alpha Roll

A 2009 study that was published in the Journal of Applied Animal Psychology showed that these unpleasant techniques frequently end up producing more problematic behaviors.

Such harsh and confrontational training techniques may cause a dog to become scared. They frequently become frozen until they no longer perceive any threat, at which point they can become defensive and explode violently. In addition, the methods you are using to train your dog do not promote a trusting relationship. Read More…