Tag Archives: omega dogs

Who’s The Boss Now?

Dogs are pack animals; pack behavior has been genetically handed down to our domesticated little pups. In the wild, a pack has one alpha male and one alpha female who lead the bunch and a distinct hierarchy for everyone else. A canine can move up or down the ladder, often by fighting the next dog up the line and winning. In the home, things are slightly different. I’ve noticed over the past three years plus with Lally and Moose that the hierarchy is slowly changing. At first, Lally was ultra-submissive; I used to see a lot of omega dog characteristics … Continue reading →

Omega Dogs

You may have heard about the “alpha dog”, the leader of the pack. But do you know what an omega dog is? Does your dog go belly-up when she meets other dogs? Does your dog piddle when she meets other dogs or people? The omega dog is the low pup on the totem pole. This is the dog who gives up treats and sleeping places to the alpha dog. This is the dog who gives up first at tug-of-war and lets toys be taken right out of her mouth. Your omega dog may not like to make eye contact, or … Continue reading →

Alpha Dogs

My brother’s dog Kuma is an alpha dog. She likes to demonstrate her dominance over her people by putting her chin higher than your chin. It’s kind of funny to get into a chinning match with Kuma! If your dog usually wins at tug-of-war with the other dogs, or steals and hoards toys and treats, she may be an alpha dog. Kuma is the most devious treat and stuffed toy stealer I’ve ever met. The other dogs let her take the things away because she is Boss Dog. Once she acquires her treasure, she’ll usually lay on them to keep … Continue reading →