It was once said to me, and it only had to be said once ‘you cannot fix stupid’:

One of the latest ideas being promoted on the internet is the notion that dogs DO NOT need a hierarchy. This idea is extremely divisive and delusional. Dogs need a hierarchy to live inside of, and for some dogs the position of alpha is an innate goal that needs to be met. If the owner does not create and provide a hierarchy, the dog has no choice but to take the position for itself.

Behaviours that are common when a dog perceives themselves as the alpha are:
• Ignorance – they will choose to ignore you.
• Extremely oppositional (pulling on leash, wilfully destructive, etc.)
• Aggressive – baring teeth and biting can be the result of weak leadership. I have seen even the softest dogs bite their owners when they were attempting to do something as simple as placing a collar on the dog.
• Possessive – over anything or anyone.
• Constant Jumping

If you observe interactions between two socialised dogs carefully, you will notice that they will not tolerate being jumped on by the other. This is because jumping is a behaviour used by dogs to determine how strong or weak the other dog is, and it helps them to determine where the other dog sits within the pack. If you are allowing your dog to jump all over other dogs in public, not only are you teaching your dog incorrect social behaviour, but you are also placing your dog in danger as dogs can and will attack another for such behaviour: I have seen it too many times to count.

Dismissing the hierarchy theory is particularly dangerous when training working dogs that are bred for aggression. As these dogs age and mature, so does their aggression. If these dogs do not have a hierarchy and are allowed to get away with undesired behaviours, the living situation can become dangerous, and I have seen too many of these dogs attacking their owners or other family members over something insignificant.

Pure positive/force free training is another way that creates weak leadership for your dog. By using an excessive number of rewards and pleading with your dog, you are only teaching your dog to walk all over you because they learn that they do not have to obey you once the food vanishes. Every day I am working with clients who have gone down the pure positive road. For many of these clients, they have spent several months to a year with trainers who use pure positive, force free training only, and they have achieved little to no progress with their dogs’ behaviours. If anything, the behaviour has escalated.
When clients make the swap to balanced training, they find that they learn more from me in 1 – 3 sessions then they have elsewhere. The reality is by training a dog using balanced methods you will create real impulse control through:
• learning how to weaken behaviours; and
• teaching and strengthening other behaviours.

You will also learn how to restructure the relationship between you and your dog just by using general obedience training.

By dismissing the hierarchy theory with your dog at home, only serves for you to become your dog’s bitch!