‘Words like " alpha" "dominance" and "pack leader" no longer have relevance in the modern dog training and behaviour world” - The Pit Bull Federation of South Africa is at pains to educate the public, not only about the Pit Bull breed, but across the breeds. And a vital part of that education involves debunking myths that are perpetuated in the public domain.
It is to this end that the federation has shared an article on its Facebook platform by author Pat Miller, owner of Peaceable Paws and author of Beware Of The Dog and The Power of Positive Training
Miller’s first paragraph reads: The alpha myth is everywhere. Google “alpha, dog” on the Internet and you get more than 16 million hits. Really. While not all the sites are about dominating your dog, there are literally millions of resources out there – websites, books, blogs, television shows, animal care and training professionals – instructing you to use force and intimidation to overpower your dog into submission. They say that you, the human, must be the alpha. They’re all wrong. Every single one of them. As a professional dog walker, you need to know why this myth is so damaging to your client’s dogs, why it’s unprofessional and unethical to use it with any dog, and why its unfortunate popularity has been fatal to far too many unfortunate canine companions.
To read the comprehensive article in its entirety, click on the link below.
