You’re Not Alpha

If you could not overpower your dog, in the event that he was tearing the hand or arm off an elderly woman, you should not have it. If you cannot clean your dogs ears – or trim his nails unassisted, because he would probably bite you, then he should not weigh over 25 pounds. These “Aren’t I Cool, Look at Me” dog breeds are not uncontrollable. They are just uncontrollable by most people. The illusion of trust exists that they are nice to you. And 99% of the time, they do what you say. People think that because a dog defers to your instruction, you are somehow its Alpha. But in a lot of cases with Rottweilers, German Shepherd’s, Doberman pinchers – you are actually their Beta, they are Alpha over you, but they are a cooperative leader. Alpha dogs do not set about abusing their packs and underlings like tyrants. They just will NOT be challenged. (That’s your lesson in dog packs for the day.) But if you know you could not safely take his food bowl away while he was eating, and he is too large for you to dominate, then a small child could be added to the 50 people that are killed every year by dogs just like that. 100% of Rottweiler owners say: “My dog would never, ever do that.” You should ask West Mathewson about devoted but unstoppable pets. No, wait, you can’t. He’s dead.