Chapter 7 Summary and Analysis

Some trainers and dog training books suggest establishing early dominance over one's dog through what is called an "alpha rollover," in which an owner forces a dog on its back in a submissive position. This, or taking a dog by the scruff of the neck and shaking them. Establishing dominance in general over dogs is something the author does not condone. Submission should be something given by a dog after a relationship is established, not forced upon them.

In a dog-to-dog relationship, submissiveness is easy to spot. A tucked tail, lowered head, back-pointing ears, and a leaned-back body are all signs of submissiveness, of deferring to the other dog. Submissive dogs will urinate before a more dominant dog (who will "overmark" the submissive dog's urine).

Dominance of course relates to the social hierarchy that inevitably happens in many species of the...