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October 31, 2024 40 mins

In this howl-oween special, we're talking about something that's been haunting the dog world since the 1940s: dominance theory, or alpha dog theory. 

If you’re a dog parent and you’ve believed in this theory for a while, I promise to bring you zero judgment. If you’re a trainer, you’ve probably heard this topic beaten to death - but I hope you stick around anyway, because I’m bringing you a new angle about the “why” behind this pervasive theory. 

Listen and discover: 

  • The history of dominance/alpha dog theory; it's inception, rise to popularity, debunking, and resurgence
  • 3 major reasons why we know this theory isn't sound
  • My thoughts about why this theory quickly became pervasive and why people find it hard to let go of
  • Why I advocate for leadership over dominance when it comes to our relationships with dogs

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