We can hear everything and its opposite
Utter dominance, and observe the reactions of the people around you. This will range from annoyance, to anger, to denigration, to denial. The reactions are first emotional. In itself, this word has carried a burden, that of being assimilated to the ignorance of humans, to the limit of our knowledge about dogs, to the practices carried out in its name.
It generates little discussion now, compared to arguments. It motivates less for knowledge and exchanges than for knee-jerk reactions. On one hand, there are “them”, those who do not know Dogs if they say the opposite of what One thinks on the subject; on the other hand, there are “we”, those who know Dogs if they agree with what One thinks on the subject.
With nine letters, you can attract the wrath of everyone.
With nine letters, you can attract the sympathies of everyone.
The issue is that in reality scientists have defined well and truly what dominance is, what behaviors linked to dominance are.
Beyond what I was able to personally experience or see, I wanted to have a comprehensive understanding of what is considered dominance, a dominant dog, a submissive dog. These phrases - "he is dominant", "he is submissive" - can be read or heard in many contexts. However, when I asked people what they meant by that, I didn't receive any answer other than "well, that's obvious" or "you know well since you're a pro".
So I decided to compile what the specialists in dominance explained to make a course and put dominance away from beliefs. Between those who completely deny it, those who swear by it only, it is to my mind important to first know what it is about. Peremptory opinions, without definitions or explanations, sometimes reflect intellectual dishonesty which leads people towards misunderstanding.
It too often rules the daily lives of dogs
In my research and observations, I noticed how much dogs and dominance have been associated. It seems it has become commonplace that the two are inseparable. This turns out to be very widespread without being understood. While specialists in the subject have established a definition and provided many clarifications, dominance in dogs continues to be peddled as if their behaviors were only influenced by that, as if their beings were limited to that.
Dogs are beings whom we have not yet fully understood how rich they are from a behavioral point of view, from a neurobiological point of view, from a social point of view, from an emotional point of view. Bringing their motivations down to dominance or submission is to overlook that richness.
Ignoring motivations other than dominance, denying dominance out of intellectual comfort, are intellectually easy. The behaviors of dogs, their interactions with their peers or other species, their emotions, cannot be analyzed only through the spectrum of dominance; otherwise, it’s like putting blinders on the entire spectrum of their skills.
It's often used as a pretext to act against dogs
A dog, who is said to be dominant or showing dominance, is labeled as dangerous in the meantime. Dominance is then automatically associated with an aggressive and threatening being, of whom one must be highly careful so as not to risk seeing one's life turned upside down or ruined.
The advice given to “straighten out” such a dog is meant to induce positive punishment (to stop a behavior by adding an element). The reality is that dominance is then a pretext for a relationship based on confrontation with the dog, for intimidation relationships very often put in place in the face of behaviors that are motivated by everything but dominance.
These dogs labeled "dominant" then live with a sword of Damocles which aims to remind them that it is best for them, for their present and future well-being, to keep it in mind that they must not challenge the humans who feed them.
Dogs labeled “submissive” live in a complacent manner that does not meet some of their needs.
Giving back its definition to dominance, giving dogs back their social and behavioral richness, reducing the influence of subjective perception, such is the motivation I have in offering you this course.
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