The following article was published on
www.doggo.nl
Translated by Angelique van Someren,
http://www.activek9.ie
Dominance model/ The Roedel Method
Dog behaviourists Arjen van Alphen and Francien
Koeman
Doggo.nl asked 3 dog professionals of various
types about their view on the dominance model
and the impact it has on how we interact with
our dog.
This article is part of a series of 3 and is
written by Arjen van Alphen and Francien Koeman
from Dog Behavioural Institute De Roedel.
Arjen van Alphen is a Dutch behaviourist,
(social) scientist and scientific researcher on
dog behaviour; together with Francien Koeman he
developed the Roedel Method®.
Introduction
In1954 Prof. Dr.Niko Tinbergen already indicated
the concept of dominance as hard to handle.
Everything we observe is a result of many
factors affecting behaviour. Not only the
individual behaviour, but also upbringing and
the environment are playing a significant role
in this. Environmental conditions and situations
are constantly changing.
This means that also relationships are
constantly changing, individuals have to be
flexible and they must adjust to each other all
the time.
Therefore there is a continuous change of
positions, those positions are never fixed.
The link between dominance and ‘ruled through
aggression and violence’ has become
a very common and persistent assumption and
interpretation in the dog world
as being ‘the dominance theory’.
Animals in captivity
‘The dominance theory’ was developed after
observations of wolves living in captivity in
animal zoos, in an environment and situation
that hardly change. Flexibility is no longer
really needed anymore in such circumstances and
environment, using each others specific
abilities in good teamwork and task delegation,
is no longer relevant.
Shifts in social positions and relations are in
this linear hierarchical model hardly taking
place, but when it does it is done fitting the
hierarchical system, through conflicts from the
top down.
Wild living animals
For animals living in the wild, such a
hierarchical dominance model would be in
everyday life not very helpful at all!
They are just very dependant on each other's
abilities, where cooperation and a good
delegation of tasks are much needed, to function
as an individual and as a group to survive.
Consequently the social relations are often
quickly and efficiently varying. There is
respect and appreciation for each others
individual capacities which will be employed for
the entire social group, and sometimes one has
the lead and sometimes the other. It’s about
their own and each others welfare.
Conflict and violence to get clarity about ones
position will be avoided as much as possible.
View on the dominance theory
The linear hierarchical dominance model (as
described above in animals in captivity) does
not comply with what the Roedel Method® defines
as "natural rearing" and is based on a different
dominance model.
In the dominance model of the Roedel Method® the
social welfare of the members is relying on the
mutual dependency of the members.
Here the personal capacities of each individual
are recognized and acknowledged. Those
individual abilities will be used for the
welfare of all members of the social group. More over, The Roedel Method® takes it even a
step further in this dominance model; why is
this social dominance model actually possible?
Dogs need social interaction
Every living being, including the dog, has the
need to interact socially with other living
beings.
No matter in what way, every animal or human
being will always be directed towards social
interaction and communication with the other
members of the social group to which he wants to
belong to and where no one benefits from
conflict and violence. This is a social genetic
given, what makes living together with others
possible and that social relations can be
discussed.
This need for social contact works immediately
after birth. Parents and child need physical
contact. From that basic relationship learning
how to communicate, how to negotiate, when you
know your place about what you can negotiate
about, but also how you do it without conflicts,
and when it should come to a conflict on how to
resolve it is increasingly being learned.
Immediately after birth, nearly every living
being is totally helpless and dependent,
especially of the mother. There is intense
physical contact between the child and the
mother, for giving and receiving warmth, care,
nutrition, safety and protection as a means of
(still) limited capacities to interact and
communicate.
From this a specific social relationship
evolves, making it possible first for the
mother-and later- for the other members of the
group to raise and educate the new generation.
The basic need for (wanting to) belong and to
learn to live together with others, makes
upbringing possible!
In the upbringing the ins and outs of the
(species specific) language is taught, their own
manners, standards and values and their own
culture with all the rituals and traditions of
the own group and species.
Both humans and animals learn to speak and
negotiate with others. For every man and every
animal it is the "primary school" of life, in
preparation for "later when you’re a grown up,"
to become acceptable and accepted members of
human society or group.
Therefore dogs also know our language
Dogs are in their basic need for communication
and social interaction with others very special
and unique. The dog is because of centuries of
domestication the only species that not only
learned the language of their own species and
everything that goes with it, but also that of
people, 2 different primary schools and 2
different social systems! What impact does it have on how you interact
with your dog?
There is no scientist that would deny the
existence of dominance and hierarchy. Every
scientist will probably admit that unambiguously
defining 'dominance' is very difficult and
confusing due to all the factors influencing
'dominance'.
Each factor affects and determines the social
behaviour of every individual and hence the
mutual social relations and positions as well,
the ranking positions, from higher in rank and
lower in rank.
Dominance and hierarchy: learning to give and
take
But just as with dominance these words are not
used as in the hierarchical linear dominance
model. The one higher in rank indicates that at
that moment one is provided with the right
qualities to take on the responsibility
necessary in that situation for the interests of
the others. The one lower in rank set themselves
therefore dependent in relation to the one
higher in rank.
Hierarchy has to do with taking responsibility
and mutual dependency.
This is unrelated to violence, strife and
conflict. In all socially living species a
social hierarchy exist and fellow group members
are mutually dependent on each other. Without clear agreements and rules, cooperation
and living together in a social group is not
possible. Ranking orders therefore have a key
function in every social system both humans and
animals.
The Roedel Method® is based on the
interdependence of social relations within a
group. As a good employer is dependent on its
employees and workers depend on their employer.
This means that the employer has the
responsibility not only for himself but also for
its employees.
Dominance and hierarchy mean being able to
guide, the willingness to be led and being able
to transfer leadership without this leading to
conflicts and confrontations. A good leader also
knows when he should stand down and must accept
leadership to serve the groups best interest.
The hierarchy – higher in rank or lower in rank
– is exchangeable and transferable for as long
as the environment and situation requires.
Under the condition that every individual can
contribute within its own capabilities, and that
every individual continues to feel comfortable
with it.
This dominance model is opposite to the linear
hierarchical dominance model, in which there is
hardly a change in social relations and where
conflicts are regulated much more through
repression, aggression and violence. Your role as a dog owner
Because of the relationship between wolves and
dogs and because dogs live ‘in captivity’, it
was assumed that 'the' dominance model was the
blue print, the best way, for how an owner
should be dealing with his dog. You are the boss
and must always remain that way; otherwise you
get problems with your dog, who will want to be
“the boss"!
But…
our dogs are domesticated and in their
domination no longer wolves. Our pet dog has
gone through 2 different 'primary schools' and
through 2 different social systems: that of dogs
and of people. Therefore they are not only
directed towards other dogs but on humans as
well. Wolves will always continue to focus on
other wolves.
Our human society is very diverse and complex.
The composition of the human social group is
constantly changing, as is the situation and
surrounding area. That requires a lot of
flexibility, mutual trust and respect! Dog and
owner together will always have to adapt to
those changes. Here the ranking, the ranking
positions will change continuously, because both
dog and owner must be willing to put their own
good qualities into use in favour of the other
(s).
Applying the linear dominance hierarchy model
(zoo system) in our human society is very
inappropriate and inadequate. Cooperation so
that the flexible exchange of tasks and ranking
orders are possible, is in our complex society
very essential!
The Roedel Method® in every day life
Within the Roedel Method® the need for social
relationships with others is utmost important.
The interdependence, social interaction,
negotiations, the ongoing dialogue between dog
and owner are essential in this. Owner and dog
can build a relationship based on mutual trust
through education and negotiations about the
social positions.
Our dog lives in our human society. Therefore
people do need to take on the majority of
responsibilities and duties, especially at the
start of the upbringing and development of the
social relationship with the dog.
People are responsible for the welfare of their
dog. The owner will have to determine which
tasks could and can be taken on by the dog (or
not) and also when. Both the owner and the dog
want to build a social relationship based on
trust, therefore is there no place for strife or
(physical) violence.
It is about own and each others welfare, that
both dog and owner together, have the important
task to learn ‘self control’ in terms of toilet
training, guarding, destroying, pulling on the
leash, running away, and not to fight and so
on...!
In everyday life the exchange of tasks and
social positions between dog and owner usually
takes place quite unnoticed and unconsciously.
With social trust as base, hierarchy positions
and responsibilities are shifting constantly.
This relationship is accumulated during the
upbringing, and “negotiations” between dog and
owner about the social positions are taking
place.
At the beginning, the owner will have the
majority of tasks and responsibilities.
The owner is dependent on the dog whether he
will soil the house or not. A dog that is toilet
trained is willing to keep his bladder and
bowels under control in the house in the owner’s
interest. The owner walks the dog to urinate and
defecate in the interest of the dog. The dog is
therein depending on his owner. When the owner
is at home he has a protective role, but when he
is away the dog will take over until his owner
gets back home.
There will always be mutual dependency and
various forms of cooperation, exchanges in
ranking positions, wherein everyone can feel
comfortable and safe without struggle or
violence.
In everyday life
To come to an enjoyable social relationship and
a well-functioning team is an intensive and
lengthy process. The negotiations concerning
cooperation, task delegation and in which
situations, rank order positions, are not always
running smoothly between the owner and his dog.
In this dialogue between dog and owner are many
unintentionally and unwanted linguistic
problems…
The owner speaks to the dog in human language,
from his own social interaction system,
standards and values.
The dog speaks to his owner from his own social
communication systems, canine manners, moral
values and language. This is his dog behaviour,
regardless of whether this behaviour is desired
or undesired in our human point of view.
Human language is (mostly) verbal; the dog's
language consists of body language and scent
language, because everything just smells… This
scent and body language together makes the dog
language very subtle and for us humans, with our
very limited sense of smell, very hard to
understand!
Language differences appears to be an obstacle!
The big difference in language is a significant
obstacle, leaving the negotiations about
cooperation and division of tasks between dog
and owner very easy to fail. In this case, the
dog could get certain positions and
responsibilities which he, from its own point of
view, would perfectly legitimate fulfil!
When this happens, humans almost automatically
come with the 'linear hierarchical model’. The
dog is being labelled as a disobedient 'dominant
dog’, trying to "climb up higher", rather than a
dog that is negotiating, in his own language,
with his owner about a good working
relationship!
Within The Roedel Method® clearing these
obstacles takes an important place.
Some Scientific Research
Bradshaw, J.W.S., Blackwell, E.J. and Casey,
R.A. (2009)
Dominance in domestic dogs – useful construct or
bad habit?
Journal of Veterinary Behaviour, Clinical
Applications and Research, Volume 4, Issue 3,
Pages 109-144 (May-June 2009).
Mech, L.D. and Boitani, L. (2003). Wolf social
ecology. In: Mech, L.D., Boitani, L. (Eds.)
Wolves: Behavior, Ecology and Conservation
University ofChicago Press,Chicago,IL, pp.1-34.
Mech, L. D. (2008).
What Happened to the Term Alpha Wolf?
International Wolf, Winter 2008, pp. 4-8.
Van Kerkhove, W. (2004).
A fresh look at the wolf-pack theory of
companion-animal dog social behavior J. Appl.
Anim. Welf. Sci. 7, 279-285
Links
De Roedel
De Roedel on Youtube
Gallery
Dog Cognition Research
Some suggested reads:
Adam Miklosi, Dog Behaviour, Evolution and
Cognition
Roger Abrantes, The Evolution of Canine Social
Behavior
Alexandra Horowitz, Inside of a Dog: What Dogs
See, Smell, and Know
John Bradshaw, Dog Sense
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