Introduction

Overview

Dominance Theory

The Mind and Body Connection

Objectified

Social Hierarchy

The Cognitive Quadrant

Calming Signals

Framing the Psychology of the Owner

Fixed Action Patterns – Instinctive Behavior – Prey Drive

Behavior

The Science Delusion

Learning Theory

The Starting Point

The Study

The Cognitive Model

Temperament of Dog

Breed Specific Legislation

The Academic Divide

Studies

Commands

A Belief System

The Final Layer

Afterword

References

About the Author

Introduction

Scientific principles and laws do not lie on the surface of nature. They are hidden, and must be

wrested from nature by an active and elaborate technique of inquiry.

~John Dewey, Reconstruction in Philosophy, 1920

This insightful guide lifts the curtain on the special connection dogs share with us through nature

and the pack relationship. It runs head on towards the perfect storm that is gathering and raging

against nature. It confronts and challenges the intent and motives of those who exploit behavioral

science while separating fact from fiction regarding the central issue of dominance. It shows that

when it comes to nature there are no accidents or coincidences. It connects the final pieces of this

unique and complex relationship while offering hope for all dogs and owners.

Overview

It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error.— Adrian Rodgers

This guide connects the final dots for those who are seeking answers. It goes into the enemy camp of

behavioral science and takes the legs out of the self organizing, self validating and self fueling agenda

whose mission statements are disconnected from reality. It is guaranteed to become original source for

those who want to go beyond the surface and to the depth of this interwoven and interconnected

relationship.

Dominance Theory

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

~Francis Bacon - 1620

Dominance has become the core issue, rallying position, and stumbling stone for many when it comes

to creating harmony and balance within the dog and human relationship. This critical issue has been

ignored and dismissed by many even while nature has been providing us with many clues and warnings

that something is wrong with how we are connecting with our dogs. Behaviorists have exploited

conditioning by giving it a free pass and using it as a bridge to meet the needs of the dog owner rather

than the nature needs of the dog. This exploitation of conditioning happens by those who use

behavioral science instead of nature as their foundation. How a dog's mind is influenced ,as it aligns

with conditioning, is not questioned by many beyond what is seen from the surface. Goodness of fit

has taken priority over unanswered questions, inconsistent results, conflict, unresolved behavior issues

and failure. The answer to what dominance really represents, as it connects to strength or weakness, is

not found on the surface of the relationship. It is discovered with the unveiling of the intertwined

connection dogs share with us through Nature and the pack relationship. Insight into the depth of this

mind and body connection comes through intense and direct interaction between dog and owner.

Only when the dog owner or trainer begins to challenge, confront and face off on the issues associated

with conditioning and what is seen from the surface does nature fully reveal itself. It is exposed

through the willingness to allow ones own agenda and beliefs to implode. Only by surrendering fully

to nature, both mind and body, is truth revealed. For me this happened by pushing beyond what was

seen and connecting the dots with what was not seen. As I took on case after case of what were labeled

as hopeless failures within conditioning focused models of training I began to look at how owners

connected with their dogs at the psychological level for the answers. The same patterns began to

appear over and over again with how owners thought about and connected with their dogs.

Strength and weakness took on new depth and meaning within this shared mind and body connection.

Devices and conditioning began to fade into the background as this cognitive interplay and dynamic

began to firm up towards connecting the final dots between dog and owner.

While many are starting to make the connection from behavioral science to ongoing issues between

dogs and owners the psychology itself, as it links to the mind and body connection, is the real issue and

problem.

By seeing dogs as either sophisticated lab rats or as 4-legged mini-me's (or both), the behavioral

science approach to dog training seems to be failing our furry friends. (Lee -2009)

To better understand what is really causing conflict and issues for dogs and owners one has to look a

little closer at the type of psychology that behaviorists align with. Those who lean heavily on

behavioral science also humanize dogs at a level which follows a path of weakness via emotional

psychology and connection through nature and the pack relationship. Without qualifying the type of

influence happening between dogs and owners through conditioning many behaviorists fail to connect

any dots beyond the positive at all costs agenda. This critical dot established between meaningful

influence and the diminishing of unwanted behavior is lost on those who do not understand what

dominance represents as it connects to both mind and body. Behaviorist ideas and concepts, terms and

conditions hold back and restrain the mind from expanding to understand what dominance represents as

it connects to nature. This restrictive way of thinking is contaminated further with the merging of an

agenda which is fueled by feelings and emotions. This owner focused agenda aligns with the type of

emotion and connection which is perceived as weakness. When unwanted behaviors fail to diminish

than meaningful influence has failed to take hold. This is the true standard and litmus test which

behaviorists continue to dismiss and ignore. While many behaviorists express concern regarding the

recent re-emergence of dominance theory the same concern has not been shown regarding the many

serious issues linked to the behaviorist model of training. Continuing questions remain unanswered

regarding the consistency of this model of training as well as a objective audit of the actual failure

rates. While some behaviorists admit to owners becoming frustrated with lack of success and so, seek

help elsewhere they appear unwilling to seek out the underlying issues and causation (Dunbar 2010).

The voices calling out to look beyond behavioral science has come up against stiff resistance from an

aggressive campaign to sell this model of training “as is” onto the public. The reasons behind this

resistance by behaviorists is directly connected to the positions they have taken regarding dominance.

The “pack” and “dominance” theory of domestic dogs is a harmful meme. It prevents many owners

understanding their dogs, causes untold misery for both and is perpetuated by well-meaning but

uninformed dog trainers around the world. It is proving extremely resistant to extinction. (Ryan 2010)

This ongoing and aggressive push for unconditional validation by many does not meet even the

minimum standard one would expect from the academic community. While misrepresenting what

dominance represents this issue is colored up and used as fuel by many to appeal to the emotions and

feelings of dog owners.

People who rely on dominance theory to train their pets may need to regularly threaten them with

aggressive displays or repeatedly use physical force. Conversely, pets subjected to threats or force may

not offer submissive behaviors. Instead, they may react with aggression, not because they are trying to

be dominant but because the human threatening them makes them afraid. (AVSAB – 2008)

This emotional hijacking crosses over to reveal another agenda at work which plays off the feelings of

dog owners. Behaviorists have become the dealer of choice for those seeking to keep this emotional

high going as long as possible. They have aligned with the type of psychological connection which

feeds this emotional addiction. The mission statements of those who align with these views use the anti

dominance message to propel this emotional agenda beyond the reach of ongoing issues and questions

which will not go away.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior is concerned with the recent re-emergence of

dominance theory and forcing dogs and other animals into submission as a means of preventing and

correcting behavior problems. For decades, some traditional animal training has relied on dominance

theory and has assumed that animals misbehave primarily because they are striving for higher rank.

This idea often leads trainers to believe that force or coercion must be used to modify these undesirable

behaviors. (AVSAB – 2008)

By ignoring, dismissing or denying the already established forces of nature it changes nothing except

our ability to direct, control and influence the path we take and role we adopt within the pack

relationship. The type of psychology the model and method of training aligns itself with matters more

than people realize. While the owner may be really happy based on first impressions and what is seen

from the surface they may ultimately fail based on the amount of psychological change needed to break

them out of the follower role.

The Mind and Body Connection

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it is tied to everything else in the universe.

John Muir (1838-1914) U. S. naturalist, explorer.

Dogs are pack animals. The depth of this pack connection goes further than most people comprehend

or understand as it links with mind, body and nature. How dogs communicate with each other through

this mind and body connection provides the snapshot for assessing strength and weakness. Dogs know

the overall path, intent and characteristics of the owner' mind within this strength and weakness, body

and mind connection and framework. This connection is both a proximity one and main influencing

agent based on who spends the most time with the dog. This connection begins to take hold and

intensify with any dog or human within a few feet. The interplay and reactions are based on the

psychological path of the human and level of influence and role of the dog within its pack.

Just like how nature is intertwined so are both mind and body. This is where physical strength blends

into the will and strength of the mind. It is this intent, character and seriousness of the mind which

represents strength. Physical responses which are aggressive may not create meaningful influence

based on how the overall mind is framed. Often a dog owner reacts from a buildup of frustration

through an emotional response. This is where a disconnect happens from how the owner perceives

their own psychology and how the dog perceives it based on nature's standard.

Through this interwoven mind and body connection a dog knows the mind of the owner, its current

path and intent. A dog quickly creates a personality assessment based on these characteristics.

To see the unseen and the depth of this pack connection it is only revealed by direct interaction without

separation from this pack influence. Recent studies which focus on this intertwined relationship and

connection confirm that more is happening than what is seen from the surface.

Taken together, the current results show that dogs were highly sensitive to the experimenter’s

attentional state. There are still many unanswered questions, and future research on animal social

cognition should thus be explicitly comparative and should attempt to establish the full range of

social–cognitive skills for a wide range of animal species.

Only recently it has been discovered that dogs are interesting to science for another reason. It appears

that dogs have evolved specialized skills for reading human social and communicative behavior. (Hare

2005)

It is conceivable that dogs may have evolved some special predisposition for interacting with and

communicating with humans (Lorenz, 1964; Miklo´si, Polga´rdi, Topa´l, & Csa´nyi, 1998; Mitchell &

Thompson, 1986).

While recent scientific studies of dog and human interactions hint that a more complex level of

communication is happening between dogs and humans the break through moment remains in doubt

based on this behaviorist way of thinking being deeply embedded into our scientific studies and

academic institutions. (Lee 2009)

Modern researchers in animal cognition are in most cases firmly behaviorist in methodology, even

though they differ sharply from the behaviorist philosophy. (Hare 2005)

While many have been indoctrinated to this behaviorist way of thinking others are starting to question

if behavioral science can provide the answers and resolve the discourse happening within the dog

training world.

Many non-experts in the field, and a small minority of experts, find the scientific approach too