Should We Alpha Roll Our Dogs? | Unleashed Unlimited

In a word – NO! For some of us out there who may be confused, alpha rolling is rolling a dog over on it’s back and holding it down to show dominance, usually after the dog has done something wrong. It seems that Alpha rolling has become more popular recently, maybe partially due to a popular television personality that frequently endorses this.

To me, alpha rolling is an unnecessary technique that is mainly used by that macho type that thinks forced submission actually leads to something desirable. Not only can it damage the bond between you and your dog, but it’s a great way to get bit. So why does that guy on tv do it?

Remember, the guy on tv has a ton of knowledge that you don’t, he also works with extreme cases and there is a ton of editing in those shows. Seeing something on tv does not make you a dog trainer. I will stop myself short of saying there is never a time and place for an alpha roll, but it’s definitely not something that the average pet owner should be doing.

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About the author

Hey there, my name is Paul Sulinski. I am the co-owner of Unleashed Unlimited, which is a full-service dog training business located right here in Austin, Texas. I own a Labrador Retriever named Boomer and a German Shorthaired Pointer named Louie. Thanks for reading and don't forget to check me out on Google+

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One comment on “Should We Alpha Roll Our Dogs?”

Kim

says:

November 28, 2010 at 3:10 am

I’ll go one step further than you. There is never an appropriate time or place to, and you should NEVER alpha roll your dog.

In the dog world, rolling in submission (or bellying up,) is something that a dog does voluntarily: usually, but not always, by young dogs to their elders. In thirty years working with dogs, I’ve absolutely never seen a dog forcibly roll another dog without the intent to hurt them. That type of behavior is the prelude to a fight, or in the case where a dog doesn’t fight back, to a very bad a** whoopin’.

It’s dangerous and stupid for poeple to do this to their pets. It’s dangerous and irresponsible that there is somebody teaching such stupidity on TV; certainly not an indication that they have a great deal of knowledge…in fact, many would say it’s the opposite .

As a method of dealing with dog behavior, the “alpha roll” is an antiquated notion that has been completely debunked. People who still think of this as a dog training technique need to brush up on their ethology.

Kim says:

November 28, 2010 at 3:10 am

I’ll go one step further than you. There is never an appropriate time or place to, and you should NEVER alpha roll your dog.

In the dog world, rolling in submission (or bellying up,) is something that a dog does voluntarily: usually, but not always, by young dogs to their elders. In thirty years working with dogs, I’ve absolutely never seen a dog forcibly roll another dog without the intent to hurt them. That type of behavior is the prelude to a fight, or in the case where a dog doesn’t fight back, to a very bad a** whoopin’.

It’s dangerous and stupid for poeple to do this to their pets. It’s dangerous and irresponsible that there is somebody teaching such stupidity on TV; certainly not an indication that they have a great deal of knowledge…in fact, many would say it’s the opposite .

As a method of dealing with dog behavior, the “alpha roll” is an antiquated notion that has been completely debunked. People who still think of this as a dog training technique need to brush up on their ethology.