The dominant wolf pack theory of dog behavior has been scientifically debunked — understanding why this matters for dog welfare.
Dominance theory is a welfare issue because it justifies the use of physical punishment, intimidation, and coercion in dog training and management based on a scientific framework that has been comprehensively refuted. Dogs trained and managed through dominance-based approaches experience fear, anxiety, and pain that are welfare harms, and they often develop increased aggression as a defensive response to aversive handling. The persistence of dominance theory in popular dog training culture — driven by television programs and cultural tradition rather than science — continues to cause preventable welfare harm to millions of dogs whose owners believe they are managing their dogs appropriately according to accurate canine psychology.