Much has been said about Dominance and dog behavior. Mostly, it’s not useful. Wolves do not, in fact, have a social hierarchy of strict dominance as is commonly claimed, and dogs are not wolves.

Dominance theory has led to much misunderstanding in dog training, too. Bossy dogs exist and while they demand deference from other dogs they know well, those other dogs are happy to give it. What I mean is, they are not forced to do so by some tricky handling maneuver. They just roll over because they want to. Our dogs do this for us, too just as often to solicit a tummy rub as they do to show any kind of respect.

But which dogs want a tummy massage and which ones are polite? It depends on who they are dealing with. Here is a little more about social status and dogs. Finding out which your dog is with YOU, can help you work with him or her in training. Understand he may offer completely different strategies with strangers or other family members.

SOCIAL CLIMBERS
A dog that seeks high social status is often referred to as a dominant dog. To be truly dominant, a relationship must exist in which the dominant member of a group has earned a superior position to other members of the group. It is usually an insecure dog that seeks such position when it has not been earned, a social climber.

A social climber usually jumps up onto a person or dog when first meeting. She may put her mouth around your arm to guide you in a direction of her choosing. A social climber enters a strange room as if she owns it. She will investigate new objects without hesitation. She may bark at you, insisting that you throw a ball and she will run ahead of you if you begin to walk. 

Many dogs don't like their feet or tail touched by strangers but a dog seeking status with strangers will jump away or even growl at people who try to touch these areas of her body. Social climbers make good watchdogs, claiming a specific territory and defending it from intruders. A social climber may get frustrated alone all day if she has nothing to do. Earning her respect through consistency and praise will keep her attention in training but physical force will not impress her. 

When evaluating a dog consider that social climbing can be confused with high energy and assertiveness. Not all social climbers are energetic or assertive. 

TEAM PLAYERS:
A dog that is interested in belonging has no designs on social position. A subordinate dog**, prefers others to make decisions. A subordinate dog will come to you when you call and follow behind you when you walk away, even if you have just met. He may avoid direct eye contact at first. He will lick your hands more often than your face and will not resist lying down in front of strangers. He will probably return a ball as soon as he is big enough to carry it. Team Players are desirable if children will be helping with the care of the dog because these dogs accept leadership from many people readily. These dogs are not necessarily a good companion for a dog with existing behavior issues because they will likely join in and become part of the problem. 

A subordinate dog makes a good watch dog, too. He protects the property FOR his family the same way a social climber protects her OWN property. Subordinate dogs work readily for praise and can be gradually accustomed to staying alone all day when they understand their leader will always return. Evaluating a dog for subordination can be affected by submissive traits or low energy level. 

THE LONER
A third classification of social status is the independent dog or "the loner". Independent dogs frequently occur in breeds of dog developed to work alone. Independent dogs are less likely to seek out a large social group. They are also less likely to be concerned about their social position within the group than social climbers and team players. The independent dog may chase a ball but entertains himself with it instead of retrieving it or expecting you to chase him for it. He will investigate new objects confidently and will not run ahead or follow you without specific encouragement or training. He is alert but may appear less gregarious than other dogs. He can watch over the children and stay home alone for many hours. He will not be concerned about strangers or territorial boundaries therefore he makes a good companion for travel. An independent dog will need special attention in obedience school to find fun in the routine. Once you find something to motivate him, he can work all day without supervision. 

THE SCAPE GOAT
A dog of low status, referred to as a pariah, is not commonly found in pet dogs but may be seen in dog groups. Pariah's are "scape goats" or outcasts in the social group in which they live. A pariah is not permitted to eat with the group and is frequently growled at by other dogs. A pariah dog displays an unusual amount of appeasement behavior, such as crawling, crouching and rolling over, and often urinates when approached. Though all dogs display some appeasement behaviors to avoid conflict, pariah dogs display this behavior to strangers and family members alike. Often pariah dogs are perceived by people as having been mistreated but excessive appeasement behavior, by itself, is not an indication of poor treatment. Giving preferential treatment to a pariah can increase the group's aggression toward him. This dog is often terribly distressed when separated from his group even though it seems they constantly berate him. Special help from a dog trainer is necessary to train or work with dogs of such extreme social position.