I have not met very many dogs that actually, so for real, are dominant. I do not think it is common for dogs, in general, are dominant. And that should probably not be needed either. A whole pack of dominant dogs – it's going to be a pain in the ass. I am convinced that most dogs are what they are sometimes called happy go lucky; individuals that work well in a herd, who have fun and who are good at adapting to their surroundings.
The concept of dominance is so incredibly stigmatized in the dog world that I get really tired. Although even I avoid using the word nowadays, only because so many actively choose not to hear what I'm actually saying. That's why I thought I'd dedicate this post to writing a little about what a dominant dog is to me, and how I believe that as a dog person I should exercise my own dominance (or; leadership) for the relationship with my dog to work for both of us.
I think I, apart from the Estrels I met at the Dog Fair in Stockholm last December, just bumped into (actually just seen, from a distance) in only really super dominant dog. I was at a train station once an unknown number of years ago, and saw a huge doberman/rottweiler (do not remember) – a male who, completely unaffected, raised his leg and peed on another traveller's suitcase. Of course I could be wrong, but I experienced that dog as very dominant.
For me, shopping dominance about a whole range of things. If I think about dominance in a dog individual, I think of a few different things. Among other things, I think that a dominant dog has an absolutely incredible one presence. And I don't just mean this phenomenon that makes dogs live here and now in a way that we humans are bad at. I also mean that a dominant dog's presence feels. Such a dog has large integrity, which means that you don't approach it anyway, but you have to more or less ask the dog himself for permission before you go forward. A dominant dog does not need to fight, without other dogs, it respects based on looks and body language. Such a dog does not need to become angry or mean for other dogs to fall in line.
A dominant dog never need to prove that it is dominant, because it is so all by itself. It doesn't need to push anyone else down, or behave badly so that others around them behave. Just a dominant personality is.
That kind of dominance I'm talking about now I think applies in a functioning herd, where all individuals live in balance and stability. Should there be a fight or a fight for any reason, I guess the dominant dog would step in and interrupt/correct, but I doubt said correction/interruption would be done in a mean/overly violent way. Then it is the case that dogs do not break up a fight by starting to talk and discuss with the individuals involved, but there it is physical contact that applies if not that one the presence is enough.
It is sometimes discussed about whether dogs really want to go in and “take over” in a family where there is a lack of any form of leadership. I don't necessarily think so. However, I think that basically any dog, unless it is very submissive in nature, happy to take a seat if it has the opportunity. If there is something we humans can be bad at, it is demanding our own space and setting boundaries for what is ok behavior, and I think it's very easy for a dog (or a child, for that part) to cross these boundaries, especially when they are not clear.
I think all of them, the vast majority of dogs do not need humans to be particularly dominant, especially not with the negative connotation so many seem to want to attach to the term. However, everyone needs, regardless of whether you are human or dog, a clear framework and boundaries, so that we can function in a context outside of our own person. This is why we humans have a society with laws and rules.
The difference between us and dogs is that the latter do not have their rules written down, and that they don't have a justice system that takes care of dogs that misbehave. They also do not have the ability to automatically understand how our world works, but it is something we must show and teach them (raise).
I'm a fool to believe that there are certain dogs that are better suited to it “usual” the human, and other races require a little more from their human. Many dogs do not need such clear leadership, while there are certain breeds that have an incredibly great need for leadership in order to function. At the dogs need leadership, but leadership can look different depending on race and individual (background and history, mentality and so on). I think the best thing you can do for yourself and your dog's life is to get a breed that corresponds to the kind of leadership you yourself can offer. Taking on too much only causes suffering for both dog and human.
I do not think that there is a dog, provided it is not so called “naturally” dominant, who enjoy that “take over”. Even if it does not consciously plan to take the leadership role in a family, so I don't think it likes being there. I've seen enough dogs, both up close and at a distance, where the people lacked the ability to lead their dog and the dogs really do not feel well in such a situation. Therefore, I believe that it is so incredibly important that the person in a relationship like this takes on that responsibility – adapted to your own dog's personality and needs. Not all dogs need the same kind of leadership. You need to remember that, regardless of what kind of dog you are interested in and used to.
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In order to further to shed some light on this and to do some sort of deep dive into what my personal view of our own way of exercising dominance/leadership might look like, I think it has to be a whole separate post. This post has dealt with what I believe is contained within the concept of dominance in dogs. To further clarify, I'd like to add a few extra features I think are included;
assertiveness, self-confidence, high thoughts about oneself, security, balance, stability, It's a given, presence, quiet, clarity, determination, unconcern, with more.
I hope that it gave a clearer picture of my views on dominance in dogs, and what we as humans should aim for to create a safer environment for our dogs.