Thought these were terrific reads about the dominance/alpha dog theory (sorry if these are posted elsewhere on the site)

http://k9domain.web.officelive.com/alpha_theory.aspx

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf

I only perused the first one because I'm in complete beer mode. But I think a lot of this debate is a confusion of the term "dominance" as used by the old school types. I view it as superiority. My rules, my house because I say. Not because I'm mean, ask anyone who has met my dogs, but because I'm above them. When you take yourself down to the level of thinking in the terms of a dog's view of 'dominance', you lose the ability to apply human reasoning to the situation.

That first link seems to be a stereotypical portrayal of unknowing owners throwing their dogs to the ground in a flurry of emotional response because a guy on the show they DVR'd did it. Personally, I have yet to see this from pet owners. When I put a dog on the ground it's not to be dominate, it's to secure the animal from moving any further. And it shouldn't be tried by most folk. Most folk know that instinctively. These people are preaching to the choir. We need to teach a superiority view instead of a passive or aggressive way.

Of course, that's what I think.

Thanks for those. I like the AVSAB one especially, and I love the juxtaposition of the photo of the wolf with that one of the goofy little dog!