tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post3668112070289657851..comments2024-02-05T13:39:43.501+01:00Comments on Kenzo the Hovawart: A word on Hovawarts and dominanceTeam Kenzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-48271692339661876752013-04-06T09:54:10.836+02:002013-04-06T09:54:10.836+02:00You hit the nail on the head. It is independence. ...You hit the nail on the head. It is independence. It is three years ago I wrote this post, and learned a lot since.Team Kenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-33554619274040152062013-04-06T07:51:23.554+02:002013-04-06T07:51:23.554+02:00Could it be rather than terming it 'dominance&...Could it be rather than terming it 'dominance', it should be termed 'independence'? It sounds like his reactions were refusal to obey as opposed to a dominant dog's reaction to a subordinate (which would have escalated into growling, snapping, biting... if he'd continued to be pushed)<br />Just a thought...<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-2263468887666550212010-05-14T03:15:55.240+02:002010-05-14T03:15:55.240+02:00Very interesting! I know a lot of people who have ...Very interesting! I know a lot of people who have had similar experiences with dogs they were cautioned may try to be "dominant" over them.<br /><br />If you've ever witnessed a litter of puppies, you may actually see a bit of "dominant/submissive" behavior going on. One pup may run at another's face, weight resting on his front legs with his tail up and tocking...while the other pup slinks down and rolls over, one paw up in appeasement.<br /><br />There are dogs who are pushy in personality, just like there are kids who are pushy - kids try to push and push more in an effort to see where the actual boundary lines are. Why should dogs be different?<br /><br />I think "dominant" and "alpha" are confused terms - they're labels in the same way "aggression" is a label...and labels confuse the actual issue at hand. <br />I think you're right in saying that it covers up issues the dog might have. When we label things in a way such as that, we don't look deeper... we don't find the actual underlying problem.<br /><br />Some breeds are simply a little harder to train than others.... I usually settle for saying that the dogs need an owner who will respect and treat them fairly, rather than convince themselves the dogs are out to get them. They're not, but don't think for a second that a dog who steps into a messy household won't step up to the plate and try to make things right!JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01519840534826809959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-37290869971516610092010-05-13T20:18:44.596+02:002010-05-13T20:18:44.596+02:00@Dog Mama
Thanks for this addition. It is so very ...@Dog Mama<br />Thanks for this addition. It is so very true what you are saying. The subject is too complex for a one size fits all approach. Breed and individual differences play a significant role. What I have written is reflecting what I have experienced with Kenzo in our own little world.<br /><br />My hope with sharing it is, to get rid of some of the fairytells around Hovawarts. And that people stop using "dominant/subsmissive" to cover up issues their dog might have.Team Kenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06113604410676702370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1837788668443543592.post-31162247284114573732010-05-13T10:06:45.886+02:002010-05-13T10:06:45.886+02:00It's interesting, because some of the dog beha...It's interesting, because some of the dog behaviorists, such as Patricia McConnell, are now moving away from the whole alpha concept.<br /><br />Some of the experts believe that dog behavior can be controlled be proper feedback without the need of dominating them.<br /><br />I think that some of the benign methods of asserting oneself, such as eating first, going first through the door don't hurt anything. Hey, even I can do that!<br /><br />I think that different things can work for different people and different dogs, but it also depends on how well each respective method is applied.<br /><br />I do not believe that bullying one's dog will take anybody very far.DawgBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03549947489170037163noreply@blogger.com