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Dominance is one of the most misunderstood words in dog behaviour. Not because social influence does not exist. But because the term is often used to explain every difficult behaviour. Dominance is not fear. It is not anxiety. It is not aggression. Aggression is aggression. Dominance, through an applied ethology lens, is better understood as influence over access to resources. And importantly: that influence is fluid. One dog may move another away from the couch because they are resting. Later, the other dog may control access to dropped food. Another may defer entirely in different contexts. That is social negotiation. Not “trying to take over the household.” Dogs are also captive domesticated animals. Humans control almost all major resources: • Food • Space • Movement • Access • Resting areas • Social opportunities Which means relationships and resource access are constantly shifting depending on: • Context • Value • Emotional state • Reinforcement history • Environment Fluid social influence reduces conflict. Oversimplifying behaviour into: “the dog is dominant” often stops people from looking at what is actually happening in front of them. Good behaviour work asks: “What is influencing this behaviour right now?” Not: “How do I overpower the dog?”

Are we using distraction or disengagement? These two concepts are often used interchangeably but in behaviour modification they serve very different purposes and choosing the wrong one at the wrong moment can significantly impact progress. Distraction may help a dog cope before they move over threshold. Disengagement involves the dog noticing a trigger, and shifting attention away while remaining emotionally capable of processing the environment. The skill is knowing which one to use and when. That comes down to reading emotional state, threshold, environmental pressure, and whether learning is actually accessible in that moment. Sometimes the safest and most therapeutic decision is not continuing exposure at all but instead creating distance and helping the nervous system recover. This is one of the biggest decision making areas I see trainers and behaviour professionals struggle with in fear, anxiety, and reactivity cases.