Myth #5 “Alpha Rolls will help a dog learn to be submissive.”

An Alpha Roll is when a human forces a dog on it’s back, tummy and feet exposed, and holds the dog down. As you might expect, this can make a dog feel very vulnerable. In the past, some trainers, including the famous Monks of New Skete (who popularized this technique) would use this in an attempt to correct dogs who were exhibiting dominant behaviors.

The monks had correctly observed that submissive dogs would take this rolled-over position to demonstrate their submissiveness to other dogs. It’s a way of saying “I’m obviously no threat…you are the boss…” The monks believed that forcing a dog into this submissive posture would be an effective way to communicate the monk’s authority. What the monks failed to realize at the time (and admitted to later on in newer editions of their book) is that submissive dogs offer up this posture willingly. They are not forced into this posture by other dogs. In fact, if a dog pinned another pack member down like that, the dog doing the pinning would generally be regarded by others as abnormal (the human equivalent of being mentally ill.)

When a human uses the Alpha Roll technique on a dog, the dog does not see that person as a stable leader… she sees that person as someone to fear… someone who’s behavior is confusing, probably crazy, and quite possibly dangerous…