For a long time it has been thought that domestic dogs naturally try to become ‘dominant’. We have been told that dogs that are growling or snapping at you are trying to dominate us. In fact, this is far from true, these behaviours often stem from anxiety or fear. We have also been led to believe that we need to show dogs who is boss by making them become submissive, this may involve physical punishment or the use of force. This approach will make any anxiety that may be present worse or may increase aggression.
Please click on the link below for further information about the theory of dominance in dogs:
https://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/pdfs/Debunking_dominance_in_dogsfinal.pdf