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My husband and I are worried about Buddy, our nine-month-old German shepherd puppy who is starting to show dominance issues with other dogs. He's already much larger than most dogs in our neighbourhood and our neighbours aren't amused when Buddy jumps on their dogs or plays too roughly. I phoned the breeder for advice and she told me that Buddy is an "alpha male" and needs to dominate other dogs.

She said the other dogs will understand Buddy's position and will learn to submit to him. This sounds like a reasonable opinion but we can't live with a dog like this. He's a good dog in every other way and doesn't display dominance issues with us or other people. We don't want to keep him on a leash all the time or make him wear a muzzle. He's never bitten another dog but we're worried about the future. Any tips?

Meighen

Dear Meighen,

In the past, the word "alpha" was used almost exclusively to describe the leader in a pack of animals. Recently, however, we've been applying the label to any animal or human who is strong and aggressive. While strength and aggression may be necessary traits in a leader, we've come to realize that inner strength and superior social skills are also necessary ingredients.

Wolf pack researchers have discovered the alpha is not the barking, lunging, in-your-face wolf. The true alpha is the one who sits quietly on slightly higher ground than the rest of the pack, rarely lunging and rarely barking.

This wolf doesn't need to make its presence known and it may not be the largest or physically strongest member of the pack. In fact, a female wolf is just as likely as a male to be alpha. In some packs, one male and one female share the role. A true alpha exudes quiet confidence and leadership skills. They don't need to prove their superiority through attacking the other wolves or hyped-up vocalization.

Think of it in human terms.

The president of a successful corporation didn't claim the corner office by bullying underlings or demanding respect by pounding his fists on his desk. When the alpha boss stands and walks away, he doesn't alert the troops by bellowing, "OK everybody, follow me."

Only an alpha wannabe would resort to such crass tactics.

When it comes to domestic dogs, it's natural to apply our knowledge of pack behaviour to explain or make excuses for a dog such as Buddy. But, as you can see, a real alpha doesn't harass other members of the pack. I haven't seen Buddy in action but it's my bet he either simply enjoys bullying other dogs or he's suffering from a lack of self-confidence. Yes, just like humans who bully other humans.

Whichever the case, your breeder's comment that the other dogs "learn to submit" is just plain unfair. We're teaching our kids to report bullies at school. Why should we allow our dogs to be bullied by another?

I'll stop my rant now and give you some advice.

Buddy will only grow bigger and stronger and more capable of hurting another animal. It's crucial you seek professional advice immediately.

Your veterinarian or professional dog trainer can assess Buddy and suggest exercises to help encourage friendly or at least neutral encounters with other dogs. Positive reinforcement training (rewarding him for good behaviour) will take time, patience and lot of repetition but Buddy is still young and still learning. This is the time to set him on a path that will last a lifetime.

While working on Buddy's social skills prescribed by your vet or trainer, he'll need to get plenty of exercise but not at the expense of other dogs. Can you take him for daily on-leash runs or walks? Or teach him to chase a tennis ball or Frisbee off-leash in a secluded area? Always have the leash handy, of course, and learn to recognize the signs that preclude nasty meetings with other dogs.

Raised hackles, lowered head and tail are generally signs of potential attack but many dogs show no outward signals. If this is the case, keep Buddy on a leash around other dogs until you know for sure that he's absolutely trustworthy.

E-mail jacque-newman@rogers.com with a question, comment or suggestion.