How to Alpha Roll a Dog

[Mike D'Abruzzo]

The alpha roll is one of the most ridiculous techniques to ever circulate through the dog training circles. The first time I read about it was in a Monks of New Skete Book (who have since removed it from new publications) and saw all kinds of variations on TV and in books. The simple truth is that it is just a bad technique. Dogs or wolves simply just do not alpha roll each other. Instead a more submissive dog will willingly roll themselves over out of respect of the other dog or person. It is something that you earn from a dog through your leadership rather than do and force on a dog. Depending on your dogs personality - alpha rolling will either make them more fearful of you and lesson trust or cause an aggressive response. Does not fit into a good standard dog training technique - and whatever someone's reason is for doing it I assure you there is a better way. Anyway, here is a good video of a correct alpha roll I found. The only way it should be done.



Now here is just plain horrible training using an alpha roll - also posted by Maureen on another thread. You cant blame the Baltimore PD here. You have to blame the idiot trainer they are trusting. Hopefully, more standards will work their way into Police dog training. What this dog is going through is completetly unnecessary and it is a really good thing that this is a loyal dog with obviously great nerves or this dog would have either ate this officer up or would have been scarred for life from this experience (probably is).



Update: This video was filmed in 2003 and the whole thing has long since been investigated.

[LouCerbone]

watching that video makes me f^ckin crazed I would love to alpha roll that cop!

[Mike D'Abruzzo]

I think the trainer barking the instructions is the one that really needs alpha rolling. I know from experience that a person who is facing a problem with a dog will sometimes do out of the ordinary things if they really believe it is best for the dog - especially if they have no where else to turn.

I believe this dog was going after the firearm whenever it was pulled out.

I cant even watch that video more than once.

[abndogos]

Mike, I found out that some other idiot trainer did try that with a friend of mines dogo down in FL. She took her two dogos, intact male,Che, and female,Nina, to a trainer for some OB work. He was an actual canine police officer that she believes was from Baltimore COunty, and he tried the same alpha roll on her male. Che went for him but didn;t get him. Needless to say, that was the last training lesson she did with him! Oh, and then she added that what he did with the prong collars was downright cruel.

[Robk12]

That's ridicules... How is that going to train him to be a good police dog. it was my understanding that a police dog needs to be confident and feel he can overpower his opponent. Not to learn to be submissive to his "target" who is trying to pick him up and slam him.

[Mike D'Abruzzo]

True, if a dog is getting beat up by his handler, it is common sense to realize that this will hurt his confidence in a fight with a bad guy. Some trainers cant figure that one out.

You'll even see owners correcting their dogs for fear aggression toward people like that... giving them even more a reason to be fearful of humans.

[YvonneGlen]

I know this is old post but that second video is absolutey horrible and so inhumane. I do have to ask a question though. A trainer whom I was considering a while back said something about "hanging a dog out to dry". What does that mean? Does it mean what I think it does? Picking him up from the ruff of his neck and hanging him by it? Do some trainers actually do this? If so, it's a barbaric technique.

[Teresa]

It is absolutely horrible, as well as the technique the trainer you mentioned was most likely referring to. It is something that is still unbelievably and very unfortunately done and most definitely abuse. If the dog shows aggression it is hung up by the leash until it passes out and then repeated as necessary.

More trainers and owners need to be educated in the proper way to train dogs. No quick fixes. You won't find any of those methods here in Foundation style dog training just real training and real solutions, with patience and respect for dogs and guidance for the owners who love them.