[yorkietalkjilly]

Even wolf pack leaders in the wild don't alpha roll their subservient pack members so where this idea came from as a tool in dog training, who knows. Subservient wolf/dog pack members voluntarily roll on their backs, expose the abdomen to curry favor, show subjugation but the pack leader never does it! I mean, he has no hands so how would he!

So the dog being 'alpha rolled' by a human gets no message other than his human is dominating him(dominating behavior is a rude, humiliating thing to do in dog culture); and he has little idea why other than to cause fear-inducing subjugation, loss of trust. 'Alpha rolling' is totally counter-productive to positive training, team-building, inducing trust and teaches the dog only fear of the dominating, rude human. Primitive trainers/dog handlers are the only ones still using it, rather than training the dog in the way he should behave with a upbeat, fun training program using positive reinforcement treat/favorite toy/pat when he obeys your request or command. Dogs love to 'win' by getting it right, work hard to do that for their leader.

Alpha rolling is some archaic, power-hungry trainer's idea of how to show the dog who's boss. Well, if a handler is really boss, he never need to roll the dog to prove it - dogs inherently recognize leadership. Dogs with true leaders for handlers/trainers/guardians happily obey to 'win' their approval and their treat/toy 'paycheck'. Dogs are just like us, want a 'pay check' and a little encouragement for a good work session. Dogs will do anything to win the approval of a true leader. Dogs ever live to please us.