The Problem with “Wild” Studies in Dog Training
- Tori Lynn Crowther
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
The Problem with “Wild” Studies in Dog Training
How Flawed Wolf Research Shaped – and Damaged – Modern Dog Training
For decades, dog training has been shaped by interpretations of wild wolf studies that were never intended to be applied to domestic dogs. Early ethological research into captive wolves was misapplied, oversimplified, and commercialised, leading to training systems rooted in dominance, coercion, and behavioural suppression rather than learning theory and welfare science.
1. What Are “Wild” Studies in Dog Training?
The term wild studies in dog training typically refers to early and mid-20th century research into wolf social behaviour, particularly:
• Schenkel’s observations of captive wolves (1947)
• Early popular interpretations of wolf hierarchy
• Media-driven “alpha wolf” narratives
These studies became the foundation of dominance-based dog training models, despite significant methodological flaws (Schenkel, 1947; Mech, 1970).
2. Methodological Flaws in Early Wolf Studies
2.1 Captive Wolves Do Not Exhibit Natural Social Structures
Rudolf Schenkel’s original work involved unrelated adult wolves housed in captivity. These conditions produced abnormal social stress, competition, and aggression not representative of wild wolf families (Schenkel, 1947).
“The hierarchy observed in captive packs is an artefact of confinement.”
— Schenkel (1947)
Subsequent ethological analysis confirms that captivity dramatically alters social behaviour across species (Price, 1999).
2.2 Artificial Pack Composition
Natural wolf packs are family units consisting of breeding parents and offspring. Captive studies forced unrelated adults together, removing the option of dispersal — a critical natural behaviour in wolves (Mech & Boitani, 2003).
This created:
• Chronic social stress
• Escalated aggression
• Competitive dominance displays
These behaviours were wrongly interpreted as evolutionary social norms.
2.3 Retraction of Alpha Theory by David Mech
David Mech, whose 1970 book The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species popularised alpha terminology, later publicly corrected this interpretation.
“Calling a wolf an alpha is usually no more appropriate than referring to a human parent as an alpha.”
— Mech (1999)
Mech explicitly discouraged the use of dominance models in understanding wolf — and by extension dog — behaviour.
3. Why Wolves Are a Poor Model for Domestic Dogs
3.1 Domestication Changed Canine Behaviour
Domestication selected dogs for:
• Reduced fear and aggression
• Increased sociability
• Juvenile behavioural traits (neoteny)
• Enhanced ability to interpret human cues
These changes are both genetic and behavioural (Hare & Tomasello, 2005; Trut, 1999).
Dogs and wolves differ significantly in:
• Social organisation
• Communication strategies
• Conflict resolution
• Cognitive flexibility
3.2 Dogs Do Not Form Wolf-Like Packs
Studies of free-ranging dogs demonstrate that:
• Social groups are fluid
• Hierarchies are weak or absent
• Cooperative hunting is rare
• Resource sharing is minimal
(Bonanni et al., 2010; Coppinger & Coppinger, 2001)
This undermines the foundational assumption that dogs require hierarchical leadership to function socially.
4. Impact on Dog Training Practices
4.1 Dominance as a Catch-All Explanation
Dominance theory reframed normal canine behaviours as:
• Status challenges
• Intentional defiance
• Leadership bids
This interpretation ignored:
• Learning history
• Environmental stressors
• Emotional states
(Bradshaw, Blackwell & Casey, 2009)
4.2 Increased Use of Aversive Training Methods
Dominance-based ideology justified:
• Physical punishment
• Alpha rolls
• Leash corrections
• Flooding techniques
Peer-reviewed research shows these methods are associated with:
• Increased fear
• Heightened aggression
• Reduced learning capacity
(Hiby, Rooney & Bradshaw, 2004; Herron, Shofer & Reisner, 2009)
4.3 Behavioural Fallout and Misdiagnosis
Punishment-based training often results in:
• Suppressed warning signals
• Learned helplessness
• Escalated aggression
These outcomes were frequently blamed on the dog rather than the training method (Overall, 2013).
5. What Contemporary Science Supports
5.1 Learning Theory and Behavioural Science
Dogs learn via:
• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning
• Reinforcement histories
Punishment increases stress hormones and impairs cognitive processing (Schilder & van der Borg, 2004).
5.2 Attachment and Human–Dog Relationships
Secure attachment between dogs and humans predicts:
• Improved learning outcomes
• Reduced anxiety
• Greater behavioural resilience
(Topál et al., 1998; Payne, Bennett & McGreevy, 2015)
5.3 Welfare-Centred Training Outcomes
Reward-based methods correlate with:
• Higher obedience reliability
• Lower stress indicators
• Improved welfare metrics
(Ziv, 2017)
6. Why These Ideas Persist
Despite overwhelming evidence, dominance narratives persist due to:
• Media influence
• Lack of industry regulation
• Appeal to authoritarian models
• Simplistic explanations for complex behaviour
(Bradshaw, 2011)
7. Ethical Implications
The misapplication of flawed wild studies has contributed to:
• Increased behavioural problems
• Higher surrender rates
• Euthanasia for “aggression”
• Normalisation of fear-based compliance
Behavioural science is not neutral — poor science has ethical consequences.
Conclusion
Early wolf studies were context-specific, methodologically limited, and later corrected by their own authors. The failure was not the science evolving — it was dog training’s refusal to evolve with it.
Modern dog training must be grounded in:
• Empirical evidence
• Species-appropriate understanding
• Learning theory
• Animal welfare science
Dogs are not wolves.
Training is not dominance.
Science has already moved on.
Academic References
Bradshaw, J. (2011). Dog Sense. Basic Books.
Bradshaw, J. W. S., Blackwell, E. J., & Casey, R. A. (2009). Dominance in domestic dogs—useful construct or bad habit? Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 4(3), 135–144.
Bonanni, R., Cafazzo, S., Abis, A., Barillari, E., Valsecchi, P., & Natoli, E. (2010). Age-graded dominance hierarchies and social tolerance in packs of free-ranging dogs. Behavioral Ecology, 21(3), 443–455.
Coppinger, R., & Coppinger, L. (2001). Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution. University of Chicago Press.
Hare, B., & Tomasello, M. (2005). Human-like social skills in dogs? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(9), 439–444.
Herron, M. E., Shofer, F. S., & Reisner, I. R. (2009). Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 117(1–2), 47–54.
Hiby, E. F., Rooney, N. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour. Animal Welfare, 13(1), 63–69.
Mech, L. D. (1970). The Wolf: Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species. University of Minnesota Press.
Mech, L. D. (1999). Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 77(8), 1196–1203.
Mech, L. D., & Boitani, L. (2003). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press.
Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier.
Price, E. O. (1999). Behavioral development in animals undergoing domestication. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 65(3), 245–271.
Schilder, M. B. H., & van der Borg, J. A. M. (2004). Training dogs with shock collars: short and long term behavioural effects. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 85(3–4), 319–334.
Schenkel, R. (1947). Expression studies on wolves. Behaviour, 1(1), 81–129.
Topál, J., Miklósi, Á., Csányi, V., & Dóka, A. (1998). Attachment behavior in dogs. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 112(3), 219–229.
Trut, L. (1999). Early canid domestication: The farm-fox experiment. American Scientist, 87(2), 160–169.
Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 19, 50–60.
A Note on Dog Mastery and Responsibility
This guide assumes one thing: you are committed to developing real understanding, not just following instructions.
Dog mastery is not about quick fixes, rigid rules, or copying techniques without context.
It is about learning how dogs think, communicate, and respond to their environment — and taking responsibility for how your choices shape their behaviour.
You are expected to:
• Learn why behaviours happen, not just how to stop them
• Build skills gradually, with clarity, consistency, and fairness
• Adapt methods to the individual dog, not force the dog to fit the method
• Accept that progress is non-linear and mastery takes time
• Take ownership of outcomes, rather than blaming the dog
True behavioural change comes from understanding, skill, and accountability. Dog mastery is not about control — it is about communication, trust, and informed leadership built over time.
About Tori Lynn C. & The Dog House
Welcome to The Dog House — my cosy corner of the TLC Canine Crusaders Business Hub. I’m Tori Lynn C., the founder of TLC Dog Walking Limited, mentor to professional dog walkers, and lifelong advocate for dogs and the people who care for them. With over 17 years of hands-on experience in the industry, my mission is to guide you through the realities of running a successful, sustainable dog walking business — from client care and safety to wellbeing, confidence, and professional growth.
The Dog House is where I share the honest, behind-the-scenes conversations we all need: the tricky moments, the funny bits, the business lessons, and the mindset work that keeps us thriving rather than merely surviving. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, you’ll always find support, guidance, and a friendly nudge forward here.
You’re never alone in this journey — you’re part of a community of canine crusaders.
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