The viewpoints between Mindful Leadership and Dominant Alpha-ism are fundamentally and profoundly different.

Mindful Leadership doesn’t just look at the behavior – it looks for the reasons that cause that behavior.

Dominance Training punitively corrects unwanted behavior.


Dominance Reduction Trainers believe that dogs are social animals that behave according to their instincts. One of those instincts is the propensity to strive for the alpha position within a pack. Therefore the dog has to be demoted, dominance reduced, to prevent dominant challenging behavior before it occurs. That is done proactively with physical corrections and force, for example the alpha roll or taking a possession away after the dog received it, but latest when the dog does something perceived, often erroneously, as challenging. Read about the repercussions of Alpha Training.

Mindful Leadership distinguishes dogs as a man-made species, that feels a variety of emotions and possesses some cognitive abilities. A species genetically similar to wolves and other wild canines, but socially different because they live with, and are imprinted by humans since some 14.000 years. As a result of selective breeding and environmental influences, dogs behave uniquely and individually.


Dominant trainers see the dog as the animal canine first, then as breed, then as social group member, then as pack member ambitious to gain dominance, then as individual.

Mindful leaders see the dog as an individual social group member first, who behaves according to, and has needs and limitations, that are specific to canines. Furthermore, Mindful Leadership believes that most dogs do not strive for alpha position, but to the contrary, are through evolution inherently programmed to be lead by humans – and willing to follow, provided the human proves to the satisfaction of the dog to be a capable leader.

Evolutionary speaking, dogs choose to live with and in human proximity. What began as an attraction to human waste that became more plentiful at the dawn of agriculture and human settlements, lead to a species that, as a species, is very aware that humans have all the power to provide - and sadly also to harm.

Dogs are inherently programmed to follow and please us. That ensured their survival. They are amazingly successful as a species, only because they attached themselves to humans.

Dogs are ready made to follow humans. Preemptively showing them with physical force what they already know harms the relationship and hinders training success.


Because dogs are that man-made species and socially unique, some purely scientific dog trainers and behaviorists suggest that superiority and submission in dogs does not exist, or if, that it is irrelevant to behavior. That is not so.

Submission, the inherent tendency to follow, and confidence, the inherent tendency to lead, exist in all social animals, including our dogs. And because dogs and humans form a social group, there has to be a leader. And because you, the person, have the opposable thumbs and a bank account, you are it.

It is how superiority is expressed that makes the difference. Traditional displays of dominance, such as aggressive alpha roll, pin and scruff shake, are akin to bullying.

Controlling of resources, offering social inclusion, understanding and providing for subordinate members, and protecting the group, is true leadership. That connection is mentally and emotionally felt, not physically executed.


“ The only true test of Leadership is that somebody follows.” The quote by Robert K. Greenleaf implies that someone follows voluntarily.

If we, through Mindful Leadership, confirm what dog already knows: that humans have the power to control all he wants and needs, that we provide and protect and are worthy to be followed, he/she will do so voluntarily.

Mindful Leadership raises the dog to our level as close as we can, with the result that he behaves like dependent family member.

With Dominance Alpha-ism, the human lowers him/herself to the dog’s level: “speaks” dog and applies misunderstood and out-of-context physical corrections. The result is that the dog behaves like an animal – driven by instinct only.

Do you believe you are already the mindful leader? Read the signs to see if you are.