For many years, dog owners were told they needed to be the "alpha" of the household. You may have heard advice like: Eat before your dog. Walk through doorways first. Never let your dog win tug. Roll your dog onto their back if they misbehave. Show your dog who's boss. This advice became extremely popular and was based on something called Alpha Theory. The surprising part? The scientist who helped create the theory later admitted it was wrong. Where Did Alpha Theory Come From

Training is more than teaching “sit,” “stay,” or “come.” The way we train our dogs can affect how they feel, how they learn, and even the relationship they build with us. Research comparing reward-based training with aversive methods has found that training style can influence dog welfare, stress, learning, and the dog-owner bond. One study found that dogs trained with aversive methods showed more stress-related behaviors and had higher cortisol levels after training than dog