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Canid Dominance Hierarchy
Canidae refers to animals of, relating to, or belonging to the Canidae family of mammals. This includes domestic dogs, jackals, wolves, foxes, coyotes and other dog-like mammals. Dominance Hierarchy is a ranking system or social order among social living groups. Originally it was thought that a pack of dogs (social living group in canines) would have a social ranking order based on specific personality traits and levels of dominance and submission within the pack. It was believed that in each pack there would be an "alpha" leader, a second in command, the "beta", and at the lowest rank, the "omega". Current research suggests that this is a misconception and that the "leaders" of the pack are actually the biological parents of the young pups in the pack. Most packs are comprised of a nuclear family unit. It is rare that a pack would include non-family members unless the setting is artificial or in some instances orphaned or immigrant individuals may be accepted into a previously-established pack.

Dominance and submissive behaviors were examined in relation to the age and sex of the dogs, as well as in competitive contexts such as feeding, and being in the presence of receptive females (breeding) in a study conducted by Cafazzo, Valsecchi, Bonanni, and Natoli (2010). The population was a group of approximately 100 free-ranging domestic dogs in a suburban environment. This study suggested that there is an age-related dominance hierarchy based on the observation that adolescent dogs frequently submitted to their elders. Young pups were submissive to adolescents as well as the adults. The researchers concluded that a display of submissive behavior was the best measure of dominance. This information conflicts with the long-held belief that dogs use aggressive behavior to dominate others and supports the notion that the leaders of a pack are most often the breeding male parent and breeding female parent.

International wolf expert and research scientist L. David Mech has rescinded his concept of the "Alpha" based on 13 years of natural observation. Mech asserts that the concept of the "alpha" is outdated and that new research shows that in the wild, wolves achieve their position by becoming a breeding parent. Mech's research supports the notion that canids form nuclear families that live together through cooperation, not aggression. He suggests that dominance and aggression are not the same.

In artificial settings such as the home of a domesticated dog, the social hierarchy can be found to be much different than free-ranging dogs or wolves in the wild. The problem is that there is not a whole lot of research on domesticated dogs and most of that research is not scientifically validated. Typically, the domesticated dog sees the owner as its "parent" and other non-related dogs in the home as that dogs "siblings". This comprises what would be seen as a nuclear family outside of captivity, which would be for the most part blood related.

In a longitudinal study of domestic canine behavior and their social organization, Alexandra Semyonova concluded that there is no social ranking or dominance hierarchy in domestic dogs. A hierarchy among domestic dogs is an illusion placed upon them by human fantasy. Semyonova found that each dog in a pack forms relationships with other individual dogs on a one-on-one basis. The relationship is based on signals given and feedback received. When a new dog is introduced, each individual dog forms its own relationship with the new dog. Semyonova proposed that there are three rules or principles presiding over the organization of the group, the behavior between dogs, and the behavior of the group. First, the dogs seek to establish a domain without aggression. Secondly, they establish a common language or system of reciprocal signals to keep social order. Lastly, once a dog recognizes another dog's signals, cues and position, it will make compromises to insure stability within the pack. Overall, dogs seek stability in their habitat.

Another misconception about the previous held notion of dominance hierarchy in dogs is qualifying a dog as dominant or aggressive when they are simply using their own gestures and signals to interact with other dogs. Typically certain threat gestures (formally known as 'dominant') are actually signals that a dog feels threatened or anxious about a situation. Displaying threatening behavior does not make a dog "dominant", he may be simply protecting himself, dealing with his inner emotional states, or telling another dog to "stay away". Some typical threat gestures are erect ears, staring, growling, barking, having teeth barred, and mounting without sexual intent. Some non-threat gestures (formally known as 'submissive')are ignoring the other dog, averting the eyes, ears held low and folded back, cowering so that the body has a lower posture, holding the tail low and even at times between the legs (covering the genitals), lying on the back. licking at the air or at the corners of the other dogs mouth, urinating unexpectedly, and some also yelp, squeal, or bark in high tones. All of these interactive signals are a common language among dogs to protect themselves and keep peace in their environment.