Wich dog should be dominate

So now that I am adding another dog to the mix, wich one should I let be dominate?

Emma was my first ever dog and I used to being the only dog, except when we bring in fosters. She has a very soft almost passive personality.

Now, one of the girls in No Name's litter is the biggest in the litter. She actually pushes the boys out of the way to get to the milk bar. I dont know about the other one.

Now who sould I let be diminate? I mean, Idont want Emma to feel left out or jelous, but lets face it, the dobe is going to be 5x her size. Any sugestions?


By me picking wich one is dominate I mean, who gets fed, peted first, ect...

Why not get a boy and remove this issue altogether?

I dont want a boy. Emma will be spayed, so it whont be that bad.

I like girls better, and John didnt really want another dog, so part of the agreement was a girl, and I have a breeding agrement with the breeder wich I wouldnt have if it was a boy.

Boys can mark their teritory in the house. Yes I know it;s a bad trained dog that does that, but I just dont want to deal with it.

Before you ask, it cant be altered since Im going to show.

You don't need to "let" either be dominant. There is always a pecking order, and the dogs will work it out among themselves. It also may change. Your older bitch may be the Alpha at first, but as the puppy matures, their roles may be reversed. You just must watch their cues and behavior to determine which is the dominant dog. It isn't your choice, but the dogs'.

Yes and No. I was talking to a behaviourist that works for the SPCA (he's a good friend) and he said that me, as the alpha can influance who is next in line. He said it was up to me on who is dominate

Hate to break it to you, but you should be Alpha. Not either of the dogs. They can decide their own pecking order as they want to, but to make the transition easier, Emma should still get firsts at everything. This way she knows you haven't replaced her and the puppy knows it has someone else to defer to.

I've seen a Maltese be the dominant over a Golden Retriever before, so size isn't the determining factor.

If you interfere and let the non-dominant dog be alpha, it is highly possible the the true alpha will beat up your chosen Alpha when you are not around. In my experiences, dogs do quite well in working these things out themselves.

There is no rank between my dogs. I am alpha, that's all that matters. If one gets too bossy with the other and starts a fight, they get reprimanded by me.
My dogs get fed/let out first depending on how responsive they are to me. It makes them compete, and they thrive on it (both are highly driven males). If I say sit before I open the door, the first dog to plant their butt on the ground gets to go out first. I do not pet any dog "first", and if there are squabbles over who gets my attention first, both of my dogs get ignored. If I had a pack of 5+ dogs I would let them sort it all out themselves, but 2-3 is not a big deal for me and it's easier and more effective to just have two ranks. (alpha = me, and all dogs below me are equal to one another. I don't tolerate fighting over who is "in charge".)

Roxie has always placed herself into the mother dog position, as that seems to be her nature. The puppies she has helped me raise, which have all been bigger breeds than her, have always respected her. She does have a dominant female personallity, but she is also very loving and tollerant. She even likes Maggie and she didn't raise her from a few weeks old. I think it depends on the personallity of each dog and where they feel comfortable in the actual dog pack. Some dogs aren't cut out to be leaders, some are better in the middle, some at the bottom of the pack. They will establish a pecking order just like chickens and horses. If you actually place a submissive dog at the top in a dominat situation will it be able to teach the younger dog proper manners? I don't have the answer to that, I don't know as I have not been in that situation. Roxie knows what she has been taught, and if a puppy starts chewing on something she will correct it. It can be a very big help to we humans. Older dogs know what is expected of them from their humans. They can and will, if they have the proper nature, instill this in a puppy. As far as feeding first, I do pour Roxies food first, Maggies, then Bruties. But, truthfully, I don't think they care who gets fed first, as long as they get to eat. I have a food driven bunch. lol At some point in time, every puppy is going have dominance issues whether it be with you or the other dogs. It just happens. How you handle it, is what makes your household run smoothly.

I would honor age. She has the place because she is the original..the new dog is on new territory and will have to respect her because YOU respect her. She deserves at least that much. We always honor Mary. She is the mother, the nana, the oldest. She gets the treat first and totally equal billing at all times. It is my opinion but i believe that dogs care about 2 things..being loved, and being treated fairly. Nothing else really matters.
I do not think of myself as their alpha, i am their human. in my opinion again, based only on my own observations, alpha's and omagas are for the canine world. I do not think of myself as a dog, as i am sure they do not either and i do not think of them as humans, they are something so much finer, and more honest, humans fall so short in everything that counts. I have never seen a dog abandon his love, ( i have seen stressed dogs and kennel crazy do things that are not natural but that is a man influenced behavior). A dog that has love and fairness in his life returns that 10 fold. Humans can only watch and try very hard to learn. I cant really find the right words, but it has everything to do with our possessive nature, after all dogs don't want our ears docked, or our pelvises bred so small we can't bear our young, they take us as we are and expect no more. I personally try very very very hard to live up to my dogs. They are the purest form of love i have experienced on this planet except for when my children were small. Humans lose something as they grow, and a dog has it forever. I think things get messed up when we start trying to make us the same. A human provides, teaches, comforts, protects, rewards, and fills the emotional needs of the dog. That has nothing to do with dominence. WE are not trying to "keep our territory by chasing out others" we do not need to drive off our young in order to allow the next batch to come along..we do not have to "keep the pack in order" for the hunt. THat is an alpha..and the poor ol little omaga, (my sally, mary's sister was just that" is usually smaller, weaker and not quite as bright..and knows it. Ahhh but they still have good hearts and with extra attention and confidence building they can leave that sorry place and feel better about themselves IFFFF they have a good HUMAN. AN alpha would only keep them there. I hope i just explained what i am trying...geeeze it is hard.

I say Emma is above your new dog. My dogs know that I (and all the other humans here) are above them. My third dog knows that my other two are above her in the pack order because they were here first.