Titles

Question
Hi Anne,
This may seem like a strange question, as a professional petsitter I have heard pet owners referring to their pet(s) as "Alphas" or "Omegas". I know what an "Alpha" is, but what exactly is an "Omega"? Are there any other descriptive titles I should be aware of, such as "Betas"?

Answer
Gosh, I hate labels when it comes to dogs, but the term Omega generally refers to the lowest ranking member of a pack.  With wolves, that live in a more rigid hierarchy, the term has more meaning.  But, dogs live in much more loosely structured social groups.  Most average owners do not have a clue whether their dog is an "alpha" (again, I hate that word).  In fact, more often, they view behavior usually reserved for "wannabes", such as humping, piloerection, barking, etc. as "dominant" behavior.  Most of the time, they are wrong, and their dog is more fearful than fierce.  Also, dogs can be "dominant" about some things and not others.
Example: my Aussie likes to get to the door first to go out, and will shove the other dogs out of the way.  But, my Aussie mix will shove the Aussie out of the way if she can steal a lick out of my empty coffee cup:-))  And, wonder of wonders, the Aussie doesn't assert her status, she just lets her do it.  So, dominance among dogs can be quite fluid, and contextual.  If a dog is growling at the owner for pushing it over in bed, however, time for a bit of training, as the dog perhaps has gotten a bit bossy about controlling that resource.  With dogs, it isn't the loudest shout, or the biggest leash correction that EARNS you respect.  It's who controls the resources: food, access to the outdoors, toys, sleeping areas, etc.