dominance behavior

Question
I have a 2 year old female chocolate lab. we adopted her when she was 15 months old, so we know nothing about her past. She is very well behaved and very mild-mannered, shows no sign of being aggressive. My question is that she will not lay on her back...ever.., and when I want to be affectionate with her she pulls away, then comes back to me for affection. Also when she wants to go for a walk she goes to the door and bumps the knob, but when i get the leash she runs from me around the room a couple of times, then comes to me. Are these signs of being dominate? And if so, how can I break her of it?

Answer
Denise,
 It seems to me she was an outside dog and never really got walked much.  How is she with treats?  If you can, I would sit down with the leash and let her come up to you while you have a treat.  DON'T TRY TO GRAB HER  Go very slow.  I think the leash symbolizes something unpleasant to her, like going to the vet or being tied up.  So you have to get her to see the leash as a good thing.  It takes patience, but give her a treat and hold the leash in the same hand as the treat, but don't put it on her.  When she finally takes the treat with the leash in your hand, then give her a treat with the leash in your other hand.  This is going to take awhile since you have been chasing her (she now KNOWS  the leash is a bad thing lol)  anyway go slow treating and getting the leash closer and closer to the collar until you can put the leash on the collar.  When you can, take it immediately off and keep the ritual going.  After taking it on and off and she doesn't run treat her again and hopefully that will be the end of the chasing.  Always take the leash on and off a few times before you take her out.

Don't force her on her back, she doesn't trust you enough for that.  The more you force her to do this the more afraid she will be.  Wait until she is laying on her side and gently pet her with one pat and leave her.  She is not used to people handling her. As I say I think she was a neglected outside dog.
nancy