[Ladysmom]

I personally prefer "wimpy" dogs that have no desire to be the alpha or pack leader. As you say Summer is a low key and loveable dog.

Lady definately fits that description. She is happily the lowliest member of our little pack (totally inferior to her Siamese sisters in their opinion!) She challenges no one so she is a delight to take with me. I can take her into anyone's home and she is polite and well mannered to the resident cats and dogs.

If we are out walking and she sees a squirrel or rabbit up ahead, she will actually turn around and go the other way, respecting the fact that it got there first!

I'll take that over the day to day challenge of living with an alpha dog anyday!

 

[Ladysmom]

Lady is the same way! She is afraid of little dogs. I blame it on one of my idiot neighbors who had a Yorkie he used to let off the leash. Kaylee used to charge at poor Lady, yipping and yapping, when I first adopted her and she was learning to walk on a leash.

Lady is awe struck by big dogs. She just stares at them. I'm sure she has no idea that she is from the same species! But she has no fear of them and is very comfortable around my sister's huge GSD and my daughter's 100 pound lab.

 

[Ladysmom]

Summer sounds so much like Lady! Lady never barks at strange noises, people, other dogs, or anything either. The only thing that gets her barking is mealtime or if one of her treat dispensing toys is either empty or stuck under a chair!

I just love her mellow, laid back disposition!

 

[Ladysmom]

I tend to agree with OKW that perhaps the term "alpha" is overused and blamed for simply bad behavior allowed by the owner or a puppy who hasn't learned proper pack hierarchy and behavior from his mom and siblings.

I've had dogs all my life and only had one "alpha". She was labeled as such by a trainer. Peggy fit the bill. She was very smart and challenged others for pack leader right from the start - my ex husband and children! She had growling/biting issues from age 7 weeks on.

I think most of us probably have middle of the roaders which make of the majority of the pack. That may be what Miko is since he easily fit in with his "new" pack rather than challenging for control of it.