The alpha roll is a training method that is no longer recommended. It involves forcefully flipping a dog onto their back and holding them there.

Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, CAAB, MS was a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, author, and the creator of Low Stress Handling®.

From the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral conditions to the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in veterinary patients, the past 20 years have seen numerous advances in veterinary behavior. In the early 2000’s Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, emerged on the scene to lead this transformation. Motivated by the realization that more pets were euthanized for behavioral reasons than medical issues, she made it her lifelong passion to educate veterinarians and animal professionals about animal behavior and the benefits of Low Stress Handling for dogs and cats.

“With good handling, the patient should get better and not worse.” Sophia Yin

Low Stress Handling®, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats Companion DVD Chapters 1, 2 and 3 Chapter 1: Fear Chapter 2: Dominance vs Unruly Behavior Chapter 3: Classical Conditioning (Learning by Association) Click here to continue to Chapter 4: Operant Conditioning Basics Click here to return to the Table of Contents

What is resource guarding and why does it occur? Resource guarding is a relatively common behavior problem in dogs. It is defined as a dog using avoidance, threatening, or aggressive behaviors to retain control of food or other items in front of a person or other animal.  Sometimes, the signs of resource guarding are subtle. In these cases, your dog may show avoidance behavior or mild signs of aggression and anxiety such as stiff or crouched body posture, pinned back ears, lip licking, and physically blocking access to the resource. The aggression may escalate to more severe and overt signs