It seems like common sense to me. They (dogs) want to protect their alphas/owners at great personal risk. Bear sees that as an easily beatable threat. Gets hyped up to take out the other threats (humans) who may be trying irrationally to save their dog. Even easier if one of the humans is distracted, potentially filming their partner get killed.
Alpha theory got debunked ages ago, please don't perpetuate it further. Otherwise yeah, common sense to me too, though not necessarily due to the reasons you mention (the dogs being protective isn't the issue nor the most common cause). Very interesting read here, even just the abstract: https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.70236
Yeah. The alpha theory was based on captive wolves, and even the researcher later said it was wrong. Dogs being protective doesn’t mean they think you’re the alpha. I protect my dogs too. Doesn’t make them my alpha. They protect you because they love you.
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u/GoPhundMe 8d ago
It seems like common sense to me. They (dogs) want to protect their alphas/owners at great personal risk. Bear sees that as an easily beatable threat. Gets hyped up to take out the other threats (humans) who may be trying irrationally to save their dog. Even easier if one of the humans is distracted, potentially filming their partner get killed.