# Dominance pinch



## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

A friend of mine told me about something called the dominance pinch, to teach alpha males you're the boss when they get too cocky. Does anyone know how this works?


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i think its just scruffing them. there's a bit of loose skin by the neck and you pinch there and give them a lift off their feet. i don't know how well thei works though. whenever i had to show that i was the boss i just pinned them on their backs until they either stayed still or gave me a submissive lick or squeak. that has always worked for me in the past.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Something like scruffing, perhaps?

I'd be careful with stuff like that. You don't want them viewing you as a rival.


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## danetix (Jun 30, 2007)

twitch said:


> i think its just scruffing them. there's a bit of loose skin by the neck and you pinch there and give them a lift off their feet. i don't know how well thei works though. whenever i had to show that i was the boss i just pinned them on their backs until they either stayed still or gave me a submissive lick or squeak. that has always worked for me in the past.


Do you have any resources on this? I've googled it for about 30 minutes and have not found much useful information on it. Can it be used on female rats?


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## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

I don't know how it affects rats, but in cats and dogs 'scruffing' releases endorphines which will calm them down and keep them quiet.

This may be why when you scruff a rat it calms down. -shrug-


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

Vixie said:


> I don't know how it affects rats, but in cats and dogs 'scruffing' releases endorphines which will calm them down and keep them quiet.
> 
> 
> 
> > Same goes for Ferrets... but for rats? They do have some extra skin there.


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## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

I've read that scruffing doesn't have the same calming effect but i'm not sure how reliable the source is.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

I think I'll try pinning them, Achilles seems to have taught the boys he's the boss that way.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

"Rats are generally amenable to handling and, although they rarely bite, they should always be handled with care. Grasping the rat firmly by the shoulders is the best way and a confidently held rat will be a much happier animal than one held gingerly. Handling a rat by the scruff is likely to cause distress and should be avoided."
http://www.v-e-t-s.co.uk/rats.htm

"Restraining the rat by holding the skin over the nape of the neck (scruffing) is not humane as the rat tends to struggle excessively."
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cach...at+scruffing+calming&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

the only source i have is personal experience. the pinning has always worked for me. and it makes sense too as that's the way the dominant or mother would reprimand someone doing something wrong. i don't know much about the scruffing other then that they have loose skin there that can be grabbed.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I pin them and hold them for a few seconds, sometimes they will roll on their belly for me. Basically I use hand wrestle play time and give take some opprotunities to assert my dominance over every rat I can XD Not sure if this helps their internal pecking order but it helps them see I'm boss and they can't walk all over me....

or does it? >_>


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## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

Just curious, but what is your rat doing that makes you think he needs to be scuffed, pinched, or pinned? I think a lot of behaviors just end up getting labeled â€˜dominanceâ€™ even though I rarely see a truly dominant animal. (However I have to admit most of my experience in behavior and training is with dogs, not rats.) 

Personally I donâ€™t believe my rats think Iâ€™m another rat (nor do I believe my dog thinks Iâ€™m another dog) and they certainly donâ€™t think Iâ€™m their motherâ€¦which is basically the theory behind alpha rolls and scruff shakesâ€¦to punish them as their mother (or animal of their own kind) would. In dogs at least these methods have the potential to cause more issues than they help, which is why the trainers who first popularized the alpha roll (the Monks of New Skeet) no longer advise people to use it on their pets. 

Anyways, not to get down on anyone elseâ€™s methods, just throwing out a different point of viewâ€¦take it or leave it. :wink:


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Lol, mine is mostly play really. I don't think it does anything at all.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

One of them was being really aggressive with the others and when I tried to separate him he bit me.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

I figured out another way. I just hold them on their backs with my hand around their shoulders and the other hand under their bum (almost like a baby) They just give me a little lick to say "ok, I get it."


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

If he was being aggressive with the others and you interceded that's to be expected. It's like separating fighting dogs.

The only reason I've had to pin any of my rats is Puck's tendency to... ehem... get a little frisky with my hand or arm.


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## jcapicy (Jul 17, 2007)

We hold our on their backs in our hands and give them a little rub behind the ears as this is how rats socialize with each other as rats generally rely on other rats to clean their head and neck in a social environment. 

We have rat that is always hyper, posibbly a medical issue but she was given a clean bill of health and i was told she possibly has an overactive gland. (i'd have to read the paperwork to see exactly what it is.


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