A dominant dog can rather quickly become an overly aggressive dog, which can then end up in a serious dog bite attack. Dog bite injuries can be complicated. Knowing the potential signs and signals of an aggressive dog may help to stave off an attack. No one wants to be bitten by a dog. There are numerous signals an animal may give off which oftentimes can indicate that it is a dominant alpha dog. Size doesn't matter in the arena of dominant alpha dogs. Many a chihuahua or a poodle has been known to be more aggressive than a German Shepherd or a Pit Bull.
If a dog is very demanding, seems pushy and is constantly begging for attention, you may not initially think that is a sign of aggression, but it very well may be. Those can all be ways that the canine is showing it's dominance of you, the lowly human. Other types of behaviors, which are slightly more subtle can be very telling: a dog who always insists on being the first one to go through a door for example, or who claims a certain piece of furniture as their own, is actually setting the tone for how they want their humans to act.
Obvious actions such as nipping at a person's heels, jumping up, barking or growling are all signs that should be paid attention to. The dog is trying to communicate. Sometimes it is out of fear, such as a fear of their food being taken, or a fear of a stranger. Since they originate as a pack animal, a dog is most comfortable with the mentality of a pack: someone needs to be the leader, someone needs to be submissive, a follower. Is your dog in charge of you, or are you in charge of your dog? If the pack order is not clear, you can cause your pet unnecessary stress and possible confusion. Teaching your pet to heel on a leash is an excellent way to establish just who the leader of the pack is. If you allow your dog to lead you, it thinks it is the leader, and you are thus the follower, or more submissive animal.
Teaching a dog to be respectful of people, and their surroundings is another way to show human dominance over the canine. A relaxed, well behaved dog is less likely to be involved in a serious dog bite attack than a highly stressed, nervous dog. Knowing certain clues and signals can help you to avoid being bitten by a dog in the future.