Dogs make mistake getting into rows (8)
I believe the answer is:
terriers
'dogs' is the definition.
(terrier is a kind of dog)
'mistake getting into rows' is the wordplay.
'mistake' becomes 'err' ('err' can be a synonym of 'mistake').
'getting into' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'rows' becomes 'tiers' (tier is a kind of row).
'err' put inside 'tiers' is 'TERRIERS'.
'make' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for terriers that I've seen before include "Airedales, for example" , "Part-time soldiers" , "eg Skye, Cairn and 18" , "Small short-bodied breeds of dogs" .)