"DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE, WHEN IT HAS TO BE DONE, AS WELL AS IT CAN BE DONE, AND DO IT THAT WAY ALL THE TIME."
-BOBBY KNIGHT
PACK LEADERSHIP IS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE, YET YOUR BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG. A WELL BALANCED DOG IS AN INTEGRAL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY AND HAS A CLEAR RANKING AMOUNG THE GROUP. THE WORD HERE IS "CLEAR". JUST LIKE A MEMBER OF A SOCCER TEAM HAS A SPECIFIC POSITION AND GAMEPLAN TO EXECUTE ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM...SO DOES YOUR DOG! SO THEREFORE YOU BECOME THE COACH: TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL ORDER OF THE HOUSEHOLD TEAM. WOULD YOU LIKE AN ACRONYM FOR THE WORD "TEAM"? TOGETHER EACH ACCOMPLISHES MORE ...SO...WE CAN LEARN TO EXPECT MORE!
IN THE OLD DAYS, THE DOGS ROLE IN THE FAMILY WAS MORE PRACTICAL. THEY HAD JOBS TO DO. THEY GUARDED THE HOUSE, GOT RID OF RODENTS, THEY HELPED US HUNT, THEY HERDED LIVESTOCK, AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THEY PULLED SLEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND TO HELP FIND LOST PERSONS. PEOPLE SAT IN ROOMS THAT WERE EITHER COOLER OR WARMER DUE TO THE LACK OF AIRCONDITIONING OR HEAT...AND SO DID THE DOG. THEY ATE TABLE SCRAPS AFTER THE FAMILY WAS FINISHED WITH THEIR MEAL. DOGS WERE ALSO BRED FOR THEIR WORKING QUALITIES AND NOT FOR LOOKS OR PROFIT, AS THEY ARE TODAY. TRAINING METHODS HAVE IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS HOWEVER; THE "GRAY" AREA FOR OUR DOGS IS IN THE UNCLEAR SOCIAL ORDER AND THE LACK OF PURPOSE WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT THEY LIVE. HENCE, MANY BELIEVE THAT THIS CONTRIBUTES TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS WE SEE TODAY. WITH OUR BUSY CELL PHONE, PDA, LAPTOP, ON THE RUN LIFESTYLES, MANY DOGS ARE JUST ANOTHER THING FOR US TO OWN! JUST AS YOU BELIEVE IN CERTAIN VALUES AND RIGHTS FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN, A LIVE BEING THAT YOU BRING INTO YOUR HOME HAS A SET OF RIGHTS AS WELL. O.K....THAT IS JUST MY OPINION.....HOWEVER, SINCE I AM ON THE SUBJECT...IN MANY STATES, IF YOU ARE CAUGHT ABUSING AN ANIMAL, YOU CAN GO TO JAIL!
ON THE OTHER HAND, HERE IS ANOTHER GLOOMING ISSUE. TODAY, DOGS, IN ALOT OF CASES, ARE BEHAVING AS A TEAM MEMBER WHO PLAYS THE GAME INDEPENDENTLY. THEY ARE ALLOWED ON THE FURNITURE WITHOUT BEING INVITED. THEY EAT OUT OF BOWLS WITH FREE FLOWING FOOD. THIS IS ANALOGOUS TO A TRUST FUND CHILD WHO HAS HAD UNLIMITED FUNDS AND WOULD HAVE NO NEED TO EVER WORK FOR MINIMUM WAGE. THEY COME AND GO THROUGH OUT THE HOUSE WHENEVER THEY PLEASE. THEY HAVE LOTS OF UNEARNED TOYS AND POSSESSIONS TO GUARD. THEY HAVE
CONSTANT PETTING AND AFFECTION. OWNERS LIKE THIS WHO TREAT THEIR DOGS LIKE KINGS AND QUEENS DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY LOOSE LEASH WALKING IS DIFFICULT, OR WHY FLUFFY WON'T COME WHEN CALLED. LASTLY, WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY WHERE BOTH PARENTS HAVE TO WORK, THEY HAVE KIDS TO TEND TO, AND FLUFFY IS A LAST CONSIDERATION. NOW FLUFFY FINDS WAYS TO ENTERTAIN HERSELF, SUCH AS DIGGING, BARKING, OBSESSIVE PLAY, ETC. GUESS WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING NOW? FLUFFY IS A PROBLEM. WOW, THIS IS QUITE OPPOSITE TO ABUSE, YOU MIGHT BE SAYING. BUT HERE IS THE REALITY... SIX MILLION DOGS A YEAR ARE EUTHANIZED. ONCE FLUFFY GETS DROPPED OFF IN A SHELTER, DUE TO A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM, SHE IS ON BORROWED TIME. AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO FANTASIZE, DON'T THINK THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS JOINED INTO THE POLITICALLY CORRECT AND PASSED A LAW TO MAKE EUTHANASIA ILLEGAL. IT HASN'T...SO, LETS NOT FANTASIZE, LETS FIX THE PROBLEM...SO THAT NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR DOG... BECAUSE YOU ARE IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF YOUR DOGS ENVIRONMENT AND YOU CAN MAKE IT A GREAT ENVIRONMENT! IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION. AFTER ALL, WHO IS A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?
IN THE YEAR 1993, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAMMALOGOISTS DETERMINED FOR THE RECORD, THAT THE ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE DOMESTIC DOG BE CHANGED FROM CANIS FAMILIARIS TO CANIS LUPUS FAMILIARIS.WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE WOLVE AND THE DOMESTIC DOG ARE OF THE SAME SPECIES. THIS WARRANTS THE ATTENTION OF THE EVERYDAY PET OWNER. DOGS ARE GENETICALLY IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS THE WILD WOLF. THIS MAKES UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOR EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, AND THAT WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT OUR OBSERVATIONS OF THE WOLF IN THE WILD CAN TELL US ABOUT OUR "BEST FRIENDS". ORIGINALLY, A FEW DECADES AGO, BEHAVIORISTS OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS A DEFINITE PECKING ORDER WITH IN A PACK. HENCE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONFRONTATIONAL TRAINING METHODS. CERTAIN MYTHS WERE ESTABLISHED AS A "NATURAL " WAY TO BE DOMINATING OVER YOUR DOG. YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THE "ALPHA ROLL OVER", "SCRUFF SHAKE", AND DIRECT EYE CONTACT. MOST RECENT STUDIES OF WOLF PACKS HAVE DETERMINED THAT THESE ACTIONS ARE EXTREMELY THREATENING BEHAVIORS AND THAT AN ALPHA DOG IN ITS RIGHT MIND WOULD ONLY ACT IN THIS WAY AS A LAST RESORT AND BY NO MEANS AS A WAY OF "TRAINING OR RELATING" TO OTHER MEMBERS. IT IS THEN NOTED THAT DOGS REALLY HAVE A MORE CIVILIZED WAY OF RELATING TO ONE ANOTHER THAT RELIES ON POSTURING, SOCIAL RITUALS AND AVOIDING CONFRONTATION. DOGS REALIZE THAT IF INJURED IN A FIGHT, HUNTING, FORAGING, AND TRAVELING TO GET FOOD ARE AT STAKE AND NOW, SO IS THE WELL BEING OF THE PACK. NOW, IN HUMAN TERMS, WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT YOU MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND POSTURING AND SOCIAL RITUALS THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOUR DOG. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU LEARN TO BE A STRONG CONFIDENT, DEPENDABLE, CONSISTANT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A NON-CONFRONTATIONAL LEADER TO YOUR DOG. THEREFORE, TO YOUR CANIN LUPUS FAMILIARIS, CALM, CONFIDENT ENERGY FROM YOU WILL PRODUCE CALM COMPLIANT ENERGY FROM HIM.
CONTRARY TO WHAT MOST PET OWNERS BELIEVE, MOST DOGS ARE NOT BORN TO BE A LEADER. IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE STRESSFUL FOR MOST DOGS TO BE WITHOUT A LEADER. SIMPLY PUT, IT IS YOUR JOB AS A CARETAKER, OWNER, AND TRAINER, TO BE A KIND, BENEVOLENT LEADER AND ROLE MODEL TO AND FOR YOUR DOG. HE WILL BE HAPPIER IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. HE WILL WANT TO PLEASE HIS NEW ROLE MODEL ONCE YOU HAVE ASSUMED LEADERSHIP. YOUR DOG WILL ACTUALLY BE RELIEVED AND YOU WILL SEE BEHAVIORAL CHANGES THAT ARE FOR THE BETTER. REMEMBER, DOGS MAY AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AS A PACK LEADER GETS OLDER OR ELDERLY AND CANNOT MAINTAIN CONTROL, FIGHT FOR THAT POSITION...MAYBE EVEN TO THE DEATH. HOWEVER, DOGS DO NOT FIGHT FOR THE NUMBER 2 POSITION. SO IF YOU HAVE DOGS FIGHTING IN YOUR PRESENCE...BEWARE....YOU ARE NOT PERCEIVED AS THE LEADER. ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE TERMS "DOMINANT" AND "AGGRESSIVE". MANY PEOPLE TEND TO THINK THAT IF THEIR DOG APPEARS TO BE DOMINANT OR AGGRESSIVE, HE IS POSITIONING FOR LEADERSHIP. A DOMINANT DOG IS ASSERTIVE AND INDEPENDENT. AN AGGRESSIVE DOG IS HOSTILE, COMBATIVE AND PERHAPS DEFENSIVELY ANTAGONISTIC. KEEP IN MIND THAT A SUBMISSIVE DOG CAN BECOME AGGRESSIVE IF PROVOKED.
SO, WHEN A DOG LOOKS TO THE FAMILY FOR A LEADER, WHICH IS WHAT HE IS GENETICALLY WIRED TO DO, AND HE SEES NONE, HE WILL FEEL IT IS UP TO HIM TO FILL THIS VOID. MOST DOGS THAT ARE PUSHED INTO THIS POSITION UNNATURALLY, WILL BECOME STRESSED.IT IS HERE THAT PERHAPS A DOMINANT DOG WILL MANIPULATE THEIR WAY INTO LEADERSHIP, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AN UNEDUCATED NEW OWNER. OTHER DOGS MAY USE AGGRESSION TO MAINTAIN ORDER. DOGS THAT ARE SELF-APPOINTED INTO THIS POSITION WILL COME UP WITH ALL SORTS OR UNWANTED BEHAVIORS TO MAINTAIN THEIR STATUS IN THE FAMILY UNIT. HERE ARE AFEW SIGNS THAT THIS COULD BE HAPPENING TO YOU:
IF YOU ARE SEEING ANY OF THE ABOVE BEHAVIORS...NO WORRIES... WE CAN CHANGE THE GAME!!
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN PORTRAY YOURSELF AS THE LEADER; AND PROVIDE A SOUND ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR DOG.
REMEMBER, THIS IS ABOUT THE “RULE, LIMITS, AND BOUNDARIES” AS THE DOG WHISPERER, CESAR MILLAN, WOULD SAY. YOU ARE IN CHARGE AND THIS IS THE HOW TO AND THE WHY. YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR DOG WILL CO-EXIST TOGETHER IN A MUCH HAPPIER STATE IF EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR ROLE IN THE FAMILY UNIT….THE FAMILY PACK.
REMEMBER, DUTIES OF THE LEADERNOW, YOU HAVE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND INCREASED YOUR LEVEL OF CANINE EDUCATION. PUTTING TOGETHER A GAMEPLAN TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR “BEST FRIEND” SHOULD BE LESS INTIMIDATING. MAKE IT FUN AND REWARDING. MAKE IT A GAMEPLAN FOR A LIFETIME …AND YOU WILL WIN YOUR “BEST FRIENDS” RESPECT! THANK YOU, MELINDA
LIFE IS A GAME THAT HOLDS MANY REWARDS FOR THOSE WHO DARE TO COMPETE. WINNING IS NEVER AN ACCIDENT; NEITHER IS LOSING. THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS KNOWING THE RULES, TECHNIQUES, AND FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME, AND HAVING A PLAN FOR ATTAINING THE GOAL.” -JOHN BAXTER (FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL COACH)
“BUT ASK THE ANIMALS, AND THEY WILL TEACH YOU” JOB 12:7
THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY MELINDA SUGLIO WITH REFERENCES TO THE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR COLLEGE COURSE WORK.