Pack Theory
Courtesy of Kat Loveland - www.caninecommunications.net
The idea that dogs and wolves are related and therefore act the same, have the same social structure, rules and interactions is like saying we could walk into a group of chimps and fit in perfectly. We are closely related to chimps and other primates, but look at how differently we act and relate with each other. There are a lot of similarities true but there are differences and often the body language that chimps use has different meaning than humans.
In 1947 there were several short term studies done on non related wild wolves who had been captured and put in the same enclosures. The people studying the wolves at the time thought they were seeing normal behavior. The wolves were studied mainly while they hunted within the enclosure.
As I will explain more in the dominance page, there were many misinterpretations made by the scientists in this study. However there have been several long term, reputable studies on dogs like the following one I cite.
Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of his findings:
Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution, but the females have "amendments."
Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy hell -- psychologically torturing it until it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.
A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position. They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status because...
Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance over other middle-ranked animals.
Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position, and they accept it.
"Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many, many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place because he simply couldn't care less.
So what does this mean to you?
Simply that trying to physically dominate your dog is actually negotiating from a point of weakness within the pack ranking. To lead you have to earn trust and respect and you do not do that through using alpha rolls, shock collars or physical force. You do it by being consistent with your rules and boundaries.
In 1947 there were several short term studies done on non related wild wolves who had been captured and put in the same enclosures. The people studying the wolves at the time thought they were seeing normal behavior. The wolves were studied mainly while they hunted within the enclosure.
As I will explain more in the dominance page, there were many misinterpretations made by the scientists in this study. However there have been several long term, reputable studies on dogs like the following one I cite.
Dr. Frank Beach performed a 30-year study on dogs at Yale and UC Berkeley. Nineteen years of the study was devoted to social behavior of a dog pack. (Not a wolf pack. A DOG pack.) Some of his findings:
Male dogs have a rigid hierarchy.
Female dogs have a hierarchy, but it's more variable.
When you mix the sexes, the rules get mixed up. Males try to follow their constitution, but the females have "amendments."
Young puppies have what's called "puppy license." Basically, that license to do most anything. Bitches are more tolerant of puppy license than males are.
The puppy license is revoked at approximately four months of age. At that time, the older middle-ranked dogs literally give the puppy hell -- psychologically torturing it until it offers all of the appropriate appeasement behaviors and takes its place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The top-ranked dogs ignore the whole thing.
A small minority of "alpha" dogs assumed their position by bullying and force. Those that did were quickly deposed. No one likes a dictator.
The vast majority of alpha dogs rule benevolently. They are confident in their position. They do not stoop to squabbling to prove their point. To do so would lower their status because...
Middle-ranked animals squabble. They are insecure in their positions and want to advance over other middle-ranked animals.
Low-ranked animals do not squabble. They know they would lose. They know their position, and they accept it.
"Alpha" does not mean physically dominant. It means "in control of resources." Many, many alpha dogs are too small or too physically frail to physically dominate. But they have earned the right to control the valued resources. An individual dog determines which resources he considers important. Thus an alpha dog may give up a prime sleeping place because he simply couldn't care less.
So what does this mean to you?
Simply that trying to physically dominate your dog is actually negotiating from a point of weakness within the pack ranking. To lead you have to earn trust and respect and you do not do that through using alpha rolls, shock collars or physical force. You do it by being consistent with your rules and boundaries.
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