Pack Mentality

On a recent trip to the USA I found myself in charge of Ducks Unlimited Labrador, Drake whose weekly TV show has made him the most famous working dog in America.

We were hurrying towards the gundog arena at the Great Outdoor Festival in Memphis when a huge ginger- bearded trucker, sporting a John Deer cap and frayed denim overalls, stood directly in our path. Drake and I anticipated trouble of the, “Y’all starin’ at me, boy?” variety.

To our complete amazement the giant bent down, patted Drake on the head and said, “He ain’t nothing but a little guy in a doggie costume.” Unfortunately this is how society now views animals and I refer to as ‘The Disney Effect.’

“The Disney Effect” decrees that all species have exactly the same value system as humans (Anthropomorphism). Thankfully, this is not the case, dogs do not steal your girl, use your credit card or smash the car but the concept persists. Should you be tempted to treat your dog in this manner, don’t be surprised if he is unruly and stubborn. Although your beloved companion may need food, water and shelter there is one thing he craves above all others…Leadership.

In the wild any dog without the security of a leader will not last long. In a wolf pack the leading pair determine where and when the group eats, sleeps and hunts always assuming the greatest danger for themselves. Having a leader allows the rest of the pack to relax in the knowledge that a higher authority is taking care of their needs. 

In the absence of a clear leader (Alpha) most dogs develop neurotic tendencies sometimes assuming leadership themselves with undesirable consequences. Whether you and your pup live alone or you have several other dogs and a busload of kids your pup regards you all as his ‘pack’. It is imperative for him to know where he fits into the pecking order. As a young dog he will be prepared to be at the bottom but don’t be fooled. He’ll soon be looking for opportunities to move on up.

Very few dogs male or female, are natural leaders and feel uncomfortable with the burden of responsibility. Despite centuries of domestication our environment with its TV’s, cars, telephones, etc., is still totally alien to them and a dog who finds no leadership in a world he doesn’t understand is a dog under stress.

As a kid I baby-sat my Uncle Bill’s dog whenever he attended a football match. Over the years he had a succession of mad dogs. Ringing Uncle Bill’s doorbell always triggered a salvo of non-stop barking that could be heard three streets away. After a life and death struggle Uncle Bill opened the door and two huge paws pinned me to the wall. “Don’t raise your voice,” Uncle Bill warned as I attempted to wriggle free.

Following instructions I sat motionless on the sofa trying to watch TV while the dog stared at my crotch slavering and growling. Uncle Bill usually donned his cap and scarf, lit up the stub of an old cigarette and assured me his dog (usually a Rottweiler or a German Shepherd) would never hurt me ‘unless you upset him.’

As soon as Uncle Bill left the house I invariably found that breathing and smiling upset him and any attempt to change channels on the TV sent the dog berserk. I sat motionless for hours afraid to cough or sneeze in case it triggered a feeding frenzy. The one and only time Uncle Bill left his dog alone in the house he returned to find his dining table had become a dinner tray; the dog had chewed off all four legs. Every dog Uncle Bill owned turned out the same way regardless of its breed or pedigree. Later in life he even had a killer Corgi. 

“I’m the unluckiest person in the world with dogs,” Uncle Bill complained. It never occurred to him that he was the common denominator in the development of all these neurotic animals providing no leadership whatsoever. 

From the day you take your pup home he’s learning about the ‘pack’ and his place within it. Early on he’ll have his paws full trying to work out what goes where and who does what but as he develops he’ll start probing to see where he stands. Blue, my oldest Labrador always has a showdown with any new dog joining the kennels. It’s his way of ensuring they know of his superior status. After that both he and the new recruit usually settle down without any problems. 

Your young dog will not rest until he has identified the pack leader. He may decide that it’s you but he may not and should he detect no leader at all you can be sure of trouble. If you are to be the dog’s trainer it is absolutely imperative you establish your leadership credentials. To expect a young dog to take instruction from more than one trainer is both confusing and unreasonable so decide early on who is to be in charge, then assert your authority.

Pack leadership is communicated in four distinct ways:

Leading:
Pack Leader is always in charge of the hunt for food, water and shelter. He alone decides where and when the pack moves. Where he goes the rest follow. No one goes ahead of the leader without his permission. Wolf packs since the dawn of time have observed this simple rule. 

Your dog will instinctively know this. His ancestors for thousands of years have followed the same principal. Use it therefore to establish your leadership credentials and never allow him to go through doors gates or streams ahead of you.

Should I want my dog to go before me I tell him to ‘get on’, without this command he knows he must follow. If I’m entering a barn or large open area he simply walks at heel but if we have to pass through a narrow doorway or climb over a fence or stream he knows the rules…I go first. Practice this and your dog will acknowledge the message you are sending by deferring to you whenever he meets an obstruction.

Eating:
Watch any wildlife film on TV and you will observe that among carnivores the strong always eat first. When a pride of lions pull down a wildebeest the leader is on first sitting and the rest of the pride take their turn later. Wolf packs operate in the same way and dogs understand this unbroken law. Control of the food supply is a very powerful method of communication.

Therefore if you want to speak to your dog in a way that he understands always have a cracker, biscuit or anything easily digestible that you can eat in front of your dog before you feed him.
Make him sit some distance away on ‘stay’ while you prepare his food. Before you put his dish down let him see you pick up your cracker and eat making it very obvious. Slowly put his dish down and tell him to ‘get it’. Every once in a while pick up his dish before he has finished eating and hold it away from him for a couple of minutes then replace it and order him to ‘get it’ again.
This is the clearest indication you can give of your superior status the significance of which will not be lost on your dog.

Approaching:
Whenever the leader returns after absence from the pack he does not acknowledge the existence of the other members. Pack Leader stands tall and aloof while the lower ranking members fuss around him. When they have paid homage to his presence and settled down he rejoins the pack mingling freely within the group. This ritual is reaffirmation of his status and allows other members to relax in the knowledge that pack order and security has been restored.

If you want to establish yourself as your pup’s natural leader you must have the discipline to follow pack rules when you return home or release him from his kennel. It’s okay for him to be excited but you must totally ignore his attentions. Do not make any eye contact or speak a single word. Offer him no feedback at all. If you have a large dog that jumps up simply lift your knee to protect yourself but do not touch or push him away with your hands. As he adjusts to the routine you will find that he quits this behaviour. After he settles down greet him in a quiet and calm manner. Keep your voice low and do nothing to excite him. I know this may mean a significant departure from the normal, ‘Come to mummy/daddy’ routine but trust me, your dog will understand.

Defending:
All leaders defend the territory of their pack. Other members may ultimately join the fray but it is the leader who initiates all defensive action. It is he who assesses the perceived danger and decides on the strategy. Strangers moving onto a wolf pack’s territory will be observed by the leader and may be attacked or ignored; it’s his call and it’s precisely at this time that a pack without a leader will panic.

When visitors arrive at your home your pup will bark in his kennel or rush to the door if he is in the house. This is his warning that strangers are on pack territory. Should you fail to establish your leadership he will assume the role himself jumping up at guests or barking continually at passers by. If tolerated this will upgrade his status and downgrade yours.

I teach all my house-dogs to go to their bed on command. When visitors arrive I say, ‘Bed’ and they hop into bed. To my kennel dogs barking outside I call, ‘That’s enough.’ Both these commands inform them that their involvement is no longer necessary. Once your pup realizes that you are his leader he will gratefully accept his lesser responsibilities and learn to calm down. 

If your dog lives in the house it may be necessary to ask visitors to completely ignore any attempt he makes to gain their attention until he learns to relax in their presence. Guests should never be encouraged to make a big fuss of a boisterous young dog. This only reinforces his unruly conduct. 
Very few dogs are natural leaders and find the burden of responsibility awesome leading to neurotic or inappropriate behaviour e.g. barking, aggression, pulling on the lead, destructive chewing etc. Communicating to your pup in a language that he understands will convince him of your leadership credentials and pave the way for a much happier relationship.

Be consistent at all times, don’t change the rules and you will gain his utmost respect. Treat him like a “little guy in a doggie costume” and he’ll soon be the one standing in your path asking, “Y’all starin’ at me, boy?”

Remember: 

Leading
Eating 
Approaching
Defending

Now print this off and tape it to your back door.