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LEADER OF THE PACK
WHAT IS AN ALPHA DOG?
So frequently when listening to dog trainers, you hear them talk about humans needing to be “alpha”.
Traditionally, establishing oneself as “alpha” was associated with forceful, violent or aggressive methods. As a result, most people don’t want to use such harsh methods with their dog, so they continue to live with bad behaviors. However, establishing yourself as the leader of the pack does not require you to be violent or aggressive with your dog.
“Alpha” does not mean dominance or force. A true alpha is a confident, benevolent leader. Alpha is an attitude. If you have ever seen a good obedience trainer in action, you will notice that they're gentle but firm, loving but tough. Most dogs immediately respond to this type of personality. They willingly defer to a true leader. They are not forced to submit.
Remember this
rule: “Leaders initiate and followers react.”
THE PACK
Dogs are social animals, and they live within a social structure. You can choose to call this social structure a family, a hierarchy or a pack. In every social structure, or “pack”, every member has his or her place, someone is in charge and everyone else follows the rules. Domestic dogs view the beings they live with as their pack, whether they live with one person, with a large human family, with a number of other dogs, or other animals. And all dogs will try to understand their place in the pack; that is, where they fit in in the family.
As humans, we also live within a social structure. Mom or Dad is the head of the family and sets the rules of the house. Mom tells you to clean your room and you do. At your job, you probably have a boss. Your boss tells you to file that report and you do, so you can get your paycheck. No matter what you call it; a family, an employment relationship, a social structure or a pack, the basic principle is the same. Leaders initiate and followers react.
Throughout our society, there are structures and rules. The trick is to establish a pack structure wherein our dogs view us as the leaders. That means, we initiate the interactions and we set the rules.
MINE!
Dogs also have a list of valuables. Their territory (usually the house and yard) is valuable, food is valuable, toys are valuable, and attention from other family members is valuable. Many dogs get themselves into patterns of behavior in which they patrol their territory, they steal items and won’t give them up, they guard toys and food and they demand attention by pestering (for example, nudging and barking) their owners. These are all ways in which dogs protect their valuables.
The important phrase here is: “their valuables”. Many of these dogs think they are in control of all of these valuables. In their minds, it is their job to protect them and they don’t have to give them up to anybody. This view, understandably, causes problems with the human members of the family. These dogs gradually take control of the house, pestering or demanding to be fed first, taking the best sleeping positions, guarding doorways from guests or even family members, determining who can touch them and when, and deciding when playtime starts and when it stops, and the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately many of these dogs usually end up in shelters or dumped on the streets. Fortunately, the solution is relatively simple. You can make your dog understand that they are not in control, and the valuables are not theirs to protect or guard. Help your dog understand that he is not the head of the family, or the leader of the pack.
BECOMING ALPHA
Training your dog, and putting yourself and other human family members first when dealing with your dog will help him understand that he is not in charge. Leaders eat first. Leaders go through doorways first. Leaders decide when to feed the dog and how much work the dog has to do for that meal. Leaders initiate all the good times, when to go for walks, when to play fetch and when to stop, when to pet and when to stop, and so on. Leaders also decide whether or not to share the couch, the chair or the bed. And so on.
Just remember the golden rule: Leaders initiate and followers react. Watch your interactions with your dog, and ask yourself, who started it? How much controlling and initiating is your dog doing? How much reacting and responding are you doing?
WORKING FOR A LIVING
Every breed of dog was originally created for a purpose. Border Collies were bred to herd sheep all day long. Retrievers were bred to retrieve fowl through water and thick fields. Pugs were bred only to be entertaining and companionable. These characteristics are not learned, they are ingrained in your dog’s genetics. What was your dog bred to do - what is her purpose in life? By understanding your dog’s breed(s), you can make sure you are taking care of her needs for exercise and mental stimulation. So, a Border Collie or Labrador Retriever needs much more physical and mental stimulation than a Pug. Failing to fulfill those needs may result in undesirable behaviors.
CAN’T I JUST LET MY DOG BE THE LEADER?
Most of us adopted our dogs to be companions. We never had any intention of turning them into highly-trained ‘robots.’ So, changing the dynamics of the pack structure can be difficult for many dog owners. Denying your dog access to the furniture they once enjoyed feels like cruelty. Ignoring them when they demand attention feels like isolation. Making them work for treats feels like slavery.
However, taking the steps outlined above means that your dog can give up the responsibility associated with leadership. It means that they can live a happy, carefree life, letting you make the difficult and sometimes stressful decisions. Wouldn’t you like it if someone took over your job and paid your bills and ran your errands so you could just sit back and enjoy life?
By taking the role of leader, you can establish a solid relationship with your dog and help him develop into the well-rounded, happy pet you want to live with.
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