| |
Why Do Dogs Need Leadership - An Historical
Perspective
To understand
what a dog NEEDS as it applies to human leadership, it’s important to consider
that dogs are domesticated wolves. Wolves have a highly sophisticated method of
communication. It is non-verbal and highly effective at exchanging information
about limits, boundaries and standards for behavior. Dogs do not spend time
sharing resources in exchange for “good behavior”. So, using treats and rewards
in training is not as effective as establishing rules through warning signals
and reinforcing expectations with consequences for behavior, which is the way
that wolves (and domestic dogs) behave with each other.
Most wolves
relinquish their rights to reproduce in order to be part of a family pack
structure. That is how important it is, to a wolf, to live in a balanced
hierarchical society with strong leadership. For the most part, only the Alpha
male and female get to reproduce, and all other wolves spend their resources
raising their cousins, half-brothers and sisters or nieces and nephews. This is
not typical in the natural world where, typically, animals survive simply to
reproduce themselves. This is a very important aspect of wolf society that must
be understood. Although there are small conflicts between lower ranking pack
members, wolves try not to get into serious fights with each other. Wolves make
a living hunting large prey and the survival of the whole pack could be
compromised if individuals went out on the hunt damaged by a serious conflict in
the day prior to the hunt. The whole pack could fail to eat if conflicts were
resolved with battles that seriously injured individuals. So, wolves use
non-physical warning signals (body language, growls, showing of teeth) to
communicate their expectations and the warning is only followed by a physical
consequence (bite) if the offending wolf does not head the warning. The bite is
not flesh tearing, for the most part, but is delivered around the head and neck
with exacting force to get the point across but not seriously harm.
This is true of
domestic dogs, as well. In a well balanced pack, dogs do not make damaging
physical contact, rip or tear flesh to resolve conflicts. They warn first,
typically with a growl or a grimace. Only if the offending dog does not head
the warning does he receive a physical correction for the offense. The
correction is meaningful. It is above the threshold to often permanently
change the dog’s behavior. If the correction “works”, then the dog will heed
the visual or auditory warnings in the future and not require another physical
consequence for negative behavior. So, leaders or higher ranking individuals
warn first then always deliver the correction for offending behavior. This is
how our dogs expect us to behave if we want to present ourselves as good, fair
leaders.
Although for
most of them they will never become an Alpha wolf, all wolves carry the genetic
code (to varying degrees) to become a leader. If a wolf leader is killed,
another wolf can and does take its place as leader. If the wolf leader is only
maimed but no longer physically capable of leadership (thus making the pack
weak), the leader is killed by his own pack and another wolf takes the place of
Alpha. So, all wolves can be submissive to the pack hierarchy as well as
become a leader, if they are next in line for the position. All wolves
recognize the importance of having a highly competent leader, so much so that
when they see weakness in leadership, they do not wait for nature to take its
course, but kill the weak leader, instead.
This subordination to leadership was instrumental in the process of turning wild
wolves into domestic dogs. Because they would submit to a human’s authority,
wild wolves could be tamed and then artificially selected to become partners in
the hunt, protection, herding or vermin control duties. Wolves that displayed
extraordinarily good skills at, say, retrieving were bred together to create
retrieving breeds. Wolves that displayed exceptional ability to hunt by sight
became the sight hounds. So, man used the available genetic diversity in wild
wolves to select for specific qualities and, in time, created unique “breeds” of
domestic dog. Although they are highly related to them (in behavior and genetic
code), dogs are not wolves. There is a very basic difference. Along
with selecting FOR desirable working qualities and heightened ability to submit
to human authority, man bred away from the genetic code that allowed a dog to
become a true Alpha. It was important that, in the absence of sound leadership,
our domestic dogs did not feel compelled to kill us and take over our homes.
So, today’s dog, while designed to NEED leadership does not have the genuine
ability to become a leader in the absence of leadership. Most of the
naughty, conflicted, aggressive, “dominant”, obsessive compulsive, fearful,
anxious, neurotic, negative behaviors that dogs display are due to a poor or
absent leader. Therefore, it is critical that we assume the role of fair,
sound, competent leader for our pet dogs. Without it, they feel insecure and
conflicted and often misbehave. We owe it to them to be fair, calm and
assertive leaders.
© 2006 Tammie Rogers - all rights
reserved. For permission to reprint
email Tammie.
|
|
