Dog Training

Most owners are unfamiliar with the nature of a typical dog pack. They understand intuitively that canines live, and often migrate and roam, in groups. Many people are also aware there is a social order that prevents discord from festering within the pack. This order is the reason canines can live, work, and defend their homes together for years without significant problems. Owners who want to better understand why their pets behave in certain ways would be well-served by exploring how a dog pack works.

Below, we’ll take a glimpse at life within a typical pack. We’ll start with an overview of how canines interact with each other in such an environment, and explore their motivations for doing so. You’ll also learn how your dog’s behaviors are influenced by their instinctive pack mentality.

The Hierarchy Of A Pack

Most groups are limited to ten or fifteen dogs, and are usually composed of both males and females. Research has suggested that such groups follow a clearly defined dominance hierarchy. That is, there are no true peers in the group. Each canine has more authority than the ones below him, and less than the ones above him. Two animals do not occupy the same position.

In groups of mammals, including humans, this organizational structure has been shown to minimize the level and frequency of conflict among members. This is likely the reason there are few fights among those in the same pack. If a dog that is lower in the hierarchical structure challenges one with a higher status, the former is usually punished or driven away.

Life In The Pack

The canine with the most authority of the group is its leader. While this position comes with advantages, it is also one with important duties. The leader enjoys control of the pack’s resources. For example, he gets to choose the best food for himself; he is able to select where he will sleep; and he gets to pick a mate for himself from among the group. The leader is responsible for organizing and leading the group’s migration in the event moving becomes necessary. He must also guard the home and resources from marauders.

As mentioned earlier, lower-status dogs must concede to those above them. For this reason, life in the pack for them tends to be stressful. Researchers claim, however, these dogs tend to do well during migrations since they have learned to adapt to a constantly changing situation within their group.

How Your Dog Perceives Your Family

While canines realize that people are not dogs, they still perceive them through the lens of their pack mentality. Within your household, this means your family represents his group. Strangers represent potential marauders who come to steal resources. This is an important dynamic for owners to understand, especially when children are involved.

Recall that in the wild, the hierarchy is clearly defined. There is no confusion regarding which dog has more status and authority over another. In a domestic home, however, many canines become confused about the hierarchical structure when young children are present. Some begin to think they have more status than kids. If a child behaves in a way that suggests a challenge to the dog’s perceived authority, the pet may react as he would to a subordinate. This is the reason is it critical to establish your family’s authority over your pet.

When Canines Become Aggressive

Many owners are surprised when they observe their canines becoming increasingly aggressive with them. In a pack, such dogs are usually the beta group members. They rarely assert themselves against higher-status dogs because doing so leads to immediate retribution. Owners, on the other hand, are often loathe to punish their canines when they demonstrate mild aggression toward them. Instead, they wait, and hope the problem resolves itself. The dog predictably becomes more aggressive when it is clear he will not be punished.

The above discussion is useful in the context of understanding why your pet behaves in certain ways. Much can be traced to his instinctive pack mentality.

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