Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Dogs are pack animals. In the wild, the survival of the individual depends on it being part of a pack. A lone dog in the wild cannot hunt as successfully or repel predators as forcefully as a pack. A well-ordered, settled pack is vital to survival. Infighting wastes energy and risks unnecessary injury. For this reason, much of a dog's natural instinct is geared toward pack harmony. These instincts are linked to survival. Understanding them will help you understand why your dog behaves the way it does.
In dog packs, there is always a leader. This role is referred to as the "alpha." In your home, there is a leader too, although you may not be aware of whom it is. Dogs instinctively look for a pack leader in any situation they are in, including the home environment. If they don’t pick up any clues as to whom it is, they usually try to assume the position themselves. Dogs that are alpha will display a few typical signs.
A well-behaved dog is not just a pet, but a companion that can bring joy to your life. But like children, dogs are not born knowing how to behave; they must be taught. Training your dog to behave as you wish requires a basic understanding of its behavior and a willingness to take command in a kind but firm manner.
According to animal behaviorist Kathy Sdao, the alpha dog theory stems from the belief that present-day domestic dogs display the same or similar pack behavior as the wolves from which they are descended. While there is much speculation over whether or not the claim is true, those who believe in the theory feel that dominant dogs attempt to be the alpha not just with their canine friends, but with their human family, or "pack."
In a natural dog pack, there will always be an ''alpha" to lead the pack and provide guidance. Today, the dog's pack is the dog's family where owners should take over the alpha role. When this takes place, dogs are naturally submissive and relaxed. But when owners are unable to fill this important role, their dog will take over, often with dangerous consequences.
Understanding how a dog relates within its pack can help you become the alpha in your home. Often misconstrued as a physical dominance, "alpha" actually refers to the individual in charge of the resources within the pack. The pack member who controls the foodand the choice of sleeping location is the alpha. Rather than acting as a dictator over the other pack members, the alpha serves as a role model, guardian and leader. To secure this role in your human-dog pack, you must practice simple activities consistently.
Your dog's instincts come from wolves, and within those ancestral instincts lies pack behavior. The primary reason for disobedient behavior from your pet stems from faulty behavior modeling. Learn and mimic the right behavioral characteristics of an alpha leader to set your pet straight.
Dogs are social creatures and on occassion think of themselves as being on top of the pack. They also get into fights. It is important to know how to be the master of your dog, so you can be its best friend as well.
Dogs are highly social animals. In order to survive as a pack there needs to be some structure. When your dog comes into the household you need to develop a relationship were the dog understands that you are at the top of the pack. The leader of the pack is often referred to as the Alpha. Becoming the Alpha is not done by a lot of force and intimidation. Instead we want to control the activities that important to your dog. In this article we will cover the four Steps that you can use to become Alpha.
The first thing to understand about handling a multiple dog household is that you have not simply gathered together two or more dogs to live with you. You have established a "pack" of dogs that has its own hierarchy, communications, benefits and challenges. For you to operate in your rightful spot within your pack, you will need to firmly, but not aggressively, establish yourself as the pack member in charge.
