Understanding the Pack Mentality of Dogs

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Sniffing out "pack mentality." One of the most famous phrases in dog training these days is to behave like the "pack leader." Why is this catching on so well? In principle, it's because this is the correct way to look at human-dog relationships. Dogs respond best when you are the leader of your household and that dog is a member, but not the king of the hill. You can't expect to get a dog to conform to your rules if the dog believes it is he or she who has the right to set them. That's why you'll want to be the pack leader in every single case.

Traveling in packs has a long evolutionary history. Dogs have traveled in packs for thousands of years because there are advantages in numbers; a quick survey of the animal kingdom reveals plenty of mammals that also travel with each other. Even humans travel in packs and tribes; modern technology has blurred this a bit but the principles remain. Dogs travel in packs, as well, and when they are removed from other dogs, they begin to try to "fit in" with a new pack instinctively.

That means that this pack mentality actually can't be avoided; in a pack there have to be leaders and followers. Someone is setting the rules and another is living by them. If you don't assert yourself as pack leader and begin to establish the rules, the dog will realize that you are behaving like a follower. If you're the follower, the dog makes the assumption that it is the leader. This, of course, has all sorts of negative consequences on a dog's behavior.

In order to understand a dog's pack mentality, you should realize that it's okay to treat yourself better than the dog, even while treating your dog with respect and affection. You should eat first, you should be the first to exit a door, and you should determine when it's time to go for a walk.

There is a certain amount of counter-intuitive thinking involved, and remember that the pack mentality is no excuse to treat your dog with disrespect. If you understand and accept your role as pack leader, however, you will learn to treat your dog with the highest amount of respect possible. To treat your dog this way will help it to socialize well with other dogs, accept healthy behaviors, and respond well to training.

If you buy a dog, you have become the pack leader: it's your duty to lead a good pack. That's why it will be important to learn more about becoming a pack leader and how your dog responds to your cues.

Photo Credits: Mark Watson (kalimistuk)

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