When You Are an Authority Figure for Your Dog: Being a Good Pack Leader

Being A Good Pack Leader

Did you know that being a good pack leader to your dog is one of the most important things that he will learn in his lifetime? If you are a good pack leader, then obedience training, basic social manners (no biting, growling etc.), housebreaking, and a whole score of other tasks will become much easier for your dog to master.

To be a good pack leader means having respect, trust and confidence from the pack (which is your dog). The leader of a dog pack (Alpha Dog) is there for the welfare and well-being of the pack. This leader controls the pack, making sure that it has shelter, food, protection, health, formation of close bonds (love, as we humans know it), and a fair settlement of disputes. All of these things are ensured by the pack leader.

NO ONE ARGUES WITH THE PACK LEADER!! Disputes between lower members of the pack are settled by the leader, and this is one point us humans should take a closer look at. A pack leader (Alpha Dog) settles a dispute with a decisive, swift correction, followed by a truce, and then all is forgiven. We humans need to understand and apply this concept in our training regimens.

What happens if the pack leader fails to do these things? Well, he may be challenged by a younger upcoming male dog. If the challenger wins, then the whole dynamics of the pack changes and the pack leader loses his authority over the pack. We humans REALLY

NEED to understand this! We cannot lose authority over our dog!

As the caretaker of our puppy or dog, we need to immediately imprint upon them that we are the "Alpha Dog" pack leader and that they are the pack. This is very important, especially when first acquiring that new puppy or dog.