The Alpha of the Pack

 Dear Darcian's,

Many people come to me to train their dogs because they do not have the knowledge that is required to work with the dog. This is fine and extremely understandable. But, one thing that many people are confused on is how I spend the first ten minutes of meeting a client telling them about pack structure. How absurd, right?

When training a dog, you have to have basic knowledge on why a dog might act in specific ways. Why do they want to guard their food? Why do they growl while staring out the window? Why are Amazon deliveries so scary to them?

Why, why, why????

I will start off by saying that when you adopt a dog and bring it home, you are introducing it to YOUR territory. Your house will reek of you and everyone else who lives there. Dogs go by their instinct and at first it is telling them that they are on someone else's territory. This can be terrifying for the more submissive dog, and for the dominant dog, it can lead to altercations.

Again, why does this happen?

Because out in the wild, territories are what distinguish packs from one another. It takes a lot for a lone wolf to be accepted into a new pack, and usually it surrounds mating. When a male wolf finds a mate, the two usually stay in a pack until they start their own family. Then they go and find a den and establish their own territory. When you bring a random dog into your home and it's not under the established rules that a dog lives by, it can be confusing.

So, how do you work with a dog to help the transition?

Easy, you set up a pack in your house. The hierarchy is as follows:

- The alpha pair= this is the mom and dad. Packs are made of families and the head are the parent's. In biology this is actually called the "breeding pair" as it will be the only pair to have offspring in the pack.

- The beta wolfs= The dominant wolfs are the fighters, guards, or the group under the alpha pair. This group will take over for the alpha's when they are out getting food. This is scientifically called the "mid-ranking wolves" but in society we are more aware of the term beta's.

- The submissive= or the omega's of the group tend to carry out task the others won't. They are last to be fed, often watch over the pups and are used to help calm the more aggressive wolves down after fights and disputes. 

When you add a dog to your family, understanding where they will fall into this hierarchy is very important. In general, most people believe their dog needs to be the "alpha." Which is not true. If you allow your dog to be the alpha it will end in aggression towards you and your family.

Why would this happen? Well, think about being in a forest and you spot a couple of wolves in the distance. Your instinct would be to turn around and leave them be. You don't approach the group and you especially don't try to feed and/or pet them. After all, that is their territory and they will do anything to protect their home.

The same rules apply when its your house. If you allow the dog to become the alpha, you are essentially on THEIR territory and you have to abide by THEIR rules. This is why it's important to establish yourself as the alpha early on. Any dog in your house should be in the mid-rank or omega grouping. 

Now that you understand the hierarchy and why it's important, you need to know how to set it up in your house. Wolves tend to follow three groupings when it comes to territories: the den, the nursery, and the hunting grounds. In each of these groupings a specific ranked wolf would be allowed in it.

- The den tends to host the alpha pair. The father would be possessive of the litter and wouldn't allow many around the family.

- The nursery has the omegas, the pups, some mid-ranked wolves, and the alpha female. The omegas would help play with the pups and keep them calm. The mid-ranked wolves usually watch over the groups while the alpha female keeps control over everyone.

- Finally, you have the hunting grounds. Depending on the season all the wolves might hunt, or just a specific group.

While your home is not the forest, dogs don't understand this concept. That is why it's important to setup these boundaries. Kennels are great ways to establish the feel of a "den" inside the house. While most dogs out grow the need for a den once they establish their own pack, they are not the alpha pair inside your home. Therefore, setting up a den can be essential in giving them a place that feels like home. 

Next, you have to establish places the mid-ranked and omegas cannot go. I tell people that kitchens, dining rooms, and sometimes the upstairs should be off-limits. As the alpha pair you have full reign over the house. The rest of the pack would not in a traditional environment. 

The alpha pair also tends to have the higher ground in almost all circumstances. This means unless the dog is invited, they should never get on the furniture. It is unnatural for them, unless they are the top of the hierarchy in the pack.

It may seem like a strange way to train your dog. But it can be similar to us humans. In the office we have a boss and then the people under them. We live life the way that makes sense, and we should treat dogs the way they can understand. If you truly love your dog, give them a pack.