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This Thing called Alpha?!

© Judy A Tomlinson

The history of the dog is a long and interesting tale. The first member of the prehistoric dog family recognized as canine lived approximately 30 million years ago. It was called Cynodesmus — a huge coyote-type beast that was only one of nature's attempts to bring into being a biologically successful canine. As human civilization matured, man became more and more convinced of the usefulness of "Canis familiaris" — the domestic dog.

About 20,000 years ago, man discovered these animals could help in hunting for food. As human society developed, man learned that dogs could be used for many other things. They were trained to herd goats and sheep, to act as guards and, finally, to be companions. Today, there are over 500 breeds of dogs — a bigger variety than any other species in the animal kingdom. Man has done a good job of domesticating the dog. This animal has been brought into our homes, our lives and our hearts. In order to have a well-behaved and well-adjusted dog, the order of dominance must be recognized immediately upon bringing the dog home.

Many dog owners completely fail to understand the importance of establishing dominance within the household. Dogs are pack animals — they need a leader. To best understand this behavior, a study of the dog's wolf ancestors is necessary. Once you understand how this pack social structure works, you are more equipped to understand your dog as an individual. Please read the article History of the Dog at the Allpets web site for a better explanation of the pack structure.

A pack is a power structure where each individual dog has a specific position. For instance, a wolf pack is led by the dominant male and female. Other males and females will be under this pair, with young wolves and cubs at the bottom. Every other wolf is submissive to the alpha pair. The leader of the pack not only is the "boss," he takes care of the needs of the others — he makes sure there is food and shelter for the "family." He is looked up to for many reasons. The other members of the pack feel protected and secure when the leader is doing his job well. When you think about it, that is much how we live in our own communities: we have leaders, who help us feel sheltered and protected if they do their job, and if they do not, we chose another one! It works the same way in a pack. Another male will attempt to take over the top position if he feels the current top dog isn't doing his job. There is a difference, however, in a family with a dog. This particular leadership is not brought into existence by the democratic process or a popularity contest. It is one of the most important conditions in having a healthy relationship with your dog. By not establishing yourself as the alpha figure in the household, your dog will become confused and ill-mannered.