WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A PACK LEADER
A Psychology, Discipline & Dynamic of Leadership

August 2008
Keith Coddington
k9 Natural Instincts
Phonenix, Arizona

Becoming the pack leader is a concept that can look easy when you watch it on television or read about it in a newspaper or magazine article. The truth is... it can be a very real challenge for the average dog owner. I believe this is the case because it is often difficult for dog owners to change their own personal behavior patterns. It normally takes at least three weeks of constant effort and concentrated awareness for the anyone to begin to break from their own old habits or to create new ones. It is very easy to get lazy along the way, or to lose site of the goals. The same holds true when becoming a pack leader. It takes time, concentration and commitment.

In the psychology of dogs, it is unreasonable to expect changes in behavior or habit if the owner lacks the consistency, initiative and discipline for those changes to occur. Dogs will do the same thing the same way every time. If you were to be as "naturally consistent" as a dog" throughout your daily life, chances are you would be diagnosed with some type of compulsive disorder. Taking on the role of the pack leader demands change. And, change requires the pack leader to be 100% consistent (or as near to it as possible). This is especially true during the first three weeks of taking over the pack. Even though it may be a challenge, maintaining consistency during this training period is essential. It means getting up off the couch even if you don't want to, sometimes getting up in the middle of the night, or going into the backyard to address an issue although you are busy with something else or simply don't feel like it.

If you have or ever had children you should be a seasoned pro at this, if not... it will be good practice for the future should you decide to have children.

As a matter of comparison, being the pack leader is in many ways akin to parenting. We come up with a set of rules, boundaries and limitations for our children (just as we should for our animals). Many pet owners shower their dogs with affection and no discipline whatsoever. Many parents do the same with their children. Inevitably, this type of "parenting" leads to situations which can get out of control and can be confusing for a child. The same outcome is even more likely for the "pack leader" that offers no guidelines for their dog.

A "no rules, no boundaries or no discipline approach" toward your dog is a recipe for chaos. It essentially leads to the dog not "respecting" the owner. It is the cause of a limitless number of problem behaviors and habits.

I would like to clarify a definition of "discipline," particularly with regards to being a pack leader. Many people mistake it as a punishment in the world of dog training. Discipline is simply "a set of rules to be followed." It is not unlike the discipline required in any sport; such as baseball, football, or hockey. If you follow the rules of the game there are no penalties, but if you decide to break the rules then there are consequences. There should also be consequences when your pet does not follow the rules. This has to be done in a calm yet assertive manner (very "matter of fact") to build respect with your pet yet keeping his or her trust.

When training pack leaders, I feel that teaching the owner to correct their dog "seriously and with respect" is by far the most important thing I have to offer. If the dog is not taking the owner seriously they may stop the bad behavior for that particular instant, but they will - inevitably - attempt it again in the future. Proper correction techniques are acquired. They are learned. They are taught by showing animal owners how to "respond to" not "react to" situations.

You don't see police officers responding to an emergency in an out-of-control, panicked manner. They have been trained and learned how to respond and remain calm in a variety of situations. It is remarkably similar to how the Alpha pair of a pack of wolves responds to a situation.

Ultimately, there are no black and white answers as to what correction action or consequence there should be for every given instance. This depends on each dog in each circumstance. An experienced canine behaviorist can teach a pack leader to evaluate specific situations and how to deal with (and manage) them with proper techniques and understanding. Our new Dog Psychology course is the best way to get started.