Cesar counsels people to use Calm-Assertive Leadership and consistently gives dogs Rules, Boundaries and Limitations to establish themselves as solid Pack Leaders and help correct and control unwanted behavior.
He asserts that the Pack Instinct is perhaps the Strongest Natural Motivator for a dog and teaches that in order to properly Fulfill both our dogs and ourselves, owners need to Become canines' calm, assertive pack leaders. He believes that a dog that does not trust its human to be a good Pack Leader becomes unbalanced and often exhibits unwanted or anti-social behaviors.
Since dogs live in a human world, they need us to provide them with a degree of structure so that they feel safe and so that they do not harm others or themselves. They also need a balanced leader who is able to protect them, and show them how to behave in stressful situations
Even the Alpha Leaders of those "pure positive" Acolytes, cannot deny the True Nature of the Dog, Canis Lupus Familiaris
An Interview with Dr. Nicolas Dodman
by Claudia Kawczynska________________________________________
This piece was found online at Bark magazine.
Nearly all the dogs in the first group turned out to be Dominant and got into the territorial mode of guarding their property and possessions within their territory. So I think that Leadership is very important because of the Pack Mentality of dogs. If you are the Leader, I don’t think that the dog is unhappy about having you as the Leader.
And when the owner takes clear control through a non-confrontational dominance program, you can almost hear the dog sigh with relief. It’s as if they are saying, "My god, for a minute I thought it was me who was in charge here." It’s a relief. They don’t feel miserable. They are not like humans who have to be number one. They don’t care about being at the top of the hierarchy, they just need to know where they are in it. Clearly know .
- I think that leadership is very important because of the pack mentality of dogs. If you are the leader, I don’t think that the dog is unhappy about having you as the leader. And when the owner takes clear control through a non-confrontational dominance program, you can almost hear the dog sigh with relief. It’s as if they are saying, "My god, for a minute I thought it was me who was in charge here." - Nicolas Dodman
An Interview with Dr. Nicolas Dodman
by Claudia Kawczynska________________________________________
This piece was found online at Bark magazine.
Nearly all the dogs in the first group turned out to be Dominant and got into the territorial mode of guarding their property and possessions within their territory. So I think that Leadership is very important because of the Pack Mentality of dogs. If you are the Leader, I don’t think that the dog is unhappy about having you as the Leader.
And when the owner takes clear control through a non-confrontational dominance program, you can almost hear the dog sigh with relief. It’s as if they are saying, "My god, for a minute I thought it was me who was in charge here." It’s a relief. They don’t feel miserable. They are not like humans who have to be number one. They don’t care about being at the top of the hierarchy, they just need to know where they are in it. Clearly know .
- I think that leadership is very important because of the pack mentality of dogs. If you are the leader, I don’t think that the dog is unhappy about having you as the leader. And when the owner takes clear control through a non-confrontational dominance program, you can almost hear the dog sigh with relief. It’s as if they are saying, "My god, for a minute I thought it was me who was in charge here." - Nicolas Dodman
There are distinct evolutionary benefits to these Social Structures, as they provide an efficient mechanism for arbitration and negotiation in the distribution of scarce resources. - Erik Zimen
Van Kerkhove, a series of studies of feral Dog Packs in West Bengal by S. K. Pal and collegues (Pal et al., 1998, 1999; Pal 2003, 2005)
Within a large population of several hundred individuals at any one time, they were able to identify coherent social groups that consisted largely of close kin, shared communal territories, and were aggressive toward members of neighboring groups (Pal et al., 1998) analogous in this respect to wolf packs.
Feral dogs survive and reproduce independently of human intervention or assistance. While it is true that some feral dogs use human garbage for food, others acquire their primary subsistence by hunting and scavenging like other wild canids.
Hybridization between feral dogs and other wild canids can occur, but non-synchronous estrus periods and Pack behavior (that is, excluding nonresident canids from membership in the pack) may preclude much interbreeding. Dens may be burrows dug in the ground or sheltered spots under abandoned buildings or farm machinery. Feral dogs commonly use former fox or coyote dens.
Feral dogs are usually secretive and wary of people. Thus, they are active during dawn, dusk, and at night much like other wild canids. They often travel in Packs and may have rendezvous sites like wolves. Travel routes to and from the gathering or den sites may be well defined. Food scraps and other evidence of concentrated activity may be observed at gathering sites.
Gipson (1983) suggested that family groups of feral dogs are more highly organized than previously believed. Pup rearing may be shared by several members of a pack. Survival of pups born during autumn and winter has been documented, even in areas with harsh winter weather. Gipson found that only one female in a pack of feral dogs studied in Alaska gave birth during two years of study, even though other adult females were present in the pack. The breeding female gave birth during late September or early October during both years. It is noteworthy that all pups from both litters had similar color markings, suggesting that the pups had the same father. Adult males of different colors were present in the pack.
Nesbitt (1975) commented on the rigid social organization of a Pack of feral dogs where nonresident dogs were excluded, including females in estrus. In one instance, Nesbitt used three separate female dogs in estrus as bait (dogs were chained in the back of a corral-type trap) over a 59-day period and captured no feral dogs. He then baited the same trap with carrion, and a pack of feral dogs, including four adult males, entered the trap within 1 week.
In most notable ways feeding, social, reproductive, and pack behavior of the dingo are the same as that of other typical Wolves.
The African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is a carnivorous mammal of the Canidae family, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas. It is also called the African Hunting Dog, the Cape Hunting Dog, the Spotted Dog, or the Painted Wolf in English, Wildehond in Afrikaans, and Mbwa mwitu in Swahili. It is the only species in the monotypic genus, Lycaon.
The behavior of wild dogs is designed to act like puppies; all their energy goes into being submissive. Very little aggressive tendencies exist in the wild dog. They will lick lips and muzzles, lying on their back in submission, laying their ears flat, whining, and not making eye contact. When a subordinate asserts itself, it is met by bared teeth, an erect flared tail, and a stalking posture, which is held with the intention of ambushing the other dog. The stalking threat display is not seen anywhere else in the dog family. When there is a serious fight that is not resolved by body postures, a real fight will break out, but this is very rare. They try to get a throat grip on the other dog, until one dog gives up by playing dead.
Both the alpha male and female mark their large territory with urine. None of the other pack members mark territory, so it is easy to distinguish the alpha pair.
Only the alpha pair breed. If another pair breed in the same pack, the alpha female will do everything in her power to prevent food from going to that mother or her cubs. She will even go as far as to kill the other female's cubs. The reasoning is that the females have so many cubs in a litter, up to 21, that if more than one litter were born a year, the pack would be unable to provide for them. The African wild dog pack has evolved so that one female in a pack has all the cubs, rather than several having just a few cubs.
Within a large population of several hundred individuals at any one time, they were able to identify coherent social groups that consisted largely of close kin, shared communal territories, and were aggressive toward members of neighboring groups (Pal et al., 1998) analogous in this respect to wolf packs.
Feral dogs survive and reproduce independently of human intervention or assistance. While it is true that some feral dogs use human garbage for food, others acquire their primary subsistence by hunting and scavenging like other wild canids.
Hybridization between feral dogs and other wild canids can occur, but non-synchronous estrus periods and Pack behavior (that is, excluding nonresident canids from membership in the pack) may preclude much interbreeding. Dens may be burrows dug in the ground or sheltered spots under abandoned buildings or farm machinery. Feral dogs commonly use former fox or coyote dens.
Feral dogs are usually secretive and wary of people. Thus, they are active during dawn, dusk, and at night much like other wild canids. They often travel in Packs and may have rendezvous sites like wolves. Travel routes to and from the gathering or den sites may be well defined. Food scraps and other evidence of concentrated activity may be observed at gathering sites.
Gipson (1983) suggested that family groups of feral dogs are more highly organized than previously believed. Pup rearing may be shared by several members of a pack. Survival of pups born during autumn and winter has been documented, even in areas with harsh winter weather. Gipson found that only one female in a pack of feral dogs studied in Alaska gave birth during two years of study, even though other adult females were present in the pack. The breeding female gave birth during late September or early October during both years. It is noteworthy that all pups from both litters had similar color markings, suggesting that the pups had the same father. Adult males of different colors were present in the pack.
Nesbitt (1975) commented on the rigid social organization of a Pack of feral dogs where nonresident dogs were excluded, including females in estrus. In one instance, Nesbitt used three separate female dogs in estrus as bait (dogs were chained in the back of a corral-type trap) over a 59-day period and captured no feral dogs. He then baited the same trap with carrion, and a pack of feral dogs, including four adult males, entered the trap within 1 week.
In most notable ways feeding, social, reproductive, and pack behavior of the dingo are the same as that of other typical Wolves.
The African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is a carnivorous mammal of the Canidae family, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas. It is also called the African Hunting Dog, the Cape Hunting Dog, the Spotted Dog, or the Painted Wolf in English, Wildehond in Afrikaans, and Mbwa mwitu in Swahili. It is the only species in the monotypic genus, Lycaon.
The behavior of wild dogs is designed to act like puppies; all their energy goes into being submissive. Very little aggressive tendencies exist in the wild dog. They will lick lips and muzzles, lying on their back in submission, laying their ears flat, whining, and not making eye contact. When a subordinate asserts itself, it is met by bared teeth, an erect flared tail, and a stalking posture, which is held with the intention of ambushing the other dog. The stalking threat display is not seen anywhere else in the dog family. When there is a serious fight that is not resolved by body postures, a real fight will break out, but this is very rare. They try to get a throat grip on the other dog, until one dog gives up by playing dead.
Both the alpha male and female mark their large territory with urine. None of the other pack members mark territory, so it is easy to distinguish the alpha pair.
Only the alpha pair breed. If another pair breed in the same pack, the alpha female will do everything in her power to prevent food from going to that mother or her cubs. She will even go as far as to kill the other female's cubs. The reasoning is that the females have so many cubs in a litter, up to 21, that if more than one litter were born a year, the pack would be unable to provide for them. The African wild dog pack has evolved so that one female in a pack has all the cubs, rather than several having just a few cubs.
Pack animals, den animals, hierarchical social structure, opportunistic omnivores - all these terms apply to both Wolf and Dog.
Reproduction in domestic dogs is generally manipulated by humans. Feral males tend to compete amongst themselves for access to receptive females. Some feral domestic dog populations have reverted to ancestral habits where a single male and female pair (the alpha animals) dominate mating in a small, family group, or pack. Other pack members help to care for the offspring of the dominant pair.
Domestic dogs are similar to their ancestors, wolves, in that they are both pack animals with a complex set of behaviors related to determining the dogs position in the social hierarchy and their mood. There is only one leader in a pack, and often there is a struggle between members of the pack to determine who the leader is. The struggle ends with one animal on top of the other, with the submissive animal lying on its back. The dominant animal places its paw on the chest of the submissive one, and until the submissive animal looks away from the eyes of the dominant animal, the struggle continues. As soon as the submissive animal averts his eyes, he has admitted defeat and the leader of the pack has been determined.
Tanya Dewey unversity of michigan
Domestic dogs are similar to their ancestors, wolves, in that they are both pack animals with a complex set of behaviors related to determining the dogs position in the social hierarchy and their mood. There is only one leader in a pack, and often there is a struggle between members of the pack to determine who the leader is. The struggle ends with one animal on top of the other, with the submissive animal lying on its back. The dominant animal places its paw on the chest of the submissive one, and until the submissive animal looks away from the eyes of the dominant animal, the struggle continues. As soon as the submissive animal averts his eyes, he has admitted defeat and the leader of the pack has been determined.
Tanya Dewey unversity of michigan
Russian stray dogs
"The second difference between stray dogs and wolves is that the dogs, on average, are much less aggressive and a good deal more tolerant of one another," says Poyarkov. Wolves stay strictly within their own pack, even if they share a territory with another. A pack of dogs, however, can hold a dominant position over other packs and their leader will often "patrol" the other packs by moving in and out of them. His observations have led Poyarkov to conclude that this leader is not necessarily the strongest or most dominant dog, but the most intelligent – and is acknowledged as such. The pack depends on him for its survival.
Moscow's strays sit somewhere between house pets and wolves, says Poyarkov, but are in the early stages of the shift from the domesticated back towards the wild. That said, there seems little chance of reversing this process. It is virtually impossible to domesticate a stray: many cannot stand being confined indoors.
"With stray dogs, we're witnessing a move backwards," explains Poyarkov. "That is, to a wilder and less domesticated state, to a more 'natural' state." As if to prove his point, strays do not have spotted coats, they rarely wag their tails and are wary of humans, showing no signs of affection towards them.
The dogs divide into four types, he says, which are determined by their character, how they forage for food, their level of socialisation to people and the ecological niche they inhabit.
Those that remain most comfortable with people Poyarkov calls "guard dogs". Their territories tend to be garages, warehouses, hospitals and other fenced-in institutions, and they develop ties to the security guards from whom they receive food and whom they regard as masters. I've seen them in my neighbourhood near the front gate to the Central Clinical Hospital for Civil Aviation. When I pass on the other side with my dog they cross the street towards us, barking loudly."The second stage of becoming wild is where the dog is socialised to people in general, but not personally," says Poyarkov. "These are the beggars and they are excellent psychologists." He gives as an example a dog that appears to be dozing as throngs of people walk past, but who rears his head when an easy target comes into view: "The dog will come to a little old lady, start smiling and wagging his tail, and sure enough, he'll get food." These dogs not only smell who is carrying something tasty, but sense who will stop and feed them.
The beggars live in relatively small packs and are subordinate to leaders. If a dog is intelligent but occupies a low rank and does not get enough to eat, he will separate from the pack frequently to look for food. If he sees other dogs begging, he will watch and learn.
The third group comprises dogs that are somewhat socialised to people, but whose social interaction is directed almost exclusively towards other strays. Their main strategy for acquiring food is gathering scraps from the streets and the many open rubbish bins. During the Soviet period, the pickings were slim, which limited their population (as did a government policy of catching and killing them). But as Russia began to prosper in the post-Soviet years, official efforts to cull them fell away and, at the same time, many more choice offerings appeared in the bins. The strays flourished.
The last of Poyarkov's groups are the wild dogs. "There are dogs living in the city that are not socialised to people. They know people, but view them as dangerous. Their range is extremely broad, and they are predators. They catch mice, rats and the occasional cat. They live in the city, but as a rule near industrial complexes, or in wooded parks. They are nocturnal and walk about when there are fewer people on the streets."
Moscow's strays sit somewhere between house pets and wolves, says Poyarkov, but are in the early stages of the shift from the domesticated back towards the wild. That said, there seems little chance of reversing this process. It is virtually impossible to domesticate a stray: many cannot stand being confined indoors.
"With stray dogs, we're witnessing a move backwards," explains Poyarkov. "That is, to a wilder and less domesticated state, to a more 'natural' state." As if to prove his point, strays do not have spotted coats, they rarely wag their tails and are wary of humans, showing no signs of affection towards them.
The dogs divide into four types, he says, which are determined by their character, how they forage for food, their level of socialisation to people and the ecological niche they inhabit.
Those that remain most comfortable with people Poyarkov calls "guard dogs". Their territories tend to be garages, warehouses, hospitals and other fenced-in institutions, and they develop ties to the security guards from whom they receive food and whom they regard as masters. I've seen them in my neighbourhood near the front gate to the Central Clinical Hospital for Civil Aviation. When I pass on the other side with my dog they cross the street towards us, barking loudly."The second stage of becoming wild is where the dog is socialised to people in general, but not personally," says Poyarkov. "These are the beggars and they are excellent psychologists." He gives as an example a dog that appears to be dozing as throngs of people walk past, but who rears his head when an easy target comes into view: "The dog will come to a little old lady, start smiling and wagging his tail, and sure enough, he'll get food." These dogs not only smell who is carrying something tasty, but sense who will stop and feed them.
The beggars live in relatively small packs and are subordinate to leaders. If a dog is intelligent but occupies a low rank and does not get enough to eat, he will separate from the pack frequently to look for food. If he sees other dogs begging, he will watch and learn.
The third group comprises dogs that are somewhat socialised to people, but whose social interaction is directed almost exclusively towards other strays. Their main strategy for acquiring food is gathering scraps from the streets and the many open rubbish bins. During the Soviet period, the pickings were slim, which limited their population (as did a government policy of catching and killing them). But as Russia began to prosper in the post-Soviet years, official efforts to cull them fell away and, at the same time, many more choice offerings appeared in the bins. The strays flourished.
The last of Poyarkov's groups are the wild dogs. "There are dogs living in the city that are not socialised to people. They know people, but view them as dangerous. Their range is extremely broad, and they are predators. They catch mice, rats and the occasional cat. They live in the city, but as a rule near industrial complexes, or in wooded parks. They are nocturnal and walk about when there are fewer people on the streets."
Some Extrapolations between dogs and wolfs:
Submissive dogs pull the corners of their mouths back but do not show their teeth (submissive grin). Some submissive dogs assume the most vulnerable position known to dogs, lying on the backs, exposing their undersides. This position admits ultimate defeat in the struggle of dominance between dogs.
Pack animals, den animals, hierarchal social structure, opportunistic omnivores - all these terms apply to both wolf and dog. Domestication is the key difference between wolf and dog.
Wolves and dogs communicate through body postures and facial expressions. Among the easiest emotions to read are aggression, fear, playfulness, and submission
Aggressive wolves and dogs stand tall with ears pricked, and head held high. They bare their teeth, and erect the fur along their spine to make themselves look bigger. They may give a menacing growl or a furious bark.
Submissive, frightened wolves and dogs lower their bodies, flatten their ears, tuck their tails, and close their mouths. Whimpering, or even silent, they may roll onto their backs and lie there, belly up.
© Monty Sloan/Wolfpark.org
We might be most familiar with playfulness! When wolves or dogs want to play, they raise their rear and lower their forequarters in a kind of "play bow." This posture is a mixture of aggressive and submissive poses.
Dogs dont have to weigh options and consequences before deciding to be a leader. Have you heard of pecking order (theory since the early 1900's)? Chicken, some of nature's dumbest animals, use pecking order to establish the "top dog" in chicken world. It's nature, not just nurture.
Dogs can be readily submissive to their owners, but show various degrees of aggression toward strangers or territorial interlopers. They form long-term bonds with humans, as they would often do in a pack or with mates, and show cooperative and altruistic behavior, sacrificing for humans just as they would for kin.
the drive to dominate in the in social canines is the reason we have terms such as alpha and top dog. Dogs dont need to be humans to manipulate the situations around them that will get them the most food and sex. Poor doggies need to adapt to our world and divorce themselves from what comes natural when we make them pets. Exmple, wild doggies do not wear Halloween costumes. Oh well, but they're super cute.
Puppies practice dominance and submission within the litter from the fifth to the eighth week, which makes it important for them to remain with mom for at least seven weeks.
As the puppies grow, she disciplines with stares, wuffs, growls, and, if these don't work, by scruff shakes and cuffing.
unfortunate many dogs DO NOT go trough the prosses and they never learn to respect limits on its activities
Dogs tend to remain playful throughout life. That's probably because, over time, humans have selected for puppy-like behaviors
However, owners can use the principles of pack behavior to train their dogs.
I say we can take adventage of the way they learn to have a optimal communication
Unfortunate many dogs Do Not go trough the prosses and they never learn Bundaries and Limitations.
As has already been said, the dog is an intensely social species.
Pack animals, den animals, hierarchal social structure, opportunistic omnivores - all these terms apply to both wolf and dog. Domestication is the key difference between wolf and dog.
Wolves and dogs communicate through body postures and facial expressions. Among the easiest emotions to read are aggression, fear, playfulness, and submission
Aggressive wolves and dogs stand tall with ears pricked, and head held high. They bare their teeth, and erect the fur along their spine to make themselves look bigger. They may give a menacing growl or a furious bark.
Submissive, frightened wolves and dogs lower their bodies, flatten their ears, tuck their tails, and close their mouths. Whimpering, or even silent, they may roll onto their backs and lie there, belly up.
© Monty Sloan/Wolfpark.org
We might be most familiar with playfulness! When wolves or dogs want to play, they raise their rear and lower their forequarters in a kind of "play bow." This posture is a mixture of aggressive and submissive poses.
Dogs dont have to weigh options and consequences before deciding to be a leader. Have you heard of pecking order (theory since the early 1900's)? Chicken, some of nature's dumbest animals, use pecking order to establish the "top dog" in chicken world. It's nature, not just nurture.
Dogs can be readily submissive to their owners, but show various degrees of aggression toward strangers or territorial interlopers. They form long-term bonds with humans, as they would often do in a pack or with mates, and show cooperative and altruistic behavior, sacrificing for humans just as they would for kin.
the drive to dominate in the in social canines is the reason we have terms such as alpha and top dog. Dogs dont need to be humans to manipulate the situations around them that will get them the most food and sex. Poor doggies need to adapt to our world and divorce themselves from what comes natural when we make them pets. Exmple, wild doggies do not wear Halloween costumes. Oh well, but they're super cute.
Puppies practice dominance and submission within the litter from the fifth to the eighth week, which makes it important for them to remain with mom for at least seven weeks.
As the puppies grow, she disciplines with stares, wuffs, growls, and, if these don't work, by scruff shakes and cuffing.
unfortunate many dogs DO NOT go trough the prosses and they never learn to respect limits on its activities
Dogs tend to remain playful throughout life. That's probably because, over time, humans have selected for puppy-like behaviors
However, owners can use the principles of pack behavior to train their dogs.
I say we can take adventage of the way they learn to have a optimal communication
Unfortunate many dogs Do Not go trough the prosses and they never learn Bundaries and Limitations.
As has already been said, the dog is an intensely social species.
Here some FACTS:
Here some FACTS
1 - Dogs descend from middle eastern wolf
Robert Wayne "Previous papers have suggested it was East Asia," he says. But Wayne says those papers focused on a small subset of DNA called mitochondrial DNA, instead of looking across all 2.4 billion letters that make up the dog genome.
2 - Domestication of the Dog took place several times over the course of history.
The first evidence was found on Belgium in Goyet Cave, Israel, Western Russia, Germany, Eastern China and the list goes on.
3 - All Dogs keep their Natural Incsticts, They are Pack, Social, Hierarchical oriented animals.
We, humans selected the best traits of the Wolf Pack behaviour Imprinted in our Dogs and use it on our benefit.
Herding dogs exhibit the controlled characteristics of hunting dogs, they use tactics of hunter and prey to intimidate and keep control of herds and flocks.
Their natural instinct to bring down an animal under their charge is muted by training.
Some herd with a more aggressive demeanor (such as biting and nipping at the heels of the animals) and make use of body design to elude the defences of their charges.
Gun dog breeds used in hunting—that is, pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers—have an intermediate degree of paedomorphism; they are at the point where they share in the pack's hunting behavior, but are still in a junior role, not participating in the actual attack. They identify potential prey and freeze into immobility, for instance, but refrain from then stalking the prey as an adult predator would do next; this results in the "pointing" behavior for which such dogs are bred. Similarly, they seize dead or wounded prey and bring it back to the "pack", even though they did not attack it themselves, that is, "retrieving" behavior. Their physical characteristics are closer to that of the mature wild canine than the sheepdog breeds
Scenthounds maintain an intermediate body type and behavior pattern that causes them to actually pursue prey by tracking their scent, but tend to refrain from actual individual attacks in favor of vocally summoning the pack leaders (in this case, humans) to do the job. They often have a characteristic vocalization called a bay.
Of course, dogs in general possess a significant ability to modify their behavior according to experience, including adapting to the behavior of their "pack leaders"—again, humans.
This allows them to be trained to behave in a way that is not specifically the most natural to their breed; nevertheless, the accumulated experience of thousands of years shows that some combinations of nature and nurture are quite daunting, for instance, training whippets to guard flocks of sheep.
4 - Dogs can see us as part of their Pack.
Recent experiments seems to confirm what dog owners have asserted all along, that dogs and people are incredibly attuned to each other, in a way that no other two species are. And new research techniques now allow us to study, more precisely, the nature of this bond.
Some scientists believe that our interaction has a biochemical signature that may be similar to what happens between a mother and baby.
Do you never heard of Konrad Lorenz and his work about Imprinting?
During a critical period early in their lives, many young animals learn the identity of their mother and father.
Once learned, this identity is firmly fixed and may be used later in life in identifying mates, Forming Flocks, AND IN OTHER SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
Lorenz found that by substituting himself for the mother during this critical period, he could induce young geese to imprint on him. Famous photographs of Lorenz show him being followed by geese imprinted in this way.
1 - Dogs descend from middle eastern wolf
Robert Wayne "Previous papers have suggested it was East Asia," he says. But Wayne says those papers focused on a small subset of DNA called mitochondrial DNA, instead of looking across all 2.4 billion letters that make up the dog genome.
2 - Domestication of the Dog took place several times over the course of history.
The first evidence was found on Belgium in Goyet Cave, Israel, Western Russia, Germany, Eastern China and the list goes on.
3 - All Dogs keep their Natural Incsticts, They are Pack, Social, Hierarchical oriented animals.
We, humans selected the best traits of the Wolf Pack behaviour Imprinted in our Dogs and use it on our benefit.
Herding dogs exhibit the controlled characteristics of hunting dogs, they use tactics of hunter and prey to intimidate and keep control of herds and flocks.
Their natural instinct to bring down an animal under their charge is muted by training.
Some herd with a more aggressive demeanor (such as biting and nipping at the heels of the animals) and make use of body design to elude the defences of their charges.
Gun dog breeds used in hunting—that is, pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers—have an intermediate degree of paedomorphism; they are at the point where they share in the pack's hunting behavior, but are still in a junior role, not participating in the actual attack. They identify potential prey and freeze into immobility, for instance, but refrain from then stalking the prey as an adult predator would do next; this results in the "pointing" behavior for which such dogs are bred. Similarly, they seize dead or wounded prey and bring it back to the "pack", even though they did not attack it themselves, that is, "retrieving" behavior. Their physical characteristics are closer to that of the mature wild canine than the sheepdog breeds
Scenthounds maintain an intermediate body type and behavior pattern that causes them to actually pursue prey by tracking their scent, but tend to refrain from actual individual attacks in favor of vocally summoning the pack leaders (in this case, humans) to do the job. They often have a characteristic vocalization called a bay.
Of course, dogs in general possess a significant ability to modify their behavior according to experience, including adapting to the behavior of their "pack leaders"—again, humans.
This allows them to be trained to behave in a way that is not specifically the most natural to their breed; nevertheless, the accumulated experience of thousands of years shows that some combinations of nature and nurture are quite daunting, for instance, training whippets to guard flocks of sheep.
4 - Dogs can see us as part of their Pack.
Recent experiments seems to confirm what dog owners have asserted all along, that dogs and people are incredibly attuned to each other, in a way that no other two species are. And new research techniques now allow us to study, more precisely, the nature of this bond.
Some scientists believe that our interaction has a biochemical signature that may be similar to what happens between a mother and baby.
Do you never heard of Konrad Lorenz and his work about Imprinting?
During a critical period early in their lives, many young animals learn the identity of their mother and father.
Once learned, this identity is firmly fixed and may be used later in life in identifying mates, Forming Flocks, AND IN OTHER SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
Lorenz found that by substituting himself for the mother during this critical period, he could induce young geese to imprint on him. Famous photographs of Lorenz show him being followed by geese imprinted in this way.
Killing with Kindness
Because people love their pets so much, they often do things which are inadvertently to the Detriment of their pets.
Dogs NEED leaders. They operate on a "pack" system: there are leaders and there are followers. If this system does not exist in a household, often the dog will slip into the leader spot. In its mind SOMEBODY has to be the leader. Although many dogs would rather not have that spot, they will still end up there.
Quite simply, you must develop and maintain the role of boss. For the dog is born looking for his boss or the opportunity to be boss of bosses, that is, over all pack leader, and is never truly content when such a situation does not exist.
So while you need to become the boss or leader, the desired gap between you and the dog should be small, so that he can show initiative and have joy in his work within the boundaries you establish and control.
The dog comes to believe that your rules are important and that life is good when your desires guide his behavior.
Thus the essence of obedience is the relationship between you and your dog. You need to become the leader; the dog needs to work from the instinctive and accepted concept that life is good when you are pleased.
All of this can be achieved through an effective obedience program properly and diligently applied because the fundamental process is one of making the dog accept you as his leader. Once this is achieved the dogs life becomes simple and orderly. He refrains from chewing your shoes or sleeping in the middle of the dining room table because these things are associated in his mind with your displeasure and he desires the harmony of living in peace with his pack.
It is much kinder in the long run to set clear rules and boundaries much like with kids to help your pet stay safe and ensure that he is with you for their whole life
Unfortunately the result of not setting boundaries and helping your pet learn how to behave is that they make mistakes that they are then punished for Worse yet, many otherwise lovely animals are surrendered to shelters for simply behaving in a manner that was permitted to become habit due to a lack of clear rules and boundaries
Many people feel they are being mean if they don't give their pet everything they want when they want it. This often starts on the first day the pet joins the family and is immediately given free run of the home. The intended goal is often to allow the animal to feel at home and comfortable. However, the result is usually that they get into trouble by eliminating in the wrong place or chewing an inappropriate item.
Dogs NEED leaders. They operate on a "pack" system: there are leaders and there are followers. If this system does not exist in a household, often the dog will slip into the leader spot. In its mind SOMEBODY has to be the leader. Although many dogs would rather not have that spot, they will still end up there.
Quite simply, you must develop and maintain the role of boss. For the dog is born looking for his boss or the opportunity to be boss of bosses, that is, over all pack leader, and is never truly content when such a situation does not exist.
So while you need to become the boss or leader, the desired gap between you and the dog should be small, so that he can show initiative and have joy in his work within the boundaries you establish and control.
The dog comes to believe that your rules are important and that life is good when your desires guide his behavior.
Thus the essence of obedience is the relationship between you and your dog. You need to become the leader; the dog needs to work from the instinctive and accepted concept that life is good when you are pleased.
All of this can be achieved through an effective obedience program properly and diligently applied because the fundamental process is one of making the dog accept you as his leader. Once this is achieved the dogs life becomes simple and orderly. He refrains from chewing your shoes or sleeping in the middle of the dining room table because these things are associated in his mind with your displeasure and he desires the harmony of living in peace with his pack.
It is much kinder in the long run to set clear rules and boundaries much like with kids to help your pet stay safe and ensure that he is with you for their whole life
Unfortunately the result of not setting boundaries and helping your pet learn how to behave is that they make mistakes that they are then punished for Worse yet, many otherwise lovely animals are surrendered to shelters for simply behaving in a manner that was permitted to become habit due to a lack of clear rules and boundaries
Many people feel they are being mean if they don't give their pet everything they want when they want it. This often starts on the first day the pet joins the family and is immediately given free run of the home. The intended goal is often to allow the animal to feel at home and comfortable. However, the result is usually that they get into trouble by eliminating in the wrong place or chewing an inappropriate item.
Bloodthirsty pack of dogs take out 350-lb. llama
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110610/us_yblog_thelookout/bloodthirsty-pack-of-dogs-take-out-350-lb-llama
Local law enforcement officials in Northeast Washington state are worried about a pack of dogs that have attacked at least 100 animals since March. The pack, they fear, is now "killing for fun."
The wild dogs took out a 350-lb llama on Tuesday night, the latest in a string of attacks that have left more than 100 goats and other farm animals dead in the ranching community of Stevens County. The dogs, whose breeds are so far unknown, emerge only at night, but residents in their predatory range in the valleys and mountains near Spokane are afraid the canines may be getting bolder.
"I think they are capable of do anything at this point," Deputy Sheriff Keith Cochran told KXLY4, adding that he's worried the animals may just be preying on area creatures for the sport of it. Undersheriff Lavonne Webb told the AP the pack is " killing for the sake of killing."
"They are doing it to be cruel, they're bloodthirsty," resident Temma Davis told the station. "It's like 'Cujo.' "
Webb told the AP it's possible some of the four or five dogs in the pack aren't wild and go home to their owners during the day. One resident managed to snap a photograph of the pack, above.
Local law enforcement officials in Northeast Washington state are worried about a pack of dogs that have attacked at least 100 animals since March. The pack, they fear, is now "killing for fun."
The wild dogs took out a 350-lb llama on Tuesday night, the latest in a string of attacks that have left more than 100 goats and other farm animals dead in the ranching community of Stevens County. The dogs, whose breeds are so far unknown, emerge only at night, but residents in their predatory range in the valleys and mountains near Spokane are afraid the canines may be getting bolder.
"I think they are capable of do anything at this point," Deputy Sheriff Keith Cochran told KXLY4, adding that he's worried the animals may just be preying on area creatures for the sport of it. Undersheriff Lavonne Webb told the AP the pack is " killing for the sake of killing."
"They are doing it to be cruel, they're bloodthirsty," resident Temma Davis told the station. "It's like 'Cujo.' "
Webb told the AP it's possible some of the four or five dogs in the pack aren't wild and go home to their owners during the day. One resident managed to snap a photograph of the pack, above.