Know Your Dog's Natural Pack Position Archives

Two alpha dogs show their dominance by fighting. Dominant dogs can be trained to be calm and submissive. It takes patience and consistency for best results.

Agression

5 Keys To Handling A Dominant Dog

Like humans, very few dogs are natural-born leaders, but you may wind up with a dominant dog that would typically take the lead position in the pack. If you are not the Pack Leader, this can cause problems, as a commanding dog will gravitate toward being in charge. However, if you take steps to establish yourself as the pack’s leader, you can have an excellent and balanced relationship with a dominant dog. Understanding Dominance in Dogs Dominance is a natural behavior in dogs, but it can lead to aggression and other behavioral issues if not properly managed. By understanding the

July 5, 2023 No Comments

A newborn baby is introduced to the family dog

10 Principles for Achieving Balance

How To Get Your Dog Ready For The Baby

Congratulations! You’re expecting a new human addition to the family, and it’s likely you’re preparing by setting up the nursery, shopping for diapers and other necessities, and taking a class in newborn care. But don’t overlook one important step: getting your dog ready for this life change. Here’s the good news: it’s likely your dog is already aware something is up. Changes in the mom-to-be’s scent and body have clued him into the impending arrival. And even if you’re becoming parents by adopting or expecting through a surrogate, there are still things going on as you prepare — your excitement

September 1, 2019 No Comments

Cesar Millan walks with pet owners and their canines.

Dog Training

Mastering The Pack

One of the exercises that Cesar has everyone who attends his Fundamentals of Dog Behavior and Training I course do is the pack walk. One-by-one, everybody takes charge and walks a pack of eight or more dogs, all at once. It can be an inspiring sight as someone who had trouble walking just one dog of their own suddenly takes the reins and leads a whole bunch of them. If you’re having difficulty walking your dog, you may wonder how it’s possible to walk a whole lot of them at once, but it’s not as daunting as it sounds. Here

July 4, 2015 No Comments

dogs running in the snow, there are natural leaders and followers

Dog Psychology

Natural Dog Law 5: Dogs Are Social Pack Animals.

As descendants of wolves, dogs are instinctual pack animals. They instinctually seek to join whatever pack is nearby. This explains why dogs can get along so well with so many other animals, especially other pack or herd animals like horses, cows, and sheep. There’s even at least one case of a dog and elephant becoming best friends. It’s also why dogs have bonded so well with humans. We too are social creatures and dogs instinctually sense that and seek to join our pack. We humans have become ‘ or should be ‘ their Pack Leaders now. In a dog pack,

July 3, 2015 No Comments

Multiple dogs in a pack will figure out the pack order.

10 Principles for Achieving Balance

Principle 7 For Achieving Balance: Know Your Dog’s Natural Pack Position

In nature, there are three positions in the dog pack ‘ front, middle, and back ‘ and each dog will gravitate to its natural place based on relative dominance, with the pack leaders always in front. Pack Positions Work Together Each position has its own function within the pack as they work together to survive. The dogs in front provide direction and protection to the pack. They determine where the entire pack will go, and they fend off any dangers from the front. The dogs in the rear are primarily concerned with alerting to danger approaching from behind, and their

July 3, 2015 No Comments