Pack Mentality: The Proper Relationship

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Pack Mentality: The Proper Relationship

Happy RottiesWhen you decide to bring a dog into your home, you must not think of yourself as “adopting a baby.” As important as a dog can be, none-the-less, the dog truly is and forever will be an animal.

Humans understand the concept of love. Dogs do not. Dogs make their decisions based on its requirements for survival. The dog’s value system includes: Food, Fun, Attention, Comfort and Safety. The dog is born understanding that he is dependent on his inclusion in a pack for the satisfaction of these values.

A good pack leader not only supplies all the dog’s values, that leader also controls those same values.

Often what we mistake for love from our dog is often a competition or selfish desire to have your total attention.

Instead of the dog being your new baby, a more appropriate way to look at it is that you have in fact, hired a new employee. A dog has no idea how to function as a new human baby, remember nothing about our human world or values makes sense to a dog.

What your dog does understand is Pack Mentality and these concepts are pre-programmed before birth into all dogs, both big and small.

  • A well run pack means security and survival to it’s members
  • A good pack leader is fair, firm, consistent and acknowledges good effort.
  • A true pack leader demands loyalty and respect
  • Each individual breed is included in one of the seven groups of dogs.
  • The members of each group have some common, predictable priorities.
  • Each breed is bred to be a Specialist and is unique within its group.
  • The pack will not support worthless members
  • Dogs are born with a natural desire to contribute to the success of the pack, in the unique way that makes sense to that breed.

In other words, puppies are born completely trained, armed with all the tools they will ever need to be a dog and live in a dog’s world. If you want him to understand how to function in your home, you will have to take some time to teach him.