02/27/2024
LONG READ! Every one loves Ceasar Milan, let me explain why dominance /need for being an Alpha doesnt belong in dog training any more !!!
With influencers such as Caesar Milan and the pervasive influence of social media, many pet owners have been led to believe that dogs inherently function within a pack structure, and consequently, we as owners must assert ourselves as the alpha or pack leader. However, it's time to reconsider these notions. Much of what you believe about assuming the alpha role is likely misconceived.
The original study discussing “Alpha Theory” was done on wolves not DOGS!. I will discuss the differences later on in this paper.
The concepts of the "alpha wolf" and "alpha dog" are deeply embedded in our lexicon, the notion of the alpha originates from Rudolph Schenkel, an animal behaviorist. In 1947, Schenkel published a groundbreaking paper titled "Expression Studies on Wolves," which aimed to understand the social dynamics of wolves. Conducting research at Switzerland's Zoo Basel during the 1930s and 1940s, Schenkel sought to establish a comprehensive understanding of the "sociology of the wolf."
Schenkel's research on wolves in captivity laid the foundation for the concept of the "alpha wolf," suggesting that dominant individuals maintain their status through control and repression of competition. While Schenkel drew parallels between wolves and domestic dogs, his studies lacked observations of wolves in the wild. Despite this limitation, Schenkel's work remained influential for decades. Subsequent researchers conducted studies on captive wolves, which reaffirmed the existence of dominance-subordinate relationships within captive packs. The concept of the "alpha wolf" was further popularized by wildlife biologist L. David Mech's 1970 book "The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species," despite some outdated research within the book.
Mech challenges the traditional view of the "alpha wolf" as the dominant leader of a pack, asserting that wolves in the wild live in family units with parents and their offspring. He explains that dominance within wolf families is not based on a hierarchical structure but rather on parental authority. While captive wolf studies suggested a hierarchical pack structure, Mech's observations of wild wolves reveal a more nuanced social dynamic. Dominance among wolves, he argues, is situational and can vary widely among individuals. However, the concept of the "alpha wolf" persists in popular culture and influences dog training methods, despite behavioral differences between wolves and domestic dogs. Researchers like Karen B. London and Alexandra Horowitz contribute to our understanding of canine behavior, while Mech continues to explore wild wolf behavior. As research progresses, it is hoped that popular perceptions of wolf and dog behavior will align more closely with modern scientific findings.
Now that we've delved into the foundational study, let's address some prevailing misunderstandings. When we think of a "pack," it's often misconstrued. In scientific terms, a pack refers to a family unit comprising an adult breeding pair, known as the alpha male and alpha female, along with their offspring of different ages. Does this definition align with your household? Most likely not. In a wolf pack, it's a familial structure, not a blend of humans and domesticated animals.
Are Wolves and dogs the same? It has been proven that dogs More Different Than They are Alike. there is archaeological evidence tha dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans more than 30,000 years ago (more than 10,000 years before the domestication of horses and ruminants). Besides the physical simulaties there are some major differences. Like we discussed wolves live in Packs. Wolves rely on hunting live prey, often larger than themselves, which are highly motivated to avoid becoming wolf prey. To successfully achieve this, wolves form tightly bonded groups where individuals undergo a sort of apprenticeship lasting from 1 to 3 years (Mech, 1981). Their hunting strategy is so intricate that they tend to specialize in hunting certain prey species and prefer to mate with others focusing on the same prey (Pilot et al., 2012). The success of wolf hunting heavily relies on group cooperation. When hunting easier prey like elk (Cervus elaphus), groups of two to six wolves reach optimal success rates, while for more challenging prey like bison (Bison bison), success levels off only with larger groups ranging from 9 to 13 individuals (MacNulty et al., 2014). The primary mode of foraging for dogs is scavenging. Most dogs around the world rely on scraps discarded by humans (Boitani and Ciucci, 1995; Butler and du Toit, 2002; Bhadra, 2014; Coppinger and Feinstein, 2015). Even pet dogs fed directly by humans are essentially scavenging since the food provided is often surplus or made from "animal by-products," which are parts of animals that humans typically do not consume (What are animal by-products? n.d.). Dogs generally lack proficiency in hunting live prey, and only a few dog populations survive solely by hunting (Coppinger and Feinstein, 2015). Scavenging requires far less complex skills compared to hunting live prey. It involves extracting and consuming remains of already deceased or butchered prey, which is a simpler task and doesn't usually necessitate coordinated group efforts. In fact, the presence of other dogs often leads to competition among free-ranging dogs, prompting them to forage alone, particularly outside the mating season (Sen Majumder et al., 2014).
It's crucial to shed light on these misconceptions! I'm tired of hearing so-called "dog trainers" promote ideas like being the leader, acting as the alpha, or claiming that dogs are pack animals. These notions have been debunked by science and numerous studies.
Sorry not Sorry Ceaser Milan, Always Faithful, your training methods are out dated!
Sincerely Angela!
