Many people fundamentally believe that the dog should be an equal member of the family. A corollary of that belief is that strict control of the dog somehow deprives the dog of its basic ‘dogginess’. It continues that having such strict behavioural expectations of the dog is a reflection of an unhealthy personal psychopathology.

There are some basic premises to remember. The dog is not in its basic element. Being part of a human pack is not a natural state of existence for the dog. The dog is most likely stronger in many ways than its human owners. The dog is probably faster and more athletic than its human owner. And the dog, no matter how friendly and lovable, quickly can be in trouble with its environment - human or physical.

The issue of control and rules is for the safety of the dog, the humans, and the physical property. A destructive dog simply does not last. It is not a pleasant thought. Dogs who hurt humans or destroy property have a short life time. The control, the rules and the leadership are the means for a harmonious co-existence. It does not work any other way. It gives the dog security to know that it can trust the pack rules and the pack leader. It causes tremendous anxiety for the dog when the rules are ambiguous.

Free choice is ambiguous. It causes stress for the dog. And, fundamentally, it is unfair to assume that the dog can make correct decisions. It is comparable to the owner being in a foreign country, with a foreign language and with foreign customs, and being expected to make the correct social and behavioural decisions. It just won’t happen with a human in that situation. Why should it be expected with dogs?

This is not politics. This is not ideologies. This is effective living with an animal. And a democracy will not work.

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster:  http://flyinghamster.com/

[tag]dog, training, pack leadership, security, rules[/tag]