Leerburg's "Pack Structure" video

[release the hounds]

I thought it was a decent video. I use dominance when talking about training, mostly cause I don't get too upset by the term. To me, anybody or anything that is controlling the situation, is by my definition, "dominant". So I use it, and don't care if others get undies in a bunch when I do.

I like to use the term "pack" because they're dogs, and that's what we call groups of dogs, sometimes I call us a family too, mostly because I love them.

I don't make dogs sit at the door so I can go thru first to establish "pack order", I make them sit sometimes at doors because it's easier and safer and I am "the pack leader"

but "dominance" between dogs, absolutely 100%, exists between dogs in certain situations.

I think this video illustrated a few things. One is that people need to see that puppies aren't always just cute and cuddly and your toddler can get hurt if you aren't careful. I also think it does show how they interact. Some used big displays to "keep" what they had. the other didn't do anything, and nobody came to take either. why?

[AGonzalez]

Originally Posted by Maxy24

It wasn't "sorting out pack structure" it was a dog guarding food. If someone said they had a dominant dog I would have no idea what to tell them, that means nothing, if someone said "my dog is guarding food from other dogs" then I have something to work with, they told me behaviors. dominance is a very useless word, at least with dogs.

I agree with this, but I don't in the same breath.

Look the the "dominant" puppy. Notice she isn't growling or having to fight to keep that chunk of meat, she's calm and knows nobody is going to try to take it from her.

Why is that? The other puppies were being mobbed for the meat, none of them were trying to take it away from the last one.

[cJw314]

Originally Posted by release the hounds

Some used big displays to "keep" what they had. the other didn't do anything, and nobody came to take either. why?

It's my understanding - and I'm fairly green at actually understanding behavioral theory - that the middle ranking members of the "pack" would need to be so vocal/aggressive to maintain their possession of the bone. The established "leader" is recognized as such as doesn't need to remind everyone of it. Is that correct?

That being said, any dog in my house - pup or not - is going to recognize that me and the humans that live there are its source of food and affection, and therefore would simply defer to us.

Is this a naive assumption? Probably. Am I going to work to assure there isn't any food guarding/agression? Absolutely.

[release the hounds]

I don't think there was anything naive in what you said, that's pretty much how it should be. But not every dog or puppy defers to everyone all the time, especially toddlers or infants.

[Tsume'sMom]

Not really about the video BUT : I often wonder if Ed's videos should be available to the public at large. Now that he is softer maybe, but his older stuff was baised in hard working line dogs. Most pet dogs will never have the kind of drive and tanacity a true working line dog will have. If you have EVER worked with a properly bred and raised working dog, then you come to understand where sometimes a correction may be needed. But these kinds of dogs do not belong in pet homes. So I often question WHY training and videos of working dogs are reccomended for the pet dog.

Most pet dogs are happy to work for rewards, and PR is the least harmful training method for the masses of uneducated dog owners. So why Ed at all?

JMO

[Maura]

I was not offended by the video. I can see where someone who has not been around puppies, or even adult dogs in the same household would misunderstand normal canine behavior. He pointed out that all three of the puppies, once they had the bone, wanted to keep it. Yes, your child could be bitten by your puppy, and it doesn't mean the puppy thinks he is the alpha, or that your puppy is dominant aggressive. He overstates the "human must be alpha", but he is correct that most puppies will let the adult take something from them and I hope that anyone would take from the clip that they should keep their toddler away from a puppy who has a treasure.