More and more these days we hear about the pack, the pack leader, dominance, submissive and the list goes on and on. But what is the pack and seriously where do we fit into it? I have not spent time with wolves but I have spent time with dogs and I think that I can say with with the reasonableness of a prudent adult that dogs are not wolves. I believe that the scientific results of wolf experts resulting from their time spent with wolves in the wild (and in the wild is an important phrase here because in the wild and in captivity are two very different things) speak for themselves and so based on this I believe that wolves in the wild and domestic dogs are very two different and separate types of beings who in all likelyhood did indeed evolve from one ancient ancestor.

  Ok so the pack, well my thoughts on this are the pack is another name for a social group, a family, a herd, a gaggle call it what you will in my mind it is a group of creatures living together in a social network that is in accordance with their species.

  I believe that pack leader in the sense that it is being used in relation to domestic dogs, dominance, submissive, intimidation, fear and threat have no place in this social network. Having said that every social group does indeed need some form of a leader. When I think about a leader I think of beings in my species that I can go to for learning, advice, for support, for strength, beings who allow me to go out into the world and make my mistakes or successes and accept me for who and what I am and what I bring to the group table. There have been many individuals like this in my life. My parents of course, who when I was young taught me right from wrong, safety from danger, the difference between cruel and kind. They provided me with shelter, food, clothing, support, strength, comfort and taught me how to interact with others in a socially acceptable way. My teachers in school taught me to read, write, do math and science, about the world and other cultures and how to be kind, generous and to share. As did the different friends I've had over the years as my world and needs changed. These people were and are leaders to me. I have been fortunate to have had kind, wise, strong, resourceful,fair and benevolent leaders in my life and this, this is what I wanted to be for my child and for my dogs.

  I have created an environment for my dogs where they know themselves to be safe. They know they will be fed and sheltered. They do not have to be fearful of the world, of other people and certainly not of me. They can trust me not to hurt them. They can feel free to offer behaviours that I will either reward or not reward, but that I will not cause them pain if I do not like the behaviour and so then the rewarded behaviour will continue and the unrewarded behaviour will not. They live within rules that they have learned through trial and error, through guidence, through various methods of teaching, but the point is that through the learning they have not learned to fear me.

  They are amazing animals, comforting companions, entertaining friends and great for a cuddle when we all need it. Ok seriously I'm the one that needs the cuddle, but they put up with it because of our relationship. I suppose you could say I am their leader, in the way that my parents, teachers and friends have been and are to me and I also control all the resources, their food, their play time with me, their bedtime and as the case goes the one with the resources is pretty much always the leader. But I think my leadership to them is one of comfort, they like having someone in charge who will be firm but fair with them and I'm ok with my role.

 So what I have is well trained dogs, who know the rules, who come when they are called, sit to be let outside, or get their leashes on, sit for their breakfast and dinner, go to their beds when they are told, not to mention a variety of cool tricks. They are busy, happy dogs who provide me with so much pleasure and I truly hope I do the same for them. Do they sometimes push the limits, do they race up the stairs, through the hallway, across the beds and back down the stairs on occassion, wait an extra second or two sometimes before they come racing to me on a recall? You bet they do and I wouldn't have it any other way because they are dogs and that's what I love about them, why I want to live with them and work with them.

So are we a pack and am I a pack leader? Call us a pack, call us a family but if you are looking to compare us to a wolf pack, no we are not a pack, neither they nor myself are wolves and neither myself nor domestic dogs live in true wolf packs. Therefore I am not a pack leader. I believe I am a leader though and I like to believe that I am a fair and benevolent leader to them and I will always be grateful to the leaders who showed me how to earn that role.