The common belief that the dog looks at man as a dog has always troubled
me. I firmly believe that this remarkable creature knows he is a dog and
I am a man. With this being understood, I do not for a second accept that
my dog deems me the head of a non-existent pack. I will relay what I believe
to be true on this subject. It is for you to find your truth.
First of all, let me state that I do not believe the domestic dog to
be a pack animal. I believe he is a social animal. Let me state why. The
wolf is a true pack animal, choosing to be with other wolves
over man. In fact, he shuns man, avoiding him at all cost.
Even in the confines of a zoo, the wolf is noticeably bothered by the presence
of man. Which makes it so frightening when these Jekyll & Hydes or
wolf hybrids, are offered for sale to the public. The dog
leaves his own littermates to follow man. Avoiding, even
protecting against other dogs, his two legged companion.
No other animal is so bound to mankind as the dog.
It is only man that so foolishly effects this bond by desiring to be
a dog or the dog to be man. Instead of accepting the relationship for its
uniqueness, man shows his stupidity by inventing unseen forces he calls
drives, and tries to control by calling himself alpha, a situation that
is already naturally balanced.
I cringe when I hear some human clown telling someone to growl at their
dog or to bend over and sniff it, or one of the many other imitations of
canine behavior meant to communicate handler superiority. We are talking
about a creature that can separate one smell from another in such a minute
quantity, that a machine cannot detect it. The dog can detect cancers,
oncoming seizures, death, direction, sincerity, and distinguish good from
evil. Yet some people believe we can convince the dog, a master of body
language, that we are a more powerful dog through lame and pathetic displays
of canine rituals.
The dog knows better than the human, his role.
It is a reverse from the pack instinct, which pulls a dog from his
littermates to follow the human voice and seek the human bond.
As
I stated earlier the dog is the only animal that willingly and by nature
serves man with such total commitment. If only we as humans would accept,
that we do not have to conquer that which is given freely.
I hope this causes discussion and that some gets back to me. To plainly
put, it in, closing; we do not have to pretend, coerce, trick, bribe or force
ourselves upon our K9 friends. They know who they are, and they know who
we are. It is wr that are confused and need only see the truth of the matter.
Written by Mike McConnery
