“Pack” Theory – Now Obsolete, Why It Still Works

For the past several decades, its been assumed that dogs evolved from wolves. However, lots of really brainy dog enthusiasts are doing scientific canine research these days, and come to find out – gasp! - now we don’t really think dogs evolved from wolves at all. From what then? Cats? Sea cucumbers?

Nope, we actually think they may have evolved from Wile E. Coyote himself! And coyotes, interestingly enough, don’t reside or exist in the same type of packs that wolves do. They live in smaller groups than wolf packs, they hunt alone and scavenge more often than wolves do, and there are no ‘alpha’ or ‘dominant’ hierarchies. There is some very convincing evidence that they really aren’t like wolves much at all (except of course they get fleas and shed.)

Yet whether they evolved from wolves or coyotes, dogs still need leadership in order to co-exist in harmony with our families. But how on earth do you ‘lead’ another species? It’s simply not done in nature (when was the last time you saw an alligator leading a work group of egrets? Successfully?) In order to lead, you must have a social structure that can a) be understood, and b) be implemented. That why, then, the whole ‘wolf pack’ theory of training still kinda works, even if dogs may not have evolved directly from wolves.

In a nutshell, the idea of a wolf pack is that there is one male leader and one female leader, and the rest of the pack follows underneath in some type of heirarchy. Because this model is so similar to the traditional human family, pack theory lets us compare something we don't know (how to lead another species) to something we do know (how to organize a family.) It gives us an understandable frame of reference. That's why it still works; it remains a structure we can understand and implement, even if 'pack theory' itself has become an outdated concept.

For example, the reason we still encourage you, the leader, to train your dog, the 'pack member' to wait at doors is not because ‘wolves do it’ but because its rude for any family member to charge through the door. The reason your dog should be able to sleep in his/her own bed or crate is not because ‘wolves do it’ but because having a peaceful, portable bedroom for your dog is practical and allows a more flexibly lifestyle for both of you. And the reason dogs should learn on occasion to eat last is not because ‘wolves do it’ but because every family member needs to learn coping skills and patience (visualize: Labrador + Easter dinner table = waiting for table scraps = Patience.)

So, while wolf pack behavior might no longer be an ethologically sound model for dog behavior, from a practical standpoint, it can still work. That said, no matter what social structure you implement in your family, you should always be focusing on kind, positive leadership, and avoiding harsh outdated methods such as physical dominance, angry punishment, and ‘showing them who's alpha.’