The Key to Successful Leadership: Consistency, Recognition, and Behaviors

It’s immediately obvious to me when I meet a new dog and its’ human guardians, who is the leader in charge.

Why is it important to be your dog’s leader? It is important that your dog sees you as her leader. For some dogs, it’s more important than for others. But with all dogs, there must be a leader.

Humans have been breeding dogs for tens of thousands of years to see us as leaders, and they do. Until we prove to them that we’re not.

You see, dogs are pack animals. They willingly band together in social groups because it increases each individual’s probability of survival. And survival is what it’s all about.

Without leadership, rules, and a status hierarchy to maintain order, dog packs would be full of chaos and conflict as each dog would be forced to look out for his own best interest.

But that is not how dog packs function. Dog packs are harmonious and cooperative ventures. Each adult dog has a responsibility within the pack that ultimately supports the shared common goal of survival.

Each dog knows the rules, boundaries, and limitations of its behavior. They don’t break the rules, exceed limits, or function outside the boundaries.

How is this possible? Over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, dogs’ brains have been hardwired with different genetic temperaments.

Nature and standard deviation have determined that not all dogs can be leaders. Leaders must have followers, and there must be more followers than leaders.

Dogs that do not have the predetermined hardwired genetics to lead other dogs immediately recognize the cluster of leadership behaviors when they see it in other dogs. Incidentally, this cluster of leadership behaviors is archetypal and can be displayed by humans, too. Dogs also immediately recognize this behavior in humans, and it means the same thing to dogs

These behaviors and states of mind indicate to the non-leader dogs that the individuals displaying these are effective canine leaders, and they can be seen as benevolent and trustworthy leaders.

One of the main functions of canine leadership is to ensure the personal safety of each individual pack member. Since survival is the primary goal of each and every dog on the face of this planet, when effective canine leadership is recognized, dogs that were not born with the genetic makeup to be leaders are prepared and willing to be subservient to dogs that are.

The same goes for non-leader dogs that recognize effective canine leadership behavior in humans. They are ready and willing to be led.

However, if a dog does not recognize effective canine leadership behavior in the humans with whom he shares his territory, the dog must assume the position of pack leader. If he doesn’t, who else will do whatever is necessary to ensure that dog’s survival? Anything different is not an option.

The problem with this is that dogs will seek to resolve issues in the way that dogs know: with their mouth.

Dogs learn to trust their leaders when they feel that the leader is in charge of the situation and in control of themself. Dogs know they can trust their leaders in high-stakes, high-stress situations because their leaders have proven that they will effectively lead them in even the smallest of situations. By leading them at all times in all situations, the follower dogs have developed the confidence that their leader can lead them in every situation.

Here’s the problem with choosing not to lead your dog in the smallest of situations: you’ve done nothing to prove to your dog that you can effectively lead them in a high-stakes, high-stress situation.

If you, as a member of your dog’s pack, can’t, won’t, or don’t choose to lead your dog in the smallest of situations, your dog will not allow you to lead her in higher-stakes situations.

And yet, most humans expect our dogs to be able to “just figure it out” on their own and decide to let the humans be their leaders. This is not an effective strategy.

What I see most of the time isn’t an intentional lack of leadership from the human. Most humans have no idea what effective canine leadership looks like. Some humans instinctively have and show some of the same behaviors and mental states as effective canine leaders, but most humans do not.

Then, when in a high-stakes, high-stress situation, the dog does not see the human as an effective canine leader, and the dog will seek to resolve the issue in the only way the dog knows how: with his mouth. Of course, this is inappropriate in almost every situation with humans, so this is when the guardian tries to exert control over the dog’s behavior and mental state. No way. There is no chance the dog is all of a sudden going to stand down to your claims of leadership when you haven’t ever shown them you could lead in the smallest of things.

But then we must return to the assertion that the vast majority of dogs were never intended by Mother Nature to be pack leaders. They do not have the genetic makeup and temperament to effectively lead others.

Therefore, when the human doesn’t show effective canine leadership behaviors and states of mind, the dog who is unfit for leadership is thrust into that role because of the need for survival.

Then our households can be in real trouble because an anxious or fearful dog, who would like nothing more than to follow a strong leader, has no other choice but to assume the role of leader and protector of himself and their pack members.

If you want your dog to feel safe and secure, if you want your dog to feel loved by you, give your dog the greatest gift you can give them: a gift of leadership. Love them by leading them. The smallest of details is where you prove to your dog that you are a leader that they want to follow.

Key Points of Leadership

• Leadership Situation: Dogs are pack animals that need a leader to maintain order and harmony.

• Leadership Behaviors: Dogs recognize leadership behaviors in humans and other dogs and respond accordingly.

• Hardwired Leadership: Dogs’ brains are hardwired with different genetic temperaments, making some dogs natural leaders while others are followers.

• Leadership Recognition: Dogs recognize effective leadership behavior in both canines and humans, leading to subservience or leadership depending on their genetic makeup.

• Leadership Importance: Effective leadership ensures the personal safety of pack members and establishes trust, making it crucial for survival.

• Leadership Consistency: Consistent leadership in all situations builds confidence in followers, while inconsistent leadership undermines trust and may lead to conflicts.