A little girl hugging her dog
Relationship

Our Role as Pet Parents Part 3 – Dog Leadership Needs

In the last post, Our Role as Pet Parents Part 2, we looked at our dog’s needs and how Nigel Reed, author of The Dog Guardian, adapted Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to canines.

In this post, let’s have a quick look at Nigel’s view on how wolf pack leaders meet those needs and how we must also meet those needs as pet parents or guardians.

What if dog leadership needs aren’t met?

Q. What happens if we don’t meet our dog’s needs as leaders?

A. They are forced to take on leadership roles to meet those needs.

This can lead to all sorts of unwanted behaviours as our dogs try and fail to take on a leadership role in a complex human world.

Nigel highlights the four main leadership areas: Food, Perceived Danger, Status, and On the Hunt.

Dog Food Puppy GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

via GIPHY

These things aren’t taught to us…

Up to this point, I’d been reading the book and nodding along, thinking that yes, this absolutely makes sense and just fits in perfectly with the Bounce and Bella way, but…

Here was where theory began to cross over into practice, and I could see the ways I’d been going wrong personally with my interactions with our lovely Roscoe.

But these things aren’t taught to us when we get our new woofy companion.

If we’re lucky, particularly conscientious or interested, we may stumble upon this kind of training information, but for most of us, training consists of the basics such as; sit, lie down, toilet training and a reasonable recall.

Now that I’ve read the book, I can see what’s been going wrong, but I also have a blueprint to help change Roscoe and (more importantly) my behaviour.

Dog Leadership photo: Man and dog sitting on the edge looking at the view.

Four Main Dog Leadership Areas

Here is Nigel’s summary of how the key leadership areas for wolf packs – Food, Perceived Danger, Status and On the Hunt – translate to our roles as pet parents/guardians:

“1. Leader around food – your dog understands you will provide the food and are entitled to priority feeding.

2. Leader regarding security needs – your dog understands that you will decide what to do regarding perceived dangers and trusts your decisions.

3. Leader who instigates interaction – your dog understands that you decide when it is time to interact and is relaxed when you leave, and when you come in.

4. Leader on the walk – your dog understands that it is you who instigates when to go on the walk, where you walk, and at what speed, and it follows.”

Owner's demonstrating dog leadership with their dog

The Dog Guardian Nigel Reed

I don’t want to go into too much detail here because,

(a) that’s what the book is for – and I really do encourage you to have a look at it:

https://www.thedogguardian.com/buy-the-dog-training-book

(b) And it’ll be great to cover some of these things with Roscoe in future posts!

PS
If you’re interested and want to find out more about our pet parenting roles (as well as seeing how I get on trying to become the pet parent Roscoe needs) – click the link to sign up for our newsletter: Newsletter Sign-Up.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
10 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Gati House Shifting
Gati House Shifting
2 months ago

If you’re looking for hassle-free vehicle relocation with affordable car transport prices in Gurgaon, Gati House Shifting is a trusted option. Their dedicated team uses secure methods to handle your vehicle, ensuring it reaches its destination safely while keeping the costs within your budget.

Singhania Packers
Singhania Packers
2 months ago

Singhania Packers provides reliable self storage services in Mumbai, ideal for both personal and business storage needs. Our clean, secure storage units offer a safe solution for household items, office inventory, or seasonal goods. With flexible rental options, 24/7 security, and climate-controlled choices, your belongings remain well-protected. Conveniently located, our facility allows easy access to your stored items whenever required. Singhania Packers’ self-storage services in Mumbai make it easy to free up space and stay organized without the hassle. Store with confidence and enjoy peace of mind with our trusted solutions.

neiljiohu
neiljiohu
4 months ago

我们提供专业的Essay代写 https://www.lunwenhelp.com/essay-daixie/ 服务,拥有一支由经验丰富的学术写作专家组成的团队,涵盖多个学科领域。无论你是需要撰写文学分析、商业案例研究,还是科学实验报告,我们都能根据你的具体要求为你量身定制高质量的Essay。我们的写作专家不仅具备扎实的学术背景,还熟悉不同国家和学校的学术规范和写作风格,确保你的Essay不仅内容深刻,还符合所在学校的标准和要求。

Jacob shinobu
Jacob shinobu
4 months ago

I recently used this waste removal service in the UK, and it was a really smooth experience. What impressed me most was their punctuality—they showed up exactly when they said they would. I had some leftover construction debris that needed to be cleared quickly, and they handled it without any hassle. Plus, their clear pricing made everything easier. The fact that they recycle as much as possible is a huge bonus. For a stress-free service, I highly recommend using https://rubbish.taxi/ for waste removal.

mauki
mauki
5 months ago

Use https://www.masterpapers.com/ to save yourself from any academic assignments. You will definitely not be disappointed with the way they carry out their orders. Each writer on the site has enough experience and skills to provide you with high grades without any problems. Contact them for help and get an excellent result at a pleasant price.

Angela
Angela
7 months ago

Great article! I love reading books like this because they are great educational material. And such guides help to acquire new knowledge. Evidence-based practice in teaching methods is key. This approach, which you can explore in more detail in this evidence-based practice paper https://literaturereviewwritingservice.com/evidence-based-practice-paper/ helps you make informed decisions that make a difference. Implementing such strategies can lead to effective results. Using science-based methods is always a win-win.

WoofyClub
WoofyClub
1 year ago

Do check out our dog boarding service woofyclub for all dog parents out there.

trackback

[…] to talk about all things Bonfire Night Preparation. From how it can affect dogs, what we can do as Pet Parents to give our dogs the reassurance they need and how preparation can vary depending on urban or city […]

trackback

[…] Pet Parents, we’re always trying to do the right thing for our dogs and be the leader they deserve. But it’s not always easy, and things don’t always work out how we envision when […]

trackback

[…] Pet Parents, our primary job is to be a leader for our dogs, to ensure that they are safe, well, supported, loved and cared […]