Should I be the Pack Leader of my Dogs?

Is Cesar's Way the Right Way?

A lot of trainers and behaviorists have heavily criticized Cesar Millan's training technique. Some say that the way he takes care of his pack in his Los Angeles Dog Psychology Center is wrong. Others have even gotten too far as to saying that it's cruel.

Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson

In Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson's book titled Animals Make Us Human, Temple Grandin explains that although she may disagree with some of Cesar's belief, particularly about how his grandfather became the pack leader of his dogs, what he is doing in the Dog Rehab Center may just be what's right for those canines (half of which used to be homeless).

"The Dogs at the Dog Psychology Center, though, are living in one of the most unnatural situations any dog can live in: thirty to forty unrelated animals and different breeds all stuck together inside one big enclosure. Those dogs have to form a pack to keep from ripping each other apart, and Cesar has done a brilliant job of making himself the pack leader instead of letting the dogs fight it out for the top spot."

Reference: Animals Make Us Human, A Dog's Life p.33

Does this mean I have to apply Cesar's way to my pack?

Not necessarily. In fact, Temple Grandin firmly believes that dogs need parents and not pack leaders. She explains that since dogs are juvenile wolves, they are expected to live with their parents, brothers and sisters. Her theory is that dogs underwent pedomorphosis ("arrested development") during their evolution. That's why, over time, some breeds lost the wolf-like features as well as the submissive behavior that made wolves live in harmony and function as a group (pack).

Bottom line, looks like being the "dog mom" or "dog dad" has been the right way after all.