I was just told that Kevin Behan is into the old wolf pack theory etc…

kbehan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:21:40 +0000

Actually, I may be the first one to discredit the “old wolf pack theory.” Rather I am into the canine “group theory” and the first to posit the distinction between pack and group, and that there’s no such thing as Alpha-Leader-hood. In 1991 David Mech wrote in “The Way of the Wolf” p. 36: “Perhaps with more close-up wolf watching under various circumstances, we eventually will be able to say for sure whether the pack leader is the (alpha) male or the (alpha) female, or whether leadership is by both.” (Apparently the wolf and dog experts are still searching for that missing formula.) Meanwhile “Natural Dog Training” published in 1992 stated: “All relationships—between the group and its prey, among group members, and between mother and puppies—can be explained in terms of the prey instinct. The rule being: If an individual is in possession of a prey object such as a bone, or in control of his own body, even if he is the most inferior—OR THE PREY—he controls whoever is attracted to that “preyful aspect.” (p.61, Chapter 4: “The Harmonic Pathways of Learning”)

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Behan is too new-agey in his explanations to be taken seriously. He also dismisses large tracks of learning theory and psychology and ethology. He prefers undefined explanations like "emotional circuitry of dog and owner" Frankly I tend to dismiss and distrust anyone that talks about 'energy' or 'vibrations' to explain animal behavior. I don’t dismiss behavioral science and I value its many...

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I was just told that Kevin Behan is into the old wolf pack theory etc…