Palais
du Chateau. Holiday apartment in Nice, Old Port Lympia, Quartier
des Antiquaires. Near beach, Vieux Nice, City. Fabulous view on the Alps.
7th (top) floor with lift. Sleeps 3. € 375 - € 450 / week. Dogs welcome!
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now direct with owner!
The wolves that make up
a pack is so complex that in each pack there are rankings and orders for
each specific wolf. For example at the top of the rankings there is an
alpha male and female in which all other male and female wolves must submit
to them. In each pack of wolves there is also wolves that are ranked under
them such as the beta male and female. The rankings continue further down
in dominance and superiority to the lowest rank of the omega male and female.
These wolves have no other wolves ranked below them and they may be at
times harassed and abused by wolves of higher rank. This may cause them
to leave the pack or search for a mate elsewhere with such rankings as
their own. A new pack forms when a wolf leaves its family to establish
its own territory, like one wolf for example, who wondered 550 miles in
Minnesota before establishing its own pack. Within wolf packs there is
a consistent tension of rank order among the wolves. When wolves encounter
each other the higher rank will show their dominance and power by aggression
and in body language. There is such a competition for power that the alpha
male and female often prevent lesser wolves from breeding. The alpha female
has such power, that by emitting a pheromone, it stops ovulation in all
other female wolves within the pack. It is usually the Alpha pair that
is thought to be the breeding pair, but there have been cases in the wild
and in captivity that lower ranking males have mated and bred with the
alpha female. This has sometimes caused disinterest and anger from the
alpha male.
Within wolf packs there
is a consistent tension of rank order among the wolves. When wolves encounter
each other the higher rank will show their dominance and power by aggressive
and in body language. There is such a competition for power that the Alpha
male and female often prevent lesser wolves from breeding. The Alpha female
has such power that by emitting a pheromone that stops ovulation in all
other female wolves within the pack.
Battle Of the Sexes
It has been
thought that within wolf packs that the females have strong authority and
influence over the packs activities and for the majority of the time, are
the head of the packs. The female wolf may not only lead the pack, but
also carry the duty of deciding where to den and where the pack will have
to hunt for the duration of the next 4-7 weeks. It has also been thought
that young females are quicker and slightly faster opposed to the young
male. Therefore, under many circumstances are also better hunters due to
their quickness and keen decisions. The male leader of the pack has often
been deceived and the image that has been placed upon this position may
have been exaggerated in comparison to the work accomplished within the
pack by other members.
Social Structure
The social structure of
a wolf pack is very dynamic and is often subject to change, especially
during the mating and breeding seasons. Each year there is a significant
difference in the way a specific wolf pack gets along and conducts itself.
Some of these ways may be explained by the loss of a good hunter or scout,
a significant drop or raise in the prey population, extensive and excessive
tension and long, prolonged winters. This is probable to explain why the
wolf pack we have been watching has often consisted of different wolves
at different times and at different locations. Although much of the pack
has consisted of about four or five wolves that repeatedly are recorded
together, ( probably the alpha male and female, along with a few others)
occasional wolves that have been unseen and unheard of will join the pack,
only to leave, and then to return days later. Are these lone wolves that
seek the help of the pack? Or are they low ranked or omega wolves that
decide to leave but cannot survive on their own? Wolf behavior has accomplished
a task of adding wonder and confusion to man kind.
Are dogs domesticated
wolves?
No, they are certainly
not. Wolves and dogs have a common forefather, but dogs are not domesticated
wolves. They used to be wild dogs, who were domesticated by man thousands
of years ago. So your toy poodle is not a wolfe. No way.
Yet wolves and dogs
have a lot in common and we can learn from that. On the other hand there
are a lot of differences. Who ever heard of a wolf living in the wild,
born with a will to please towards humans???
DOGS AND DOG TRAINING
The place or position
within the family unit is known by us humans as 'pack mentality.' Unfortunately,
most humans don't have a clue about pack mentality.
Pack mentality
is the hierarchical order within which members of the pack function.
The key-word here is hierarchical.
The first and foremost
item on your Home Manners Training List is bonding with your pup. Your
pup just left one family and has now entered another - yours. Because your
pup instinctively understands pack mentality, he begins life with you discovering
his place in it. Being a pack animal by nature (instinct), your pup has
a basic, in-born need to know where he belongs within the new pack and
his place in it. It is equally important for you, as Leader of your Pack
(family), to know your place in it. With this one fact well ingrained within
you, your home pack/family will run more smoothly and effectively.
Order
of Hierarchy
Alpha (or Leader)
Beta (or Second In Command)
Descending Order of Those
Who Follow
Alpha (or
Leader):
This is the 'toughie.'
Because the pup is the newest member (not necessarily the youngest member),
your pup begins life with your family on the bottom. As leader, it is best
if you begin your bonding process by giving lots of affection along with
nurturing your pups basic needs, thereby letting him know you really care.
Keep your discipline at a minimum while giving lots of praise for 'good'
behavior. The 'key' in this early process is "never allow the young pup
to do anything you wouldn't want him to do as an adult and always let your
pup know when he has pleased you."
Beta (or
Second In Command):
This position is usually
maintained by your partner (wife/husband, significant other). This person
is not necessarily the one who is responsible for the care and feeding
of your pup, but is one who is always there as a backup to you. It is most
important that your Beta person reinforces your ways by doing things your
way, and not doing things differently. In other words, the Second In Command
fills in for you as though they were you in your absence.
Descending
Order...
This is the rest of the
family, usually your children. While they are not in any command position,
they also follow your lead by not doing what you would not do and by doing
only what you would do. In other words, before they "change the rules,"
they need to know they should come to you and talk about their ideas, leaving
final decisions up to you, da Leader of da Pack!.
