Leaders & Followers

A dog’s survival depends on a strong, stable and organized pack. A pack functions successfully when individual roles in the pack hierarchy are understood by all of its members and when there is a clear, consistent and fair leader.

A Leader is responsible for the survival of the pack, and must always be calm and assertive. Leaders have duties and rights and they must be consistent at all times when working with their pack. Rules, boundaries, and limitations must be established by the pack leaders in order to correct and control unwanted behaviour. By teaching dog guardians the duties and rights of a leader, the CVRAC facilitates a strong connection with their dog’s mind and natural instincts. This helps to ensure a strong and stable pack.

There are no quick fixes. Changes in a dog’s behaviour will only remain if the human is consistent with his/her dog every single day. This is why the CVRAC focuses on developing observation skills necessary to understand what our dogs are trying to communicate to us.

Once leadership has been established the dog becomes a follower and can finally relax. A follower is always calm and submissive. The dog trusts that there is a leader that will provide safety and fulfill all of the dog’s needs.