Eddie and Patsy are the "matriarchs" of the pack, at 9 years old these 2 females have the respect of all the younger members...including the males... even the highest ranked male Max, the Doberman, can get space bumped by Patsy if she wants to sit where he is he moves...no dispute! My "ladies" were named after the ladies on "Ab Fab" (Absolutely Fabulous TV Show) and have always been very closely bonded pack members.
While in their "senior" years, this makes no difference to Eddie with her quick responses and ability to exercise for many hours a day....so long as there is a good fire to sleep in front of come the evening!
Patsy on the other hand has always been rather "slow" for a Terrier..less reactive and less energy...OK more ...well....lazy! As you can see from the photo of the month for Feb she is a little over-weight but she doesn't do "diets"...I think she has lost 1lb in a year!
"BC"...Before Cesar...Eddie was the alpha female and the Pack Leader, now still alpha of the dogs for sure she is no longer Pack Leader...I am! I had her as the leader back then as many Behaviourists say to have a leader dog...NO.....this can cause in-pack fighting, equal members which my pack are now as inspired by Cesar...they do not fight! The interesting part is how readily she "gave-up" this role to me, clearly insecure as a leader she would on occasion use her sharp mouth to discipline the pack.
All I have to say to Eddie now is "Cesar" and she jumps on my knee and fixes her stare on the TV awaiting the DW show, she also liked a TV programme about herds of elephants and one about wild dogs...but she loves Cesar!
Eddie went into follower zone the quickest of all the Terriers who are leashed on a walk. She used to pull for 7 years then no more - all loose leash walking now. In the beginning she did not need much discipline to achieve loose leash and only a couple of corrections..she got it and has never pulled since! Patsy, by the way, has not worn a leash for many years she always is behind me!
So you see even naturally alpha dogs can be insecure as leaders in our domestic world and give it up to a human who is prepared to be their leader in a way they can understand = calm assertive energy.
Let me share an example of calm assertive energy from a Terrier...Yes Eddie again. I have seen Eddie go into the pack of my dogs out on a walk where one of the Setters, Lucy, had stumbled over ..literally... injured prey! I feared the pack would fight over the prey as they all charged in.. but Eddie stepped-in and claimed it with pure calm assertive energy - the rest of the pack simply...and calmly... backed-off! The rat was "Eddie's kill" and there was not even one dog who challenged this and neither did she need to use fight energy to claim it...it was calm and highly assertive, then she gave it up to me once I claimed it...as I didn't want her bringing it home!
I tell this story only to show you one of the unique ways that I learn what calm assertive energy is from my pack - as dogs understand it, this was amazing to watch Eddie who claimed the prey without triggering any fight behaviour between the pack...especially the Terriers.
What are your dogs teaching you? I learn something new everyday...thanks Pack!
While in their "senior" years, this makes no difference to Eddie with her quick responses and ability to exercise for many hours a day....so long as there is a good fire to sleep in front of come the evening!
Patsy on the other hand has always been rather "slow" for a Terrier..less reactive and less energy...OK more ...well....lazy! As you can see from the photo of the month for Feb she is a little over-weight but she doesn't do "diets"...I think she has lost 1lb in a year!
"BC"...Before Cesar...Eddie was the alpha female and the Pack Leader, now still alpha of the dogs for sure she is no longer Pack Leader...I am! I had her as the leader back then as many Behaviourists say to have a leader dog...NO.....this can cause in-pack fighting, equal members which my pack are now as inspired by Cesar...they do not fight! The interesting part is how readily she "gave-up" this role to me, clearly insecure as a leader she would on occasion use her sharp mouth to discipline the pack.
All I have to say to Eddie now is "Cesar" and she jumps on my knee and fixes her stare on the TV awaiting the DW show, she also liked a TV programme about herds of elephants and one about wild dogs...but she loves Cesar!
Eddie went into follower zone the quickest of all the Terriers who are leashed on a walk. She used to pull for 7 years then no more - all loose leash walking now. In the beginning she did not need much discipline to achieve loose leash and only a couple of corrections..she got it and has never pulled since! Patsy, by the way, has not worn a leash for many years she always is behind me!
So you see even naturally alpha dogs can be insecure as leaders in our domestic world and give it up to a human who is prepared to be their leader in a way they can understand = calm assertive energy.
Let me share an example of calm assertive energy from a Terrier...Yes Eddie again. I have seen Eddie go into the pack of my dogs out on a walk where one of the Setters, Lucy, had stumbled over ..literally... injured prey! I feared the pack would fight over the prey as they all charged in.. but Eddie stepped-in and claimed it with pure calm assertive energy - the rest of the pack simply...and calmly... backed-off! The rat was "Eddie's kill" and there was not even one dog who challenged this and neither did she need to use fight energy to claim it...it was calm and highly assertive, then she gave it up to me once I claimed it...as I didn't want her bringing it home!
I tell this story only to show you one of the unique ways that I learn what calm assertive energy is from my pack - as dogs understand it, this was amazing to watch Eddie who claimed the prey without triggering any fight behaviour between the pack...especially the Terriers.
What are your dogs teaching you? I learn something new everyday...thanks Pack!
