Has anyone ever studied the behavior of pack animals when they are missing their alpha leader? Has anyone ever watched Caesar Milan when he is coaching dog owners into being an alpha leader instead of an omega follower, or Meerkat Manor and the cute animal with its strong communal group? These are really interesting observations and they may have more to do with humans than we think.

Nearly all social organisms have some type of leader, usually called an alpha, that keeps the pack or communal group together and functioning efficiently. The most interesting portion of this concept is what happens when the social order loses the alpha leader. Here is what Wikipedia says about this:

Ideally, the dominant/submissive social structure of dogs avoids conflict and enforces social stability. Poorly socialized dogs who are inept at establishing dominance hierarchy may become involved in excess conflicts…

Let’s see what Cesar Millan says:

In the wild, a dog’s very survival depends on a strong, stable and organized pack, where every member knows its place and follows the rules established by the pack leader. The pack instinct is perhaps the strongest natural motivator for a dog.

…A dog that doesn’t trust it’s… pack leader becomes unbalanced and often exhibits unwanted or anti-social behavior.

Does any of this sound familiar? Does it sound like what is going on in our own “pack” — namely America? If you are asking yourself, “So! What are you getting at?” Well, lets take a look at why the pack is so important.

Take a run-of-the-mill dog. Since dogs are an ancestor to the wolf, it desperately needs the pack to feel complete and safe since it is a social animal, so as soon as someone brings a dog into a household, it will do its best to “feel” out the family hierarchy to find where it fits in the order. There are two scenarios that can happen; one, the dog figures out that it is a follower and the humans are the leaders, or it observes the lack of leadership within the family and assumes the position of alpha.

The problem with the latter is not all dogs are suited for the alpha role, especially within the constructs of a human social group, which is significantly more complex than a dog pack. The result is a dog that is insecure with its role and can become anxious, nervous, unpredictable, depressed, manic, easily angered and/or overprotective. As far as social animals go, an animal would rather be omega than not know where they stand at all. To correct this, all you need to do is learn to become the leader that the dog is so hungry for.




So, what exactly makes an alpha leader anyway? Cesar says, “The pack leader doesn’t project emotional or nervous energy… If you don’t set rules, boundaries and limitations in calm-assertive ways, your dog will not respect you.” The leader rules by example, through power and calm assertiveness, and lack of fear and being proactive is essential, but never rule with aggression, anger, bullying or being reactive. The most important aspect is that the leadership position is earned, through proving that it can handle any situation with calm-assertive, powerful energy.

Knowing this information, who is America’s leader? Bush? Does Bush have these above attributes? Obviously not! Look at his pack. Are we calm and submissive to his orders as a whole? Are we faithful in his leadership as a whole? OR…

Do we resemble the pack without an alpha leader? Anxious, angry, nervous, depressed, lack of harmony, unbalanced and lack of trust are all great descriptions of America, and a pack without a true alpha leader. I even see all sorts of pseudo-leaders trying to fill the void. Just look around you. They are everywhere. These people will exhibit aggressive, dominant behavior trying to tell everyone how it is and how to act.

“If the human species destroys itself, it will be because of its disposition to follow unstable pack leaders. And, if diplomacy could be carried out with calm assertiveness and calm submission, we could resolve our differences without aggression. Your mission to teach the people in third-world countries to offer reciprocal fulfillment could, indeed, bring world peace. For if love nurtures the state of mind and only the calm and submissive are fed, then the whole paradigm of human behavior shifts.” -Adrian S. Windsor Ph.D Written to Cesar Millan

If anyone wants to know the quality of a leader, just look at the pack it is supposed to lead. If the pack is chaotic and unbalanced then the answer is plain and simple — Bad Leadership! Period! Bush… you suck. Sorry.