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By Jo Gamm Witt
I’m not always sure what leads to whom wins out as the “alpha,” the leader, when it comes to dogs. With some animals the leader is the elder. I recall growing up on the farm when we’d be moving cattle from one pasture to another, that my Dad would say to get the elder to go where we want, and that the others would follow her. But at least with my dogs, I’m not so sure that age is necessarily the determining factor. I think personality has quite a bit to do with it, but with my dogs it also has to do with breed. Tinker is my oldest, but she also is half Chow Chow, and Chow Chows tend to be dominant dogs. Even at her age of nearly 15, Tinker puts my one-year-old sheltie Rhayna in her place any time she tries to dominate her, by rolling her over, standing over her and growling. Rhayna has the personality of an alpha, but Tinker is more than twice her size and is able to still assert her authority over her. And then there’s Sivana. Sivana is submissive. She never tries to dominate anyone. When you think about it, you can’t have a leader without also having a follower. Sivana is a follower, while Tinker and Rhayna vie for the leadership role.
Sometimes people like to think they are so much different than animals, but I find it interesting to note the similarities. Among people, too, we have those with more “alpha” personalities who vie to lord it over others. To some extent it’s part of the order of society, that there will always be some who are in authority over us while perhaps we are also in authority over others as well. There are those with more dominating personalities; those who are leaders, and others who are followers.
Personally I tend to be much more like Sivana, not much one to try to dominate others. I wouldn’t characterize myself as a follower, however; more so an independent thinker.
How about you?
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