OBEDIENCE BASED ON RESPECT

Tam Cordingley, CSI Instructor, SAAB Member

 All animals, including horses, learn respect for authority within minutes of their birth but then we humans allow them to forget. 

The mare foals (gives birth) somewhat removed from the main herd. Shortly after birth she bonds with her foal and teaches it instant obedience.

The young of all hoofed animals learn to nurse, run, and follow Mama closely within the first 2 or 3 hours of birth.  Instinctively, they respect the first authority figure in their new life.

A fawn is taught to lie motionless at a very early age. It is small and vulnerable so nature gives it very little scent and its mother teaches it to lie quietly, right where she left it, until she returns. This baby has learned respect.  If it moves she will butt it back down in no uncertain terms.

Horses, goats, sheep and deer are creatures of flight. They need these skills to avoid being eaten.

Why Dogs Must Learn Respect

Dogs are creatures of attack. They learn at a different pace. A puppy begins to learn at 21 days of age. Think of a wolf pack. As the cubs begin to walk they need to learn the pack rules. Don't wander away from the den, don't soil the den, don't steal food from other dogs. In the wild, when Mom leaves to go hunt, the pups need to stay put. The den must stay clean so the scent doesn't draw predators to kill the babies. The pack has a distinct order.

Each member has a place in that order and so the family unit works well. The Mom demands respect and enforces obedience from the pups by a low growl with her mouth over the muzzle of the offending pup.

Dogs are great pets because a dog pack is very similar to human families. The traits that make wolf pups fit into the pack makes dog pups fit into our lives. The dam teaches the pups to be good pack members during the all important 3-7 week phase/ This learning to learn period is what is missed by the puppy mill puppy.  Often backyard breeders sell the pups as soon as they are eating, neither knowing nor caring that the dog is forever deprived of this important dog education.

In our craving to be liked, we imprint foals, try to reason with human babies, and allow dogs to grow up like Topsy. God forbid we make them respect us. Dogs need leadership. They need to respect and obey a leader or they are perpetually pushing to be the leader. Every pack needs a leader, a deputy, and a pecking order. Even a flock of chickens respects the leader, from which we get the term pecking order.

When a puppy enters your family it needs to be handled with respect and with care and it must be taught to respect your rights. It is cute when a puppy bites but it should never be tolerated. It shows a lack of respect for you, the leader. From the time a dog enters your home it is your job to mold the dog into a dog you want to live with. 

An adult dog may behave in a disobedient manner but if he is reminded of what his dam and littermates taught him about pack order and respect, he will strive to fit in.

Respect is a 7 letter word that speaks volumes. Think of respect within the family, for God, for the law, for life, for each other. How many problems in society could be resolved by respect for ourselves and our fellow beings? Perhaps we can learn respect by teaching respect.

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