The existence of hierarchical divisions in wolf packs Although the wildness of the wolf era has become diluted, the basic life pattern of wolves as fellow canids has been inherited from generation to generation in the dog bloodline Wolves live in the large family of wolf packs, and their movement and hunting are carried out as a pack. In order for this large collective to move in an orderly manner, leadership and discipline are needed. For this reason, wolves are divided into a pack leader and wolves who follow orders and are in an inferior position, and this system is similar to a class system. It is because under the class system, wolves have a clear hierarchy among themselves that they are able to suppress fighting among their peers, and they work together to hunt efficiently. They are generally considered to have their own duties and act accordingly. Dogs also judge their masters in terms of comparative strength. Domestic dogs bred by humans inherit the hierarchical habits of the wolf era intact, although they do not live in a group. From puppyhood, dogs show differences between siblings in terms of superiority and inferiority, and when they encounter dogs in the neighborhood on walks, they also rank each other. If there was no ranking, dogs would be in a difficult situation of fighting with nearby dogs throughout the year. (Who is the most important in the dog’s mind) For domestic dogs, because people are also part of the pack, ranking is also necessary. In most cases, dogs will look to the person who is physically larger and appears stronger than they are as the alpha, however this is not always the case. It is the same between dogs, not only physically strong is the condition to be the leader. Just like humans, if there is no strength to lead their kind, the person is not recognized as the leader even if he or she is strong. Class consciousness in dogs What is the period when class consciousness emerges in dogs? It starts at birth, when a mother dog gives birth to about 5-6 pups at a time. Dogs develop a sense of class among their siblings during the weaning period, which occurs 4-5 weeks after birth.
