A dog looks upon your family as its pack family so "one dog does not a pack make" isn't quite true. My sons dog thinks he is the pack leader until he comes to visit when he takes a lower status part. He is still feisty but he knows who feeds him and walks behind my heels when we go "walkies". My son sometimes has him pulling on his lead just to be in the front. [/quote]

Also, I don't belive that a dog is a true pack animal and even if it was it wouldn't make a pack with its human family as it has no need, it has all its resources there from you so does not need to raise its status over its human family as it has everything it needsn from you anyway.

In my opinion, Dominance in dogs is just a myth, dogs do not pull, or walk through doorways first to raise status, it does it because it hasn't never been taught not to and so it has no reason not to run at what he wants to get to.

Yeah, dogs (canis familiaris) were descended from wolves, but that is the key word, just there.... DESCENDED. They are not wolves.

They have evolved and changed so much, they do not live in the same type of pack structure as a wof does, it has no need. There are dogs that are overly yappy and some that are subdued barkers, when a wolf barks, it does it very quielty and very rarely.

Wolves skulls and brain sizes, coats and coulours have stayed the same for thousands of years, where as now we have dogs of all different types and structures, coulours, temprements and ilks.

This is just my opinion!!

__________________
Life isn't about learning to weather the storm, its about learnng to dance in the rain...

Yes dogs can be depressed, usually caused when an owner is told by a therapist to treat it as a pack animal, which it isn't, and use rank reduction, turfing him off the furniture, when he has been allowed to sleep on it for thelast three years etc. The dog may see this as a punishment and by misenterpritation, become subdued and depressed.

I would love to know your opinion on rescue dogs, and weather they hold grudges, they 'remember' their past and react because of it?

__________________
Life isn't about learning to weather the storm, its about learnng to dance in the rain...

Blondie - the first part of your thread said: "I am studying for a intermediate diploma in Canine Therapy and Behaviour....At the moment my topic is The evolution of dogs to wolves, and whether they did actually evolve and become different or whether domestic dogs are actually wolves in dogs clothing.". Both Sweet Pea and I have taken time out to try and find references which might help you. Selkie, in particular, left her own research project to give very extensive posts while I did some Googling to find my references. Now you tell us that you were only asking for opinions and that you are, after all, an experienced dog trainer and handler who doesn't believe much of the published data in respect of dogs and wolves.

In my opinion you are commiting the typical mistake which many inexperienced researchers make. You are trying to find answers which support your own ideas while shutting your mind to alternatives which question them. A good researcher needs to be able to stand back and question his/her data objectively and then make a balanced judgement of the facts. You, apparently, already have the answers to your original question and have closed your mind to any alternatives.

The next time that I see, or hear, of a group of domestic dogs worrying sheep I will put it down, not to a pack instinct originating from wolves but to some myths put around by dog haters. Oh and you'll need to check your thesis carefully for spelling errors.

arn't you nice people? I have not closed my mind at all.

__________________
Life isn't about learning to weather the storm, its about learnng to dance in the rain...

we are actually!! you are confusing a debate for a personal attack, there is no need, no one is personally attacking you babes

I cannot discuss this since it will result in a ping-pong game of opinion.
I have spent time reading, discussing, talking, debating and rereading more than the books I suggested that you look at...most of which were written after years of proper scientific and behavioural research amongst many wolves, dogs and breeds. The authors are regarded by their peers as authoratative and their research, published in respected journals, has been validated and built upon.
Their research has not supported your position.
If you would like to start with your hypotheses and spend years doing research, analysis, comparisons and proofs,I will then read your work too and place it next to theirs for comparison. So will they.
Otherwise, your POV is just that.
As someone "doing a course on"...may I suggest that, as Esca says, yu correct your spelling but also learn how research is properly done...it is not done by asserting your personal view as the only valid one.
As often said in the Dragon's Den, I'm out.

Sorry...that "YOU" correct your spelling.

Off to walk my lovely obedient dogs!!

what have I missed here?

That you totally misunderstand.
Lucky LUCKY them.
And please do not pic on my spelling, that goes for all of you.

__________________
Life isn't about learning to weather the storm, its about learnng to dance in the rain...

Wi doo yu av truble with yoar worms?