Animal facts - The Pack Leaders

wolf pack

In every society there is a leader, a certain wolf, jackdaw, deer or monkey. He or she can order the others about, even punish them, but they must not retaliate. The next in command bosses the rest, but respects the leader. So it goes right down the ranks to the lowest position. Everyone keeps to his rank. This condition was first studied among farmyard hens, and is called the 'pecking order'.

All the time, however, the young males keep on challenging the leader, and try to take his place. Sometimes there are serious fights between rival wolves and deer, but deaths are rare. It would be foolish to kill one another, because the strength of a social group is in its numbers, and the way in which it bands together to face danger from outside.

Dogs are descended from wolves and are also pack animals. A dog treats its human family as a pack, and its master becomes the pack leader. If well trained it will obey its leader or master, and even fight to defend him. This attachment to a master is so strong in some dogs that they have been known to travel for miles when lost in order to find their way home.

The habit of protecting a territory can be seen almost every day in the way a dog behaves. It is guarding its home and master, so when a stranger arrives it barks furiously and may even bite, as every postman knows. Man will defend his chosen territory in just the same way. A small nation will bravely fight a much bigger one which invades its country. The pages of history are filled with tales of such bravery of countries and soldiers who, with their 'backs to the wall', would rather die than give in.