The phone rang at 8 a.m. sharp. The woman's voice on the other end trembled, "Sparky, my Jack Russell Terrier, has suddenly become aggressive. He's tried to bite me twice already today," she said. "Last night he attacked my husband for no reason." I don't know why he's turned so mean. We've never whipped him or mistreated him, and we certainly do love him. If we can't make him treat us better, we'll have to get rid of him," she sobbed. "Do you think you can help us?"

Sounds like another dog with an owner problem, I thought as I hung up the phone and made note of the appointment date. If owners were better informed about the genetic operating characteristics of their pets, they could avoid such problems.

Dogs are, by nature, social animals. Indeed, incorporating a dog into a family can be a wonderfully uniting experience. But certain risks may be involved for uninformed owners. When they begin to view their dog as a full-fledged family member, they often make two critical mistakes. First, many owners fall into the anthropomorphic trap -- they impart human qualities and emotions to the dog. Because they humanize the animal in this way, they now make a second, and more critical, mistake -- they begin to treat the dog as an equal.

These well-intended, but misguided practices are responsible for most of the behavior problems I see in dogs. They result from mistaken notions about how dogs think and why they behave as they do.

Let's examine the second issue first -- the tendency to treat dogs as equals. One reason dogs make great family pets is their social nature. But social animals are pack animals. Pack animals relate to other members of their group, not on the basis of equality and reciprocity, but according to a well-defined rank-order system. Knowing one's place in the system is a critical aspect of canine psychology. A dog must understand how to subordinate to leaders and at the same time exert dominance over lower-ranking members of the pack. A clearly delineated rank structure system is a stabilizing influence in the dog's life.

A dog perceives his human family as members of his pack. Therefore, it's essential for a dog's well-being that his human owner assume a leadership role.

Acknowledging authority removes the pressures and responsibilities involved with leadership which the dog would otherwise be forced to accept. The calming influence of subordinating to an established leader can never be present in a world where the dog is treated as an equal by his owners. Moreover, treating the dog as an equal is unhealthy from a psychological perspective: it thwarts the animal's genetic need to follow an established leader.

This requirement can often be met through obedience training. Training is much more than a process of subordination in which the dog learns to behave according to his owner's wishes. It's establishing behavioral boundaries to an organism in need of psychological structure.

It's essential that owners understand that relegating their dog to an inferior status within the family pack is not a form of suppression or disrespect. On the contrary, it's recognition and acceptance of the animal's genetic past. Many owners are unaware of the genetic pack instinct of their dog, and they continue to treat the dog as an equal, while refusing to accept the responsibility of leadership. They don't realize that this practice forces the dog to accept an alpha role within the family pack.

This is an unhealthy and unfair position in which to place a beloved family member. Moreover, if the dog has an assertive temperament, he'll develop aggressive behavior patterns, as did Sparky, the Jack Russell Terrier mentioned earlier. These animals will begin to challenge other (lower ranking) family members for privileges, objects, and territorial space which "belong" to the pack leader. Growls become snaps, and eventually bites. Finally, a full-blown attack may result.

Sparky's owners didn't have a dog problem. Rather, Sparky had a people problem -- his owners didn't understand his operating characteristics. Making them aware of Sparky's genetic tendencies was the first step in solving the problem.

The other problem, already mentioned, is anthropomorphic thinking -- attributing human qualities to animals. It's because of this anthropomorphism that dogs are treated as equals. Viewing our pets as little humans causes owners to baby and coddle their pets. These activities are contrary to the evolutionary history of canines. They're counterproductive and confusing to the animal.

Dogs that are constantly pampered, coddled, and catered to cannot understand the source of these confusing behaviors. They're constantly allowed on the couch or the owner's lap where they receive excessive amounts of petting and fondling. These habits are intended to express feelings of love and affection; however, the dog's interpretation of these behaviors is quite different.

In nature, leaders are most often groomed by subordinates. Thus, what owners intend as acts of affection are often perceived by their dogs as acts of subordination. Consequently, these dogs will not develop the proper relationship with their owners, and will probably never be properly trained. Moreover, owners who engage in such practices will never correct or discipline their pets, because they fear the dog may not "love" them. These owners often feel confused and betrayed when their beloved pets growl, snap, and often bite them as Sparky did.

Dogs with owners who anthropomorphize are often confused and unhappy. They have no rules or structure in their world. They're forced to assume a leadership role, which carries enormous amounts of pressure. They live in a world of inconsistency, double standards, and ambiguous signals.

Overindulgent owners can unintentionally create an intolerable situation for their dog. Indirectly, excessive indulgence and leniency can be considered a subtle form of cruelty. That's why I tell every one of my clients, including Sparky's owners, that obedience training is undoubtedly the most humane thing you can do for your dog. He'll love and respect you for it.