Update and Schenkel

So a bit of an update from me as I haven't updated my blog for a while now. 


Had a busy, hectic couple of weeks :) During lateish may Lisa, Emma and I went up to Learning About Dogs and did a fab workshop with Kay Lawrence, focussing on Collies Games (that is, games that are inclusive of natural collie behaviours rather than seeking to suppress or frustrate them). Mainly worked on stuff like sheepballs (and getting my head around what I should be doing) as well as tug games and use as a reward etc. A really interesting day. I always learn so much at LADs and have several "Oh... that's why he does that!!!" moments. Would highly recommend their workshops. My plan is to get some more workshops booked for the summer months (for either or both dogs) and really get going on some stuff. It should be good. 
I had a bit of a set-back recently with my lad, which was totally my fault. In retrospect though, the only thing you can do in the case of set-backs/regressions is to learn from your mistakes and put measures and work in place so that next time it doesn't happen. That's what we're going to do and we'll get there :)
I've finally decided to get my bum in gear when it comes to getting a good distance learning qualification under my belt. 


Assuming I want something that is behaviour based and reasonably challenging, really I've got two options. The first is a course with the Animal Care College either "Modifying Canine Aggression" or "Behaviour Modification for Professionals". For both of these courses you have to take a Health and Safety module at an additional course,. 
The second option, and this is the one that I've more or less finally decided on, is the COAPE CO7 Diploma qualifying course. It covers various aspects of animal behaviour (wolf behaviour, canine behaviour and training, an intro to feline behaviour, psychology of learning, ethology) and you get to do a special case study at the end. 
My plan is to get this done and then eventually (when I've got more time), work towards the COAPE diploma :) Should be great- I'm really excited :)


And finally the topic of today's post...


I was having a browse on the web as you do and found the following:
http://www.davemech.org/schenkel/index.html


It is a link from the personal website of David Mech, a biologist responsible for various studies on wolf behaviour. He is currently involved in a study of wolf social behavior and ecology on Ellesmere Island, Canada. See his Ellesmere blog, with observations and results here. 


In the original link, he has sourced Schenkel's (1947) "Expressions studies on wolves", translated into English. Many of you will be aware of the significance of Schenkel; it was his observations and these studies that gave birth to the "alpha wolf" concept; which as Mech describes is now understood to be outdated, "we (now) understand that most wolf packs consist of a pair of adults called “parents” or “breeders,” (not “alphas”), and their offspring". 


Of course this is of particular significance because as we all know, it is this "alpha wolf" concept that led to the popularity and is a key "ideology" of dominance theory; a theory that wrongly anthropomorphises and misinterprets canine and wolf behaviour, through suggestion of strict hierarchical structures and existence of status seeking behaviours that we can attribute to (and should react accordingly to) in domestic dogs. 


An examination of the Schenkel's (IMO flawed) study is essential if we intend to oppose the theories and observations that it proposes.




Happy reading folks :)