...When I think back to picking out boo—all those years ago, but now equipped with the knowledge learned from wolves regarding their behaviour and pack structure, with hindsight I can say—without a shadow of a doubt—I picked an Alpha ranking puppy.

The natural ranking of wolves and dogs is decided through genetics in the same way it is in humans. Our genetic make-up decides whether we naturally tend to give orders or take them, lead or follow, make decisions or wait for them to be made for us. Body language, posture, and behaviour often reveal a human's 'natural rank;' those traits can also make it obvious if we are bluffing. The same applies to dogs.

I now know that when I went to pick out Boo her behaviour and body language were screaming tell-tale signs of her being an Alpha. The Alpha—top rank, pack leader, and decision maker—runs the pack from a safe distance.

Many misinterpret the Alpha, or pack leader, as the braver more forward animal; in human terms we create the stereotype of an 'Alpha male' as a stocky tough individual. In reality you'll discover that stereotype to be more comparable with the Beta, second in line to the Alpha; the Beta is the disciplinarian in the pack after the Alpha has made the decision from the side line.

The Alpha holds back so as not to jeopardise its safety and subsequently the safety of the pack, while the Beta takes the front-line ready and waiting for the Alpha's decision.

There were two puppies left in the litter when I went to pick Boo. One raced straight over to me, proceeded to climb excitedly over me, and happily chewed on my hair. That pup was the larger and stockier of two and seemed very confident—possibly too confident.

The other pup, however, after eventually deciding to grace us with her presence, came across to greet us briefly before bypassing and diverting her attention to finding a bed in which to lay—half-in, half-out—way off in the corner of the kitchen. She hung back on introductions with a regal air and seemed much less forward than the other puppy. When I sat next to her, stroking her, she seemed particularly unamused—I was disturbing her sleep; she got up and moved to go sleep under the kitchen chair instead.

Boo continues to do sleeping very well!
Who do you think was the Alpha? And which of the puppies did I come home with?

Emily and Boo