I'm the same, I love a good debate but am not interested in arguing,
hehe I'm too lazy to continue when it gets to argument point. Far less energy needed to just walk away.
I think one of the biggest problems (which absurdly could have been one of the best selling points had it been stuck solely) with reference to JF's work, is the concept of it being borne from Monty Robert's work. Monty Roberts being the horse whisperer, who, undeniably, did remarkable things with horses, and is without doubt, a master of his craft. Had she have stuck to that basic premise, then I don't think half of the controversy and, in some cases, bizarre vitriol towards both her and her methods would exist today.
However, she does constantly refer to the "wolf", "pack", "alpha", and so forth. That is not to say I find what she says invalid at all, but rather that, valid or not, it really doesn't need emphasising, and that the reader really doesn't get much value at all from taking it on-board either.
Let's take one of the most controversial points; gesture eating. JF claims that this is beneficial because the alphas eat first, and so, therefore, by eating something before your dog, you emphasise your alpha status. I have seen people react so vehemently against this advice.
Now, I take the advice, and great, if it does help to reinforce any "alpha" status all the better. However, that's not really why I use it. As I'm munching away, I'm watching my dog sitting patiently beside me with her eyes focused squarely on me, when she could just as easily run around like a catherine wheel firework by my legs. I consider this a crucial time in my dog's daily routine to expand her concentration levels by sitting patiently and politely, with her attention being where it may well need to be in a life-threatening situation one day, firmly on me. The alpha status is very much a secondary benefit, it it exists at all.
I didn't really want to get too much into the wolves issue of the debate as the answer, for me at least, is that I simply don't have a clue. It could be fully relevant, it could be completely useless. Who is to say? However, pod add an interesting facet to the argument; chimps are a completely different genus all together and so I have to be honest, I can't see how relevant that is either. Further, I don't think anyone can say that chimps have in any way enjoyed the closeness and special relationship which has been enjoyed between man and dog/wolf over the years.
Earlier you mentioned about your preferred behaviourist deserting his old ideas of the pack mentality in preference of his new theories. Could it not be equally fair to suggest (as some do with JF) that he too realised that, sometimes, nothing sells better and quicker than a new idea, and so to do a u-turn especially when it's a u-turn packed with 'revolutionary' new methods and ideas, may not always be for the right reasons? This may not be the case at all, but I think one has to respect that the possibility always exists, for any author or professional.
Continuing on, if you really had to push me between is pack mentality important or isn't it, I would err on the side of yes. It's a pretty poor source, I concede, but, the more documentaries I watch (about most animals) the more I respect that the 'pack' or family grouping structure is not only important, but absolutely vital in some species. Without it, they simply wouldn't have, and couldn't have, survived to enjoy the rich and robust lives they enjoy today. I see it as a very primitive form of our society structure. We trust those at the top to do the right thing to further us and to protect us. We, in turn, work and pay back to those who do this. (Albeit begrudgingly
) Actually, in some ways, their structure is far better than ours, and, I'm sure, far less vulnerable to corruption, as breaking the 'law' in pack terms can have absolutely fatal consequences in some cases. Here, you might just get voted out at the next election.
Where I leave the pack bus however, is on the issue of how much this needs to be emphasised in dog training, or needs to be at the forefront of any trainer's mind. I truly believe that, from the average trainer's persective, we can forget making reference to the wolf pack and the alpha status. Accept that we have learned, for whatever reason, the dog needs to know its position in the family, needs to have trust in the owner, needs to respect the owner's decisions, and needs to allow the owner to make those decisions before it. I really don't think it matters at all as to why we need to do that. It's just basic common sense that we would apply to any creature with a lesser capacity of intellect and reasoning than us, and in fact, we apply to our own children.
P.S. Absolutely no apology needed re Blondi.