Okay, here we go. "Debunked" is a relative word. It does not mean every single aspect of something isn't true.................

You probably attribute dogs not getting along to the owners and their failures etc. but it isn't so cut and dry. Violence is part of the dog world and we as owners simply endeavour to train (domesticate) our pets so this side never shows it's face. Doesn't always work as even a well trained dog sometimes can act out of character. It's you know... part of being an animal............................................ . And Alan Titchmarsh certainly seemed arrogant, as well.

.................................. And sorry I do not agree that a pack is a bitch, the male and the puppies they gave birth to. Do not agree with that at all. If that was the case, very little aggression of course would be seen as rarely is there severe aggression among litter mates etc.

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He's a failure because he cannot properly imitate what dogs do and it was absurd to even try, but he is not a failure because he is arrogant or wrong about everything. Some of the stuff he says isn't just total crap, but then that is my belief. You are allowed to have yours.

Dr. Dave Mech of the University of Minnesota, who has studied wolves in their natural habitat, claims that much of what is widely believed about wolf packs is mistaken. From observations of wolf packs on Ellesmere Island over more than a decade, he claims that natural wolf packs are not at all similar to those formed in captivity by unrelated wolves. He attributes many of the misconceptions about wolf packs to generalizations from these unnatural packs in captivity, and equates this to erroneous inferences we might draw from generalizing human behaviour from studying refugee camps.

Dr. Mech argues that the natural wolf pack is typically a family, with a breeding pair of adult wolves and their offspring, along with a few other relatives such as uncles and aunts. In such cases, the terms "alpha" and "dominant" are less appropriate than "parent." Of course, the parent wolves are both "alpha" and "dominant" (by definition), but he argues that these terms are misleading because they imply that a pack of wolves typically include multiple families and that the members assume a place in a linear hierarchy. A wolf pack should not be seen as a tribe of individuals who have an established place in a hierarchy until a younger dog usurps the role. Rather, a wolf pack should be seen as a family unit, with young wolves of age dispersing into new territories of their own, to find other wolves and begin their own family units.

Mech also states that dominance is rare in wild wolves, and does not arise from sexual competition. Because young wolves usually disperse before age two, and almost always before age three, there is little sexual tension within a pack. Instead of "dominance" and "submission," he uses the terms "assertiveness" and "passiveness" to reflect the role of the wolf in the pack. Dominant breeding pairs led the pack most of the time (71%), and initiated most new behaviours (70%). Leadership behaviour in subordinate pack members tended to be followed by dispersion

Your dog threatens you ? wouldn't put up with that from mine, and we only show them love and gentleness in turn we are creating gentle dogs it seems. Wish we had realised that with earlier dogs who sadly we followed what people did at the time (Barbara woodhouse etc).

Genuinely curious by what you mean when you say he "threatens" you?

I beg to differ on the total gentleness concept. My dogs are on the large side with very big sharp teeth. You can teach respect by respecting your dog certainly. But it's also important that they learn early on not to challenge you. Callie has never tried to get the upper hand and whoever had him before us taught him well. Sophie tried to nip me...once. And yes reflex, I clocked her on the nose. And she has never tried anything of the sort again and that was eight years ago...nipping needs to be nipped in the bud, ditto growling or showing teeth, the food giver person rules...

I stop nipping by squealing they soon get the idea it hurts and I have never had a dog that wanted to hurt me, mainly because I try my best not to hurt them. I don't think I have ever had one since I started the gentle approach challenge me either, they respond to gentleness with gentleness. Doesn't mean they don't understand and follow my commands but we achieve that by rewards of food and toys. They know who is in charge and follow us because they know we are the source of all things good.

I disagree - they follow you mainly because you are a good pack leader - and that means not just supplying the food and shelter, but by setting your rules as to how you want them to behave with their own 'pack' as well as others that they meet during their daily lives. Presumably you have trained your dogs in the basic commands - sit, come etc. it doesn't matter how you achieve this whether it be by food reward or praising, both or neither, you are achieving the same thing. You are telling your dogs what to do and that you expect them to do it - in other words you are head honcho! And being head honcho is far more complicated than mere food shelter and security. You are leading by example - your dogs respect you, trust you and are faithful and loyal to you BECAUSE you demonstrate to them that they are safe in your care.

Well that it I guess but if I hit them or was less gentle with them that would show them I was a bully. Probably get the same result but by bullying them.

I see CM as a terrible bully small man who gets what he wants with force and pushing the dogs around.
His technique of flooding is just awful.

My first encounter with the man was watching a show where he forced a huge great dane to walk on a slippery floor I got the measure of the man that day, my way would be to lay carpet or rugs down so the dog was safe his way was insist the dog risk a broken hip just so he could impose his will on it.

Not really ... Some dogs would not tolerate physical abuse and will sooner or later react. My experience is that the closer the dog is to his wild ancestor the less tolerant he is of abuse. My boy Hal was a perfect example of that and his son Ben is exactly the same but much worse because he was beaten