The more we try to understand dogs, the more we come to realize that their behavior cannot be explained in simple terms. Dogs are not only living organisms, they are complex systems embedded in our life and our society. By definition a system is a group of elements, units or subsystems that form a complex and unified whole. The essential principles of an organism, or living system arise from the interactions and relationships among the other systems or parts that constitute the whole. These principles are impaired when the system is analyzed or reduced to isolated parts.
The beauty of the holistic philosophy is that we can understand dog behavior by applying techniques that are based on natural laws found in all living systems. The basic principles of holistic thinking give us a new perspective of our dogs and ourselves.
In order to have a happy, healthy and well behaved dog we need to move in a holistic direction and create a strong foundation on which dogs and humans are able to interact, form a bond and be in harmony with the environment.
