Buck is smarter and more determined than other dogs from the South. In chapter three, London writes about Spitz's surprise at Buck:
...for of the many Southland dogs he had known, not one had shown up worthily in camp and on trail. They were all too soft, dying under the toil, the frost, and starvation. Buck was the exception. He alone endured and prospered, matching the husky in strength, savagery, and cunning.
While in some respects Buck's background as a pet puts him at a disadvantage (for instance, his paws are not as tough as the other dogs', to the point where he must wear improvised moccasins for protection), in other respects it gives him an edge. When it comes time for the final showdown with Spitz, Buck's strength and fury are no a match for the more experienced dog. Instead, the factor that allows Buck to defeat Spitz is his "imagination"; Buck can fight with his head as well as by instinct. He is able to trick Spitz into defending against a charge when in at the last moment Buck turns and breaks his foreleg. It's clear that Buck is the superior dog.
Spitz is the undisputed alpha dog of the trail. He's used to getting his own way and never being challenged for dominance or control. So when Buck comes along it's a bit of a shock to the system. Spitz feels his supremacy threatened by this upstart newcomer and his enormous strength and bravery. He tries to put Buck in his place by brutally attacking him, tearing his flesh to the bone. But all he gets for his troubles is a good whipping from Francois. From now on, it's war between the two dogs.
What is especially puzzling for Spitz is that Buck is the first Southland dog who's ever shown any kind of strength or fortitude. All the other Southland dogs he's ever come across were way too soft; they never had what it took to withstand the privations of life on the trail. But Buck is different: he matches Spitz in strength, savagery, and cunning. That makes him a serious threat to Spitz's previously unchallenged authority.
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