Why did Mit-sah put Lip Lip at teh head of the sled team?

Mit-sah saw the way Lip Lip tormented the other dogs. As young as he was, Mit-sah knew that putting Lip Lip up front would stop the behavior and turn the tables.

In the past he had observed Lip-lip’s persecution of White Fang; but at that time Lip-lip was another man’s dog, and Mit-sah had never dared more than to shy an occasional stone at him.  But now Lip-lip was his dog, and he proceeded to wreak his vengeance on him by putting him at the end of the longest rope.  This made Lip-lip the leader, and was apparently an honour! but in reality it took away from him all honour, and instead of being bully and master of the pack, he now found himself hated and persecuted by the pack.