i would say that dogs think humans are very strange dogs

just as humans try to anthropomorphise dogs


dogs just like humans can be dominant or submissive, why else will one dog run up and roll on its back to greet you? yet another remain aloof ?

some dogs are more dominant in thier character than others (just like humans)

whether you believe in pack theory or not, some dogs do or will attempt to 'rule the roost' and can make thier owners lives very difficult.


badwolf

Well. I can see we are never going to agree so ill leave it at this. Yes it is their personalities but i still dont see them as being dominant as that makes it sound like they are forcing themselves above everyone else. I think its more just a pushy characteristic, misscommunication by both species, or some times its a learned behaviour and the dog has been brought up thinking that behaviour is acceptable. Dominance is often assumed for a lot of behaviours, like sitting on the sofa, not being obediant and walking through doors first. All of which is a load of bull. The sofa is comfier then the floor, the dogs never been trained properly and doesnt understand the commands, and the dogs excited and wants to get outside. I dont see any truly dominant behaviours.

Yes but you will find that dominant dogs are usually the last out the door and the happiest to lay on the floor rather than the sofa. Dominant dogs are cool and collected in almost any situation. What use would a loopy, crazy dog be as a pack leader in the wild?

It's very easy to say a poorly trained, misbehaved dog is dominant but it's not the case. Dogs don't refuse to get off the sofa because they are dominant; in my experience they usually see the sofa as a safe elevated area where they they are comfortable, they usually don't want to get down because they fear something and the aggresion shown is fear aggression. It is the most insecure dogs not dominant dogs that show behaviours commonly mistaken as dominance.

Dogs do not try to "rule the roost" but they are opportunists by nature and if allowed to take the pee they will do. It's poor training on the owners behalf not dominance.

If you really look at pack theory it's all about training (not dominance) but in a negative way, surely it's easier and kinder to train using positive methods?

Dogs with food aggression don't know their boundaries because they have not been trained well and that is nothing to do with dominance.

In summary pack theory is a load of rubbish in my opinion; it's an easy answer to problems that if you really think about it makes no sense at all. Dogs are not that stupid that they think we are "very strange dogs".

Hi , i have two GSDS neither have food aggression, with the family or each other, i can take food out of bowl add food take something they should not have no growls nothing, they will leave when told to, and wait till i say they can have meals, the only thing that bothers my two are toys they will not share those, but everything else they are great on, i did the food thing from first having them , as for a pack well i have to say they run like a pack when out together and scrap to who gets out of door first thats the only prob we have with them , both are entire males and the same age, i have just written this simple as im not into all this teckie stuff

There's no doubt dogs are pack animals but what I'm saying is we as humans are not part of their pack and never will be. Dogs are not dominant over humans but given the chance they will take advantage of situations, especially if they are poorly trained and/or don't know their boundaries.

I agree with you Alan , i dont think they see us as pack leaders at all but we are of a higher form so able to train them, i think if left to their own devices they will just do as nature tells them , So good training is the key to most problems , just my opinion . and im am far from perfect at training but doing my best, lol.

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Having read the original post and some of the replies...

I am thinking that isn't this an issue for the owner to sort out.. and maybe there are too many people trying to be the boss of this dog, therefor confusing him. And I would be very careful with him.. If he were to bite you who would you blame?

I would possibly gate a dog crate for him and feed him in there so he feels that he has his own space.. I wouldn't aggravate the problem any further.. We all know how we feel when someone reprimands us.

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Sounds to me like the dog has more respect for you than its owners! Couldn't you take in on full time so he has some routine and doesn't get moved from pillar to post?

have you tried a food orietated toy like a kong? My dog loves it, keeps bringing it to me to stuff with crumpets and then we play with it together. I think the hand feeding is a good idea so he associates you with food. Sounds like the owners / sister has made this problem much worse. sorry