Thats true. It really annoys me and makes my blood boil. some behaviourists put every behaviour down to dominance and half the time its either a really stupid thing such as barking at the postman or looking out the window, or something clearly fear related. People who are obsessed with dominance make me sick.

Dogs bark at postmen, milkmen, window cleaners as they come into the garden and then go away again, first time the dog barks the 'thing' it's barked at goes away - for the dog problem solved, everytime it happens the 'thing' goes away. Dog saying I'm here go away. Katie barks at the kids in the street when they're playing football or if she can hear them playing football she grumbles because the kids kick the ball into the garden and then go away again, other strange noises she'll bark at, I see it as she is saying I'm here, who's there? Katie is anything but dominant - toddler can take her meaty bone off her and inspect it without her even bothering, if my 2 year old tells her to sit (as long as it's clearly said) she'll sit, he says ball she gets her ball. It's training and learnt behaviours.
I might be way off the mark though, lol.

You sure it's not a dominance issue?

it could be, perhaps she's dominating the worms or the ants in the garden .....

I caught my toddler going to taste the raw bone the other day, lol, he had to be told that it wasn't his bone, I went and got him a chicken drumstick to eat (cooked of course) so he could have a bone like 'kakie'. My mum says he's a wolf boy.

Well you know what to do.....

get the ant spray out?

I would definately put a stop to it now. Even the humping of the pillows is a sign of dominance so do not tolerate this behaviour. Whatever he does that you do not agree with just take him by the collar and lead him off saying a firm NO, he will soon get the message. He is definately pushing you.

My Doberman has never been allowed on the chairs and I remember when he was about 6 months old my daughter phoned me at work to say that she had tried to get him off and he had bared his teeth at her! Thankfully she dragged him off anyway and shut him in his cage and ignored him for half an hour. He has never tried it again.

Most entire males will try it on at some point but you must never let them get the upper hand, castration will help.

I disagree entirely. It is nothing to do with dominance.

Also, castration is NOT a substitute for proper training and does not always alter behaviour in what we would view in a positive way. In lots of cases (especially fear aggression based ones) it can make matters worse.

Fadey's right, he is trying to climb up the household heirarchy (pack) and see's you as an easy touch, NOW is the time to put him back in his place, be bold and firm but fair.

Does your other half dote on him? That must stop, I did dote on my Border Collie and we've had problems with her getting above her station cos she's "Daddy's Girl" Trying to put that right now!

Dogs need to be led or they will take over!

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Yes, mine are awake at nights plotting world domination.

If the above is true, how come my dogs are mummy and daddies babies, absolutely doted on, never get told off, (other than a firm and quiet 'no' or 'oi') are allowed on the sofas and the beds, fed before us (shock horror!) go through doors before us sometimes (if we allow them to) occasionally get fed from our plates, get rolled around on the floor with, etc etc I don't believe in or practice dominance theory at all, yet my dogs are some of the most well trained and best behaved I have ever seen?