2 years ago like a format and obedient dog social of the dog owner have more than a little to do with how a group get along with one another. State of mind is the only area which I agree completely with and if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. A nervous owner transmit that emotional energy to the dog, and as has often pointed out, nervousness or fearfulness are what drive much of the behavior dogs that is problematic. I agree with Debbie. I have 2 sisters, a brother and their mom. About every 3rd or 4th night one of the girls start growling when their mom or siblings try to get up and if I dont intervene we have a fight. I just place them on the floor and by the time they get back up they are no longer growling. How does being at the same 'hierarchy level' equate to the dog being dominant over us? You literally just said they're at the same level. If I'm control of the resource and I'm iving it to the dog, as per your example, then I'm tautologically control. I would define what the dog is eating if the dog is trying to eat food, that's a behaviour I 't want the dog to practice However, I do reward dogs from the table, meaning both that I'll give them something while I'm sitting at the table, or I get up from the table, go to dog, and deliver the edible item. I do this when dogs are good, and when they're engaged behaviour I want to have repeated. mind, the real issues with 'dominance' tend to occur when there isn't permission being sought or given from the person or the dog. It's all about the relationship, and it's all how we define the terms, if 'dominance' is defined as something like 'contest between members of the same species over resources,' then I'd need to find a new term. If dogs are trying to take meal, especially after being told either to leave it, or do something to me that's rude pushy behaviour. I 't think the dog is necessarily being 'dominant' at that point, but it could go down a bad path if the behaviour is allowed to continue. Likewise, if I try to take a resource from dog without previously teaching dog to give me something, I'm being the pushy and rude one, because dogs 't act that way That path can easily lead to resource guarding, which would then say is the fear of the loss of the resource. mind and experience, using force is a great way to teach a dog that, unlike dogs, we use force to communicate and get what we want with each other. I've heard plenty of stories of owners being bitten after rubbing their dog's nose eliminations one too times. Also a big key to how dogs interact is Ian Dunbar's anecdote of what his group of dogs finally did to the pushy, rude, aggressive bully who repeatedly failed to follow the groups' rules. You have both raised some interesting points, I agree that it is important to maintain signals such as growling as it is a clear warning. I would be interested to know what you would do 's situation with a dog who is resource guarding her? reaction would be to remove the growling dog but I wouldn't encourage the other dog to get up. From her post I feel I am similar to Most of the references she has suggested are the same that I have found to clarify understanding of dog behaviour. While I am also a fan of I do not agree with everything he says and does. This does not mean I have not learned enormous amount from him, and duly I list him as one of sources for enlightenment. As with I too am saddened every time I hear a person grab onto and run with a poorly understood concept. People who are not of course struggle to replicate what he achieves and this is perhaps his most important and most missed lesson what YOU as the handler bring to the the dog majorly affect how it reacts and responds any given situation. It is difficult to explain a way people can understand, and I believe this is one of 's biggest hurdles I do not find 's admission of fandom to be