Is Your Dog Bossy? ( Lighthearted)

[HamBone]

Does your dog try to rule the roost when they think that they can get away with it? Our rescued Pomeranian seems to view DH as the household’s alpha dog, but DH is away this weekend and he’s turned into a tiny dictator. 🤣

He wanted two walks in quick succession yesterday evening, he growled and barked to get me up this morning, harassed me at dinner time trying to get my food, and is currently sprawled over me demanding stroking. Strangely, he’s not bothering DS, just me. What have I done to deserve this?!

I have 18 month old male lab and he is exactly like yours 🤣

Mine dictates routine to us, as in how she would like it... As in will pick up bits of kindling/ bop the log burner when she decides it's time we had it on, will sigh dramatically and walk to the bottom of the stairs and then check I'm following when it's deemed bed time, will go to her collar hanging up and bop it/whinge when it's time to go over the fields to check everyone... I live my life at home with her keeping me in check it seems!

Mine has his own armchair. If you sit in it, he'll sit on your lap facing away from you. Because of his size you get a lovely "back of the head" view!
Obligatory picture of proof!

Yes he’s small and has different tones for his barks which only I can interpret …unless other dogs can of course.
small polite but slightly bossy reminder bark when I make toast - he has a corner now after I did it once. If I replace with a dog treat he snaffles that thank you but returns rapidly for his toast - knows his rights see! Special bark to alert us people are walking past. Bark to say hurry up when it is walk time.

I am bossed by my dog all day long.

He doesn't boss the rest of the family, just me. It's ridiculous. Sometimes I have to give him to one of my teenagers as I can't deal with the endless yapping/growling a she issues his orders to me.

Such a lovely floof!

mine is a proper little madam, knows her own mind and let’s you know by huffing or with a firm nose nudge if she thinks you aren’t doing things correctly. Thankfully doesn’t bark much, but then she doesn’t need to 😂

God no, we are firmly the alphas! The worst is he'll tell us exactly when it's 6.30 and therefore dinner time.

Mine knows what he is entitled to, and what time, and has no problem demanding I fulfil the contract for his 7am walk and food; 5pm walk and dinner; bedtime toothbrush stick. If neglected he will follow me barking.

not to mention the cheese tax.

Oh flip yes the cheese tax
not just barking but hurling his body at the cupboard!

Yes. Clearly the only reason I go into the kitchen is get her a treat. When I try to get her in from the garden - for her dinner- I have to go outside to let her into DH’s office. And if I dare to put tap water in her dish I have to open the door so that she can drink rain water from the wheel barrel. She’s now snoozing after a long day of organising everything and everyone.

lol, our little terrier Spadger was like this. He used to boss our German Shepherd around, taking her bed and toys just because she let him. He would also guard our bed and food from her. We used to call him our little policeman. He passed away 2 years ago butwe still say to our German Shepherd "Be good, Spadger is in charge" 😍

BTW, after his death I had this little memorial made. Makes me smile every day - my little bossy boots policeman 😍

Dogs do what works for them, and they are very good at training us humans.
I allow far more leeway with my 12 year old bitch than with my younger dog.

My dog is incredibly bossy! If I'm holding my kindle/phone/ipad and she wants attention she will try to paw the device out of my hand. Sometimes she will put her paws on my shoulders (obviously while I'm sat) and put the side of her face or her throat over my mouth nose. 🤷🏼‍♀️

When she's tired and wants to nap she will paw at my dressing gown belt because she wants me to open my dressing gown up so she can climb inside and have me wrap it around her.

When she wants me to play with her she drops her toys on my feet and if I ignore her she flings them into the air to try to get them to land on me.

She knows when I'm having a cup of tea and a biscuit she gets a treat so she waits by her treat cupboard and gets annoyed if I take too long.

She will only actually eat her treat when I sit down with my tea/biscuit in the living room so if she's got her treat and she's waiting too long for me to sit down she runs in and out of the kitchen doing her irritated barks or she will just throw it about on the living room rug. No ides why she chooses to deprive herself of her treat until I sit down?!

At bedtime she waits in front of her bed until I take her blanket out then she climbs in and has me drape the blanket over her.

She makes me laugh every single day and I wouldn't have it any other way. 😁

Mine is the washing up police
He knows not to beg from the table so he goes to lie on his bed during meals but unfortunately he has learnt that when people stop eating then the next thing is table clearing and therefore the possibility of getting to lick a plate or better yet a pan.
If you fail to clear the table fast enough for his liking you get the hard stare, then the nose boop, whining and grumbling and then the demand barking. Not conducive to after dinner polite conversation
If you leave the washing up then he can't settle and goes in and out staring at it, barking, trying to jump up etc until you do it
Bloody Washing up police 👮‍♀️ 🐕

Mine tells me off if I stop to talk to someone when on a dog walk. Ditto if I stroke another dog.

He ‘talks’ to me when he wants something though, with the correct intonation- it’s really cute!

My medium sized dictator tries to intimate people to move from his preferred spot on the couch and demands a speedy service and breakfast and dinner.

Puppy hasn't learnt how to be a washer upper yet! I'm having to put scraps in her bowl. Eats her meals from various receptacles but not scraps