What is the chain of command in your home?
Those who have seen "It's Me Or the Dog" more than a couple times are probably familiar with this scene:
Victoria Stillwell meets a family with a problem dog. She observes the behavior, then sits the family down in front of a chart, on which she uses cut-out pictures to show the chain of command in the home. The first chart shows the family from the humans' point of view: Pictures of the smiling husband and wife at the top, then the kids (if there are any), then underneath that all the pets as more-or-less equal.
She then flips the chart and shows the ranking from the dog's point of view. Usually there is the dog, sitting at the top, proud as could be. The various humans are often scattered below. Frequently if the dog is a male, the female human of the family is right below him, as she is "his" human, and the husband and kids and sometimes other pets are away down at the bottom.
If Victoria Stillwell drew a chart of your family, how would it look?
I am amused and a tiny bit frustrated to say mine would not be quite as it should.
From the point of view of the dogs, my cat Alice is way at the tippy top, over everyone, a goddess-like figure to be feared, Supreme Ruler of the Universe. I have no problem with that as it keeps the cat safe and she actually sees me as outranking her, or at least whatever the cat equivalent of "rank" is.
From there things get a little more iffy.
I know I rank next from the point of view of all the critters. I am the one who trains them and works with them.
I have become increasingly sure that my Corgi Jack thinks he is my #2. He is very bossy with my husband. He barks at Shawn, demanding to play. When Shawn eats, Jack sits in front of him and shuffles his feet and grumbles. When Shawn walks him, Jack stops wherever he likes and marks as often as he likes and frequently decides which direction they will travel in.
With me, he's a totally different dog. He's s typical confident bossy Corgi and sometimes will talk back to me, but if he wants me to play he gets out his toys and tries to convince me how fun it is by rolling them around and growling at them. On a walk he will heel next to me on a loose leash. He'll argue sometimes about direction or stopping frequency, but in the end he gives in.
*sigh* I've tried to give Shawn some pointers on the whole dog-management thing, but I think it's a bit of a lost cause! LOL It's not a huge problem in that Jack is very well-behaved and we don't have any problems in the house with chewing or marking or fighting.
Maddie is content to be somewhere near the bottom as long as she gets lots of cuddles. She's an easy dog and I think a child could handle her. But Jack? Well, as I said, I think he sees himself as my second-in-command and faithful servant, and Shawn is that nice guy who plays with him and sometimes feeds him or gives him treats.
I can't be the only one in this situation! Anyone else have a well-behaved dog who runs roughshod over the other adults in the household?
Victoria Stillwell meets a family with a problem dog. She observes the behavior, then sits the family down in front of a chart, on which she uses cut-out pictures to show the chain of command in the home. The first chart shows the family from the humans' point of view: Pictures of the smiling husband and wife at the top, then the kids (if there are any), then underneath that all the pets as more-or-less equal.
She then flips the chart and shows the ranking from the dog's point of view. Usually there is the dog, sitting at the top, proud as could be. The various humans are often scattered below. Frequently if the dog is a male, the female human of the family is right below him, as she is "his" human, and the husband and kids and sometimes other pets are away down at the bottom.
If Victoria Stillwell drew a chart of your family, how would it look?
I am amused and a tiny bit frustrated to say mine would not be quite as it should.
From the point of view of the dogs, my cat Alice is way at the tippy top, over everyone, a goddess-like figure to be feared, Supreme Ruler of the Universe. I have no problem with that as it keeps the cat safe and she actually sees me as outranking her, or at least whatever the cat equivalent of "rank" is.
From there things get a little more iffy.
I know I rank next from the point of view of all the critters. I am the one who trains them and works with them.
I have become increasingly sure that my Corgi Jack thinks he is my #2. He is very bossy with my husband. He barks at Shawn, demanding to play. When Shawn eats, Jack sits in front of him and shuffles his feet and grumbles. When Shawn walks him, Jack stops wherever he likes and marks as often as he likes and frequently decides which direction they will travel in.
With me, he's a totally different dog. He's s typical confident bossy Corgi and sometimes will talk back to me, but if he wants me to play he gets out his toys and tries to convince me how fun it is by rolling them around and growling at them. On a walk he will heel next to me on a loose leash. He'll argue sometimes about direction or stopping frequency, but in the end he gives in.
*sigh* I've tried to give Shawn some pointers on the whole dog-management thing, but I think it's a bit of a lost cause! LOL It's not a huge problem in that Jack is very well-behaved and we don't have any problems in the house with chewing or marking or fighting.
Maddie is content to be somewhere near the bottom as long as she gets lots of cuddles. She's an easy dog and I think a child could handle her. But Jack? Well, as I said, I think he sees himself as my second-in-command and faithful servant, and Shawn is that nice guy who plays with him and sometimes feeds him or gives him treats.
I can't be the only one in this situation! Anyone else have a well-behaved dog who runs roughshod over the other adults in the household?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Becky S on
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Sounds just like Randy, He also went to the obedience classes and learned the commands, but it semms like he only knows "no" and pointing his finger at the dogs. Or when we are walking and Brody tends to pull / go in front of him he will tell him to "wait" or "stay" meaning stay behind him as opposed to "heal" or "walk".... sigh, I keep trying to get him to be consistant but he marches to the beat of his own drummer... poor puppies, no wonder they just look at him with a rather befuddled expression.
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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I'm gonna have to really think about this for awhile b/4 I answer! Later...
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Ok I think this is close...
Jane
Jim (if Jane's not home)
Wynn: 4 yr old intact male
Armani:3 year old neutered Australian Shepard
Bella 2 year old intact female
Livvy 15 mo. Intact female trying to get Bella's position
Carma the cat: 2years old
Rainy 3 year old spayed female
Wiley: 4 year old spayed rescue
Able and Baby: my 12 year old peace maker cats
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Permalink Reply by Erin & Faye on
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I'm certainly at the top of my family tree! Faye knows I'm the boss and basically listens most the time to me (really great for 5 months). My boyfriend is below me (right where he should be). Faye listens to him and behaves well with him as long as I'm not there. I think she is struggling with him for the #2 position but I think she is slowly learning her place. The only problem is she definitely sees herself above my boyfriend's brother who we also live with. She looks to him like a play thing. She barks at him and gets very very excited around him. I've been trying to correct her but I feel like it might just be telling her I'm the boss and not that he is above her. I think I'll continue doing what I'm doing and wait it out (she is still just a baby) and not worry unless it escalates to something more.
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I should add my boyfriends brother isn't a little kid. He's just a year or two younger than me and I'm 23. I've told him how to deal with her and how to correct her when she's being a jerk. He seems to get it so we will see what happens.
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Permalink Reply by christy fry on
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Well I saw this before work, thought about it at work, and think this is acurate.....
1. Greg my Hubby ( he could own a really strong minded breed)
2. My 10 yr.old Kitty Cole (he could beat up a strong minded breed)
3. Me (not the spot I'm proud of........)
4. Jordan neut. 2 yr. male
5. Cody neut. 8 yr. male
6. Teagen 6 month unspayed female
I'm not terribly upset with the 3rd spot as I know I'm kinda a softy and have to work at being firm...But that's why I'll never own strong minded breeds as I reconize I'll be walked all over....Greg helps keep my just wanna have fun attitude in check...
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Permalink Reply by Jeny (and Wrigley) on
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I think mine would be my cat, me, Wrigley and then my boyfriend. Wrigley loves him and treats him like a playmate, but never listens to his commands. I can get Wrig to do just about anything I want and he is very well behaved, just a bit bossy at times.
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Permalink Reply by Michelle on
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I have no commment.....From the enabler of the family...HAHAHAHAHAHA Seriously we are fortunate that we do not have any of those fighting, snapping, behaviors so I always justify myself by allowing them to walk were they want on a leash, and pet them when they roll over on their backs and present theirs tummies for a rub. After all shouldn't all of that cuteness be rewarded?
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Permalink Reply by Sarah C. on
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Ours is probably the same. Cat at the top. I'd be next because I am both the leash-Nazi and the food-Nazi. They don't get the nomnoms except through me, so they eye me as one eyes tyrants. My mom would be next, she is the organizer of games and the stopper of barkings, and the master of all doors. She is a definite "Mom" and she never lost that ability to freeze young creatures in their tracks. Next would be the dogs. For now Didi is over Reagan, for her sheer force of will, but that dynamic is in flux. At the bottom is my dad. Any time he asks them to do something, they look at us like, really? Its wierd that they must somehow sense that he is sick and that he isn't able to make them do things that are requested on him. Such observant creatures.
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Permalink Reply by Allison Musick on
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So far I it's just me and my Corgi, Heidi, in my family (although that will change in Feb when my daughter is born)... nevertheless, I'd say most of the time, I'm on top, but there are days - or at least moments - when Heidi makes a grab for power. Until I met Corgis, I never knew dogs who were so prone to testing the boundaries! She seems to do it purely for the fun of it! :) I love this quote from a hilarious article called "The Truth About Corgis" - I can't remember where I got this article; it could even have been from MyCorgi.com somewhere...
" Many good things are written about the Corgi's personality. Humans recognize our alertness, intelligence, and boldness. You praise us for our outgoing approach to life. You recognize that Corgis are a presence and rightfully expect status as a full family member.
But after writing all that good stuff about the charming PWC, a few Corgi owners lose it. Several folks have suggested that their dogs have a tendency toward something called megalomania. One Laughing Dog reader dared to put the following in writing:
I must mention the Corgi tendency toward megalomania and that attempted coups and power grabs are common. (Ellen Clary)
According to Webster, megalomania is a mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur.
No way! Corgis have no mental disorders. We just know exactly what we want and how we want it done. We are just waiting in the wings for our big break, the day when our humans decide to step down and put us in charge of the food distribution system. All I can say is, we're ready.
The bottom line is that we could run the house if we were allowed. But generally, we are able to work out a partnership with our humans. However, every now and then, a regime change is essential to free a starving Corgi or because of gross mismanagement. Humans should be grateful that we are so watchful."
The entire article - which had me in stitches - can be found at : http://www.goldengatecorgis.org/articles/truth_article.htm
:)
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Loved the article and congrats on you soon to be new arrival!
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thanks! :)
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