Dominance Between Dogs - Page 2

A dog pissing on another dog is not the same as a person pissing on another person. It's gross to us but dogs piss to mark territory, and where they piss as claiming property, how high they piss and pissing on top of another dog's mark as trying to establish dominance.

After humping the female, his pissing on the pup is the Husky's way of saying the pup is like his property as well as low on the totem pole.

We like to think that dogs do things for the same reason people do them. They don't. Dogs don't really have attitudes. They don't insult each other. They do what works and what they need to in order to maintain order. The dominant male (or female) as well as the submissive members take their place for the good of the pack. Dogs don't have egos. If they jockey for dominance, it is for the good of all the members, not because of pride. The entire pack benfits from the strongest member taking that place, and for producing offspring that are most likely to survive and refresh the pack with young members for the next generation. The pack benefits by others being submissive. Submission is not a show of cowardice or weakness.

The point is that we can't look at what dogs do as a reflection of what people do or we miss the point of understanding how to live with them. They are unable to reflect on their own behaviors and change their nature. But we can change our expectations of our dogs by understanding why they do the things they do, and then design interventions so that their behaviors can be shaped to our needs.

Any dog marking indoors for any reason should be unacceptable. When he marked your puppy, he also marked what he considered your property. If he is marking your pup, he may soon mark your furniture or children or anyone else he sees as below him on the hierarchy. Because you did not respond, he will probably generalize his ownership and dominance to other things because he will do it unless you set the rules and enforce them. If you don't become the pack leader, your Husky may take that shot. As long as you think he's cute, you are not going to put your foot down. You let things slide because you are touched by his wanting to be near you. Your failure to respond and correct him - because he claimed your property (at least once or twice) - to him is weakness. Maybe now you might see your cutting him slack as unacceptable permissiveness. If he continues to assert his dominance, it is because you failed to understand and react appropriately - so you can't get mad at him when it is your failure to think and act like a dog.

"A dog pissing on another dog is not the same as a person pissing on another person. It's gross to us but dogs piss to mark territory, and where they piss as claiming property, how high they piss and pissing on top of another dog's mark as trying to establish dominance."

That's exactly what I said. Nobody here is anthropomorphising things. Dogs piss on another dog to establish dominance and that's al there is to it no attitudes egos or higher meanings, therefore, no conflict here.

If another person pisses on another human upon their first encounter, the only way I would interpret that is - dominance - you are nobody and you are my bitch.

The rest of your stuff is fine.