A Dogs Master

[fruitsalad]

Who would a dog consider it's master to be, if husband and wife share the chores, i.e. walking, feeding etc and spend equal amounts of time with it.

[spathiphyllum]

Try it out, stand at two opposite ends of the room, and both try get the dog to come sit.

[Baldric]

I do everything for our two dogs, because my wife is not that mobile after her accident, not her fault. Roger the Staffie happily shares his the between me, Kate and Tash while Bruno the Rottie/Staffie cross is devoted to Kate, Tash and I only get a look in at walkies or feed time.

[woofgang]

I don't think dogs do consider they have a master. They will learn that different people behave in different ways and will reward it for different things and that shapes its behaviour towards them.

[wolf63]

Although dogs are not as manipulative as cats they are capable of playing its humans off against each other. Cats just do it more often and don't care if they are found out.

I think that it is mainly due to the breed of the dog (what it has been bred for), and the personality of both owner and dog.

Dogs (and cats) live for the moment - they probably don't see themselves as below humans in the pecking order.

[Old_Geezer]

They have someone they'll consider leader of their 'pack'. Properly trained they realise they are further down the order than their human owners, but which it considers most dominant will depend of the individuals and the dog's experience.

[Khandro]

Deep down in every dog is a wolf, -even in a Chihuahua, and there's always a pack instinct with the hierarchy of the alfa dog as as leader, in my experience with several dogs it is usually the one who feeds it, which in our case has always been my wife, with me thinking of myself as just another pack-member.
Our gorgeous Hungarian sheep dog ( the ones from which British and Australian border-collies were bred) likes to always know where we both are all the time, but it is my wife she follows around the house and garden most of the day.

[wolf63]

Khandro - "Deep down in every dog is a wolf, -even in a Chihuahua".
Chihuahuas are high up on the list of dangerous dogs. ☺

[woofgang]

og you are talking nonsense

[spathiphyllum]

I think what OG is saying is more or less correct.

Dogs see the alpha male or female as the leader due to dominance

[hereIam]

I am not my dog's 'master', I am her Mum ..

[Khandro]

woofgang //og you are talking nonsense//

No he isn't

[10ClarionSt]

I would say the master is the one who kicks it the most and lets it know who's the boss.

[ladybirder]

And anybody who did that would quite rightly be arrested. Why do you advocate being cruel to a dog?

[Mamyalynne]

Sick Clarion.

[hereIam]

Clarion - BOGOFF Moron !!!!

[ladybirder]

Why don't you say what you really think hIa;-))

[hereIam]

I'd like to say a whole lot more lb to morons like him, but I'd be banned. Mind you when people are allowed to post trash like that, being banned might not be a bad thing ..

[spathiphyllum]

Buy one get one free forever?

[Ken4155]

10ClarionSt; Is that you speaking from experience, then?

[Cloverjo]

That might have been a ‘joke’, Clarion, but it’s a rather nasty one. Anyone who abuses an animal should be banned for life from owning another pet.