I’ve lived with packs of 5–20 dogs at a time for 35 years. I’ve hand-trained over 10,000 dogs and lived with nearly every breed. One consistent observation: dogs are like children—they need clear leadership from their humans.
Dogs are pack animals. They understand leaders and followers in every interaction. After decades of observation, it is clear that dogs maintain a defined hierarchy and that every interaction carries meaning.
What role does your dog see you in—leader or follower?
A Real-Life Example
In one video example, an older dog quietly but firmly tells a puppy “leave it.” Earlier, the older dog had to get up, chase the puppy off, and give a light correction. After multiple attempts, the puppy learned to respect the elder.
For the first several minutes the puppy barked and tried to take the bone. By the end the puppy was calm and had given up. That lesson taught the young dog that she cannot have everything she wants and that she must respect elders when they say “back off.”
This is the same mindset humans should use when a dog tries to take food from the table or counters: calm, consistent leadership.
Author: Amy of Safari Doodles
Note: The original video remains on the main Safari Doodles site.
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