Paws-itive Perspective: Are dogs going to take over our world?

By Angel Dumoulin on January 31, 2026.

There are people out there who think their dog is trying to get the upper hand on them and take over their household! These people seem pretty normal in most other aspects of life so should we consider this a real threat?

These reasonably sane people say things like, “If I let my dog go out the door in front of me, they will think they are in charge,” or, “If they sleep on the furniture or heaven forbid, sleep on my bed they will take my household captive and express their supreme dominance over me.” This one is really popular, “If I let them walk in front of me on a walk, they will think they are dominant”

While there is sometimes a very good reason to not “let” your dog do some of these things, your dog being dominant and ruling your household is not even in the top ten reasons for disallowing them.

For example, letting your dog run out the door in front of you could be dangerous if there is heavy traffic, or wildlife in your yard. If your dog sleeping on your bed disrupts your sleep because he snores or hogs the bed, I would likely discourage the habit.

If they are walking in front of you just to eat garbage off the sidewalk before you see it and steal it from them, you may want to discourage it, or at least train them to wear a muzzle, or even train a “leave it”

However, there is an overwhelming pile of evidence supporting the idea that dogs have already taken over our world and we haven’t acknowledged.

When the dog poops, who cleans it up? When Princess doesn’t like her overpriced, specialty dog food, do we make her eat it? Nope, we find something she likes. We took away all the jobs that dogs do so they can live a life of leisure indoors.

We pay for expensive haircuts so they are comfortable and then buy them fancy clothes so they can be warm, comfortable, and stylish on the walk to the park that was designed specifically for dogs. I have even had people cancel lessons outdoors because their dog didn’t like the weather that day.

We take our dogs on holidays with us, or leave them at a doggy resort while we are away so they can have an all-inclusive vacation without us. They have their own insurance, and medical system. And who finances all of this? Yup, you guessed it. The dominant human!

If you believe your dog is in a power struggle with you, just remember, your dog is a captive animal in your home and you have control of every single aspect of their life. They eat what you feed them, when you tell them to eat. They potty when and where you tell them, they walk where you take them, and sleep in a spot assigned by you.

If you’ve given up the struggle and have accepted that your dog is a dog, but need encouragement or help to make your furry roommate easier to live with, call me. I’d love to help.

Angel Dumoulin of Funny Farm Canine is a positive reinforcement trainer with 20+ years of experience, dedicated to humane, science-based methods that build trust, cooperation, and joy. Emphasizing compassion and respect, she fosters a partnership between dogs and owners without fear or force-only motivation, play, and clear communication. Her philosophy, “dominion over domination,” champions empathy and understanding, allowing each dog’s unique personality to shine. Play. Learn. Wag!

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