Dominance should not be confused with outright rudeness. Often a puppy who has been separated from his dam too young will be rude to the other dogs in the household. This is unmannerly and should not be tolerated. A puppy who licks the chins of the other dogs is not naturally the dominant dog, so if he also does such things as push the other dogs out of the way to go outside, or steals the toys out of the other dog's mouths, or pushes his way to the water bowl first, then he is being rude and should be admonished by the owner so as to learn appropriate manners towards the others.

When living in a household of multiple dogs, the single most important factor to avoid in-fighting amongst the dogs is for the owner to keep in the forefront two considerations.

Firstly, the OWNER must be the most dominant. He must be the one to go out the door first. He must be the one to eat first. He must be the one to sleep in the desired spot. He must command the respect of all the dog members of the household. He must be OBEYED.

Secondly, the owner must uphold the dominance of the most dominant dog. Most fights in a multiple dog household occur because of a desire on the part of one dog to take over the command position. It is important that the owner not give mixed signals because a dog who may be attempting a takeover may take the opportunity to take over dominance by force if he thinks there is any question. Therefore the owner should set the food pan down first in front of the most dominant dog. He should allow the most dominant dog to go out the door first. He should NOT allow the dog to take over his spot in the bed, although it is perfectly okay if he wants the dog to be in bed with him...