Hercules, our older German Shepherd finally "rolled over" and accepted that Zeus is the alpha dog.
"Rolled over" is literal. Herc went on his back into the vulnerable beta dog position. It had never occurred to me that the pecking order in a pack of dogs was the origin of the term.
It was a hard pill for Herc to swallow. Herc weighs about 75 pounds and Zeus weighs 90 pounds and still has the boundless energy of puppyhood. It does not help that Herc was run over by a truck as a puppy and his hip was never quite right afterward.
In the evening, Zeus sits at the foot of the King (me).
Herc takes up residence behind the Queen's throne and conveniently atop a register spewing cold air.
Smuggles (I didn't name him, really) is the omega dog and he sits on the Queen's feet keeping them warm.
A hierarchy of power exists among many animals, especially those that run in herds or packs. But the term "pecking " order" comes from the barnyard an chickens where those higher up the power structure literally PECK lower birds to keep them subservient.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and thanks for commenting. You are right. Pecking order originated with chickens.
DeleteZeus will never be the alpha dog, don't disrespect my dog.
ReplyDelete