Thank you for the replies. Yes, Hercules is allowed on the furniture, but mostly he just sits on someones lap--usually mine. I keep a few dry kibbles in his dish most of the day, so yes, he can eat whenever he wants to. If we feed him table food, he eats after we do. He does sit to get treats. When he is in my arms as people are entering or leaving, he is barking and I am verbally reprimanding him with a stern "no" or "naughty." We haven't taken a lot of walks lately due to the cold. When we do, I will sometimes just let him freely explore on his leash so he can experience all the sights and smells of a dog. This is probably sending him a mixed message that he is in charge. Hercules goes potty indoors in a litterbox, so during the winter he doesn't get out much. As for who goes out the door first, we have a heavy, self-closing fire door, so I usually carry him for safety reasons.
I'm sure he does think he is the alpha dog. He is so darn cute, and I know he is spoiled. I just heard my husband say in another room, "Hercules, do you think you are one of us?" Could that statment right there indicate we are creating a monster?
So now, how do we stop it? I know one thing I've been thinking is we have to get better with teaching "stay." If he would stay, and be quiet, he wouldn't get so worked up.
Any suggestions for breaking the alpha dog???
Thank you!!!