Who's the alpha dog?

My younger brother just got a white terrier pup--Healey--named after his beloved car project, a vintage Austin Healey. This new addition to their family is one hyper pup; she jumps, licks and paws you the moment you enter her territory. Apparently such canine behaviour is not about her trying to be cute; she's establishing her status. The more attention you give her, the more alpha she gets, to the point where you get the impression you are her pup and that she feels responsible for your well-being. That does not sound so bad except when you leave the dog for a few hours it worries itself sick, like a nervous mother, and starts barking non-stop, driving the neighbours insane. That's happened to other friends of mine, who evidently had become their dogs' subjects. 

The best way to establish your status with a dog is to ignore them sometimes, not catering to their every whim. It isn't always easy to do, but establishing this proper status, where you're the parent rather than the other way around, actually relieves the dog of burdens that they can't carry. Being an alpha comes with responsibility. 

I wonder if that's why sometimes God seems to ignore us when we pray. Shopping list prayers where we just ask for things or where we direct how things should happen can be a little like Healey grasping for alpha status. Sure, we are being faithful by praying a lot and often, but if all we do is dictate what we want in prayer, that's just a subtle way of taking control over our Master. 

Instead of praying that way we can let it be a means of re-aligning our loyalty and subjection to our Master. And with this attitude we will find relief from the burdens God lovingly purposes to carry for us.