I think your dog can tell the difference between a human and a dog, if it can't it's not the brightest animal in the world.

Now here is were it fits into your life. My dog see's me as the pack leader because I act like the role of the pack header, I may not walk on all fours, but I still provide the food, corrections, and love. Not the other way around.

There are many documented cases of human children getting lost in the forests in asia, and other areas of the world, and actually being raised by wolves for years.

If a dog can see a human as a pack member and let the human join it's pack, I have a feeling, a dog can see a human as a pack leader.

I think Ed is spot on with the positives and negatives in training, listen to him.
I know when I first took my dog to dog training years ago. (the SPCA requires it in Canada) , the trainer told the class there is no such thing as a pack mentality with dogs these days, only in wolves in the wild.

At that point I turned to Ed, years ago, because I'm not willing to be brain washed by trainers who can only get there dogs to sit if they have a treat in there hand.

Good luck, it's really very basic in my eyes.
If you act the role of the pack header , the dog will fall in line.

I know exactly what you mean about how you're treated on other dog training forums. I'm really curious to know which one you're talking about? There is one that I frequent every now and then and it's a trip to see people freak out anytime the name Cesar Milan/Dog Whisperer or, God forbid, Ed Frawley/Leerburg are mentioned. If it's not Jean Donaldson or Karen Pryor forget about it! Want to try to have an intelligent discussion on pack theory? Yeah right!

I'm comfortable with Ed's no-nonsense, balanced approach to dog training; being in the middle of positive/correction, able to slide either way depending on the dog and the situation.

My thoughts were precisely along the lines of Mike's reply.