Animals have so much more to them and much more intelligence and emotions than a lot of people give them credit for.

she is in charge.

When I brought home a kitten, my dog was okay with it, but not particularly interested...

Do not have their ID cards.
No groceries for you!

She's an odd old gal.
That big, fat brindley cat's her pal.
She had a litter back in seventy-nine.
Lost one pup, but the others did fine.
Then this ragged little kitten strayed up.
Wouldn't you know, she thought it was her pup?
So she squeezed it in and gave it a tit,
And the kitten pushed and shoved 'till it fit
Right in. Grew up to be the old dog's pal.
The dog's skinny, now. The cat's got fat.
That heap by the fireplace. There they sit,
The old cocker spaniel and her buddy the cat.
She's an odd old gal.

I never forget the first time I saw one of my LGDs taking care of a newborn baby goat. I looked in the barn and she seemed to have its head in her mouth and I freaked. Turns out she was cleaning it off while momma was busy with the other triplets.

Mine are Pyrenees and Anatolian... they are nocturnal dogs that fight off predators.

"I want to grow up to be like my dog" applies here.