Normally two dogs of the same gender, hell two dogs, will sort out dominance issue themselves. Usually the older dog wins. But it depends on so many different variables. But let's look at that pic again. The one on top is a puppy. There's something I've seen quite often. The puppy tries to play, nipping and jumping and yelping and making a general nuisance of himself. If the bitch in the pic doesn't want to play she'll tell the whipper snapper. And that's a common response, to cuddle. Soley based on that pic (which is cute as hell) that's his way of respecting her as alpha.