Every cock is proud on his own dunghill.

Familiar surroundings can make someone appear more confident or commanding than they would elsewhere. The rooster’s pride depends on where it stands.

The proverb can also puncture a boast: being impressive in a place where one feels secure does not necessarily show courage or authority beyond it.

Use it to comment on someone who becomes assertive in a setting they control, especially when their confidence seems less remarkable outside that setting.