There was a question posed recently by a dog lover's page on Facebook: "Do you treat your dog like a dog or a human?" There were hundreds of answers; everyone said how much they loved their dog, but not one said they treated their dog like a dog.
While I find treating my dogs like the dogs they were created to be, (and not humanizing them) to be the kindest form of respect I can bestow on them, I'm often brought up short by clients who are absolutely abhorred when I point out that their furred-family member is, in fact, a dog.
Treating a dog like a person is unfair and sets them up to fail. Even more upsetting is when people get frustrated at their "babies" for not understanding what is required of them and punish them in human-like ways (time-outs, spanking, yelling) when they don't react in the human way that was expected. Not surprisingly, these discipline methods don't work with dogs, and only frustrate our furred-family members to no end. This is the cause of nearly ALL the calls I am brought in to evaluate--people treating their dogs like humans, and getting frustrated when their human ways don't work to correct canine "errant" behavior.
It is an indisputable fact that dogs operate with an entirely different communication/operating system than we do. So based upon that fact, it stands to reason that in order to have a good relationship with our canine friends and family members, we absolutely need to treat them differently! I feel that the best way to show that we truly love our dogs is to take the time to learn to communicate with them and understand their ways---never forcing them to learn ours.
Dogs are dogs. They are amazingly, wonderful creatures---beautiful on the outside and inside; forever versatile and fun-loving. Their greatest gift in life is to be with their owners, upon whom they lavish an unmatchable, unconditional love that stems from an honest, compassionate place---never from ulterior motives. They are self-proclaimed sitters for our children, and most would lay down their lives for us in a heartbeat. I believe dogs to have the best moral compasses and uphold the best qualities (such as loyalty, devotion, bravery---they are loving, insightful, joyful, funny, forgiving), the list could go on and on. Dogs are not vindictive. Dog's don't lie or steal. Dogs don't kill (without a darn good reason). Dogs don't pretend to be something they are not--only humans do these things.
"Dog" is not a derogatory word. So why is it so hard for some people to admit that their furred-family members are, in fact, dogs?
As for my own dogs, and the dogs I'm blessed to have as clients; I love and respect them for exactly who they are; not for who I would like, or need them to be. I feel like its my job to become partly dog in order to effectively communicate, rehabilitate, and bond with them--not the other way around.
What are your thoughts on the subject??
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