Treating dogs like people is usually only a problem if you have human expectations of them.
I see plenty of dogs mistreated by well meaning folks who insist the dog "knows" it has done something wrong. Dogs don't know that. They are innocently selfish amoral beings. They are incredibly unique and special in how they relate to us, but they don't understand that our stuff has value. They don't understand that chewing up the couch made you angry unless you catch them in the act. They only understand that shredding the garbage is yummy and fun, and "oh gee when my human comes home they are very angry when there's trash all over the floor." The two events are not connected in the dog's mind.
It just makes me extremely sad when people assume their dog has the ability to generalize behavior like a human, and then punish the poor thing for something it doesn't even understand (rubbing their face in their own poo, shouting when there's garbage on the floor, things of that nature). That "guilty" look is not guilty. It's an appeasement gesture they use with each other and us. It means "don't hurt me!"
It's our responsibility to recognize their abilities and limits, and have realistic expectations of them. To set them up to be successful and safe. If that means getting a covered garbage can or crating them with a boatload of toys and chewies while you're not home, that's what it takes. Every dog is different.
Most dogs are fine sleeping on your bed as long as they aren't getting possessive and guardy with it. It's fine to let them sleep on the floor or in a crate too. They're adaptable, and just as happy doing one or the other. My dog hates the bed because it's too hot. He'd rather lay on tile. Plus we've got nasty red clay in our yard and if I let them in bed it'd get disgusting very fast. If we ever move somewhere with sandy soil that may change.
Sorry for the long ramble. It's just something that really bothers me every time I hear people say "dogs are people". They are very precious in the animal world and deserve all the respect and love we can give them. But they aren't human and it's cruel to put human expectations on them.
I see plenty of dogs mistreated by well meaning folks who insist the dog "knows" it has done something wrong. Dogs don't know that. They are innocently selfish amoral beings. They are incredibly unique and special in how they relate to us, but they don't understand that our stuff has value. They don't understand that chewing up the couch made you angry unless you catch them in the act. They only understand that shredding the garbage is yummy and fun, and "oh gee when my human comes home they are very angry when there's trash all over the floor." The two events are not connected in the dog's mind.
It just makes me extremely sad when people assume their dog has the ability to generalize behavior like a human, and then punish the poor thing for something it doesn't even understand (rubbing their face in their own poo, shouting when there's garbage on the floor, things of that nature). That "guilty" look is not guilty. It's an appeasement gesture they use with each other and us. It means "don't hurt me!"
It's our responsibility to recognize their abilities and limits, and have realistic expectations of them. To set them up to be successful and safe. If that means getting a covered garbage can or crating them with a boatload of toys and chewies while you're not home, that's what it takes. Every dog is different.
Most dogs are fine sleeping on your bed as long as they aren't getting possessive and guardy with it. It's fine to let them sleep on the floor or in a crate too. They're adaptable, and just as happy doing one or the other. My dog hates the bed because it's too hot. He'd rather lay on tile. Plus we've got nasty red clay in our yard and if I let them in bed it'd get disgusting very fast. If we ever move somewhere with sandy soil that may change.
Sorry for the long ramble. It's just something that really bothers me every time I hear people say "dogs are people". They are very precious in the animal world and deserve all the respect and love we can give them. But they aren't human and it's cruel to put human expectations on them.
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