Giving dogs human traits

I was watching The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan the other day and he was visiting a woman who wanted him to find a mate for her dog.

She was talking about him in children's terms - calling him my son, he needs a girlfriend, etc.

Cesar Milan was trying to tell her it's not good to apply human traits to him and said "He's a dog." and her reply? "That's a TERRIBLE thing to say."

I mean, I laughed. But do you think he has a point there? That if you treat dogs like children, it can be detrimental to your relationship with them? Allow the dominant/pack leader role to pass to the dog instead of where it should be with you?

The alpha/pack leader/dominant role is something I firmly believe in. And that that role should never be with a dog because it's evident that leads to obedience issues.

But since we will not be having children, our dogs will be our children in a way. I just wanted your thoughts on that.

Re: Giving dogs human traits

In subtle ways, many of us apply human traits to our dogs and we try to communicate with them and deal with them as if they are people. We assume that they are thinking like humans when they aren't. I often try to read into the way that my dog looks at me. I think that is fine to do but I am probably way off b/c I do not understand dog thinking as much as I would want to.

Re: Giving dogs human traits

I nver really understood the "furbaby" thing.

My dog is my pet and part of my family. He is loved and spoiled but he is last man on the totem pole. It was important to me to establish this with a baby coming into the house.

Sometimes I attribute "human traits" to him - like jealousy, eagerness, but not complex ones.

Re: Giving dogs human traits

Message edited 11/15/2011 4:03:22 PM.

Re: Giving dogs human traits

Well, we're humans and not dogs, so of course there will always be some sort of human emotion that we show towards our dogs. Even though we've disciplined Bama and established a pack dominance order in the house, I still cuddle him and talk baby talk to him.... I just can't help it! He's a dog and mostly gets treated like a dog, but we can't help loving him like a human.
Some people take it to the extreme though with treating dogs like humans, and I think that's what Cesar means....

Re: Giving dogs human traits

Re: Giving dogs human traits

Charlotte is like a child to us - she is not, in my eyes, a "dog" or a "pet" - she is a member of our family and is a huge priority and part of our life. That being said, I don't take it to the extent like the lady on the Dog Whisperer where she is saying that the dog needs a girlfriend - I mean, that is just strange but she is, in my eyes, more than just a pet - she is a part of me.

Re: Giving dogs human traits

Posted by DaniRella

Charlotte is like a child to us - she is not, in my eyes, a "dog" or a "pet" - she is a member of our family and is a huge priority and part of our life. That being said, I don't take it to the extent like the lady on the Dog Whisperer where she is saying that the dog needs a girlfriend - I mean, that is just strange but she is, in my eyes, more than just a pet - she is a part of me.