Anthropo-what??
In the dog world, anthropomorphism is a controversial topic, and let’s be honest…We’ve all smiled at cute puppy pictures where the dog is dressed in a baby onesie. It’s hard to not think of dogs as the cute, little fur-babies in our lives! After all, they’re fed, bathed, and (sometimes) clothed by us, so it makes sense why humans would situate their dogs as another, almost human, member of their family. Anthropomorphism does just that.
In short, anthropomorphism is the assigning or giving human characteristics to non-human things. In other words, it’s all about treating dogs like humans. Does your dog look and feel guilty when confronted about destroying the rug? Is a puppy showing anger by going to the bathroom in the house? Does the idea of on-leash hiking sound entrapping? All of these are examples of anthropomorphism.
Through this blog series, we’ll examine what anthropomorphism is, why it can be both great and problematic at the same time, and how to keep everything in check so that a balanced relationship can exist between you and your dog.
Stay tuned!