We all know dogs are man’s best friend –they provide us with unconditional love, comfort and companionship, which we in turn try to repay with unequivocal love and care –however somewhere in this relationship dog owners can go astray.
Anthropomorphism is when we “attribute uniquely human characteristics to non-human creatures”. Examples of this are buying your dog human-type gifts, putting clothes on them or projecting emotions on your dogs that they may not feel.
Anthropomorphism is somewhat an inevitable consequence of having a close relationship with an animal. However expecting dogs to think like humans can be an issue, as they can get mixed signals and can lead to range of behaviour disorders. Dogs ultimately need rules and boundaries and cannot be expected to make decisions like a human.
Though there is nothing wrong with showing your dog with affection you just need to ensure you are providing them with boundaries and ample exercise and mental stimulation to ensure they are a happy member of the family.
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