Do you know what it means for a dog to be humanized? Transferring our way of seeing the world as human beings to the animal world is an increasingly frequent phenomenon today. Treating dogs like children, dressing them up in costumes, celebrating birthday parties for them in the style of those that would be held for children… All this may seem cute and even funny, but how does your dog perceive it?
Next, on our site, we talk about the characteristics of a humanized dog. Do you want to know if your faithful companion is one of them? Then read on!
What does it mean to humanize a dog?
Humanizing a dog has to do with giving it anthropomorphic characteristicsThis means attributing emotions, attitudes and visions of the world typical of the human being. It doesn't only happen with dogs, but the humanization of any animal receives this name.
This does not mean that treating dogs as members of the family, giving them love and care, is a negative practice. The mistake consists in ignoring the inherent needs of the canine species, turning to provide it with attention similar to that which would be given to a small child, thus falling into the mistake of treating a dog like a baby
Dressing up your dog for Halloween, for example, may be fine for one occasion, but dressing him daily in clothes that do nothing to protect him from the weather? That is questionable, especially when this clothing does not fulfill any function beyond the adornment itself.
This phenomenon of humanizing the dog usually develops when the guardian of the animal is alone, with his pet as only company. It also arises from a desire to understand the dog's emotions, which leads to misinterpreting them, since it is intended to find an equivalent between its reactions and those of the human being.
Is it bad to humanize dogs?
Surely you're wondering what's wrong with humanizing your dog? The main drawback is that treating him as a human being ignores the basic needs of his species, resulting in multiple he alth problems. behavior that, in most cases, are interpreted as "whims" by the owner. Thus, humanizing dogs is a mistake
Although it is normal to feel tenderness and love for your dog, this cannot blind you from understanding that they are animals different from us and that, although they share many characteristics, recognizing those that are specific to the species will help you provide you with a better quality of life. For example, preparing a birthday cake and having a party is not the most important thing for your furry friend, as it is that he has the opportunity to socialize with other dogs and people, get daily exercise and receive a proper education, for example.
A humanized dog, moreover, is usually allowed anything within the home, since no limits are placed on him when thinking that this can "traumate" him or mean that he is not loved. The result is hard-to-control animals, which creates a lot of conflict in the home.
The ideal is to find a balance between the love and carethat you give your dog, always necessary, and the recognition and satisfaction of his instinctive needs. Only then will your pet have a balanced life and the relationship between it and the family will be harmonious.
How to know if your dog is humanized?
The dog's humanization is a product of the relationship he has with his human companions, that is, with the way in which he is treated. If you recognize yourself in several of these actions, then you humanize your dog.
1. Eat the same food as you
Something typical is getting the dog used to eating the same food as you A bite to share an ingredient that you know he likes, in a way very occasional, it may be fine, but pretending to eat the same food as people is a mistake. Why? The nutritional needs of dogs are different from those of humans, so not only will they lack vitamins and minerals, but it is also very possible that you are administering ingredients that they are common in culinary preparations but toxic to dogs.
We can offer the animal a homemade diet without any problem, since it is in fact highly beneficial, but well done. To do this, we recommend consulting the article "Natural food for dogs". Thus, the error here is not to give food for human consumption, but to give cooked food that has been subjected to processes that are inappropriate for the dog's digestive system.
two. Getting the dog used to the toilet
Trying to make the dog learn to urinate and defecate in the toilet is also a sign of humanization in dogs. As fun or practical as this may seem, is unnatural for dogs and can cause them to not recognize what other dogs are doing when they see them lifting their paws for this.
3. Treat the dog like a baby
Dressing him like a baby, walking him in a stroller, cart or stroller is also very harmful. The dog needs to explore, sniff, run and jump, and when transported in this way he cannot do it. The result: stress from lack of interaction, as well as destructive behaviors.
On the other hand, it is very common to attribute to the dog feelings that are properly human, such as guilt and hatred, which leads to link certain attitudes that you observe with these emotions. By doing this, you completely ignore what may be generating a specific reaction in the dog. Of course, dogs are animals that have feelings and experience emotions, some even very similar to ours, but as we say, not all of them. Thus, a dog is able to identify that he has done something wrong just at the moment of doing it, but after a while he will not feel this "guilt", as we could do. Likewise, there are still no conclusive studies that deny or confirm the exact emotions that dogs feel.
These are just some of the things that humanize your dog and you should keep in mind to avoid them and meet the real needs of this animal species.
Behavior of a humanized dog
You will notice that your dog is humanized because does not respect the house rules It is common for these dogs to try to exceed the limits that are usually they are put on a pet. This, obviously, is because you have allowed it. An example of this is that the dog tries to climb on the table to eat food, wants to occupy the same spaces as humans in bed or on the couch, among others.
The aggressivenessis also a usual factor when you have a humanized dog, and that especially manifests itself when the dog does not get what What he wants. For example, start biting if you don't want to pick him up, get violent if you put him down from a chair or bed. In general, when a person perceives any of these reactions in his dog, he chooses to undo the action that has upset the animal (return it to the couch or bed). In this way, however, the dog is only reinforced with the feeling that with a few growls he will get everything he wants.
It is also common for them to show fear and nervousness in the face of unknown stimuli, becoming uncontrollably frightened, and the tutors reacting to him as they would do with a person. Although fear is a normal emotion, it is important to understand how to manage it in a dog, since the animal does not understand words of encouragement such as "do not be afraid". Likewise, it is essential not to reinforce negative behaviors, such as hugging the animal when it is very upset, and to work on the appropriate reactions, such as petting the dog when it remains calm.
Consequences of humanizing your dog
Beyond how fun it may be to treat dogs as if they were people, or how happy you think you are providing them in this way, the truth is that this abnormal education and completely removed from instinct of the dog brings serious consequences to your he alth, both physically and psychologically.
- Stress: Triggered because the animal cannot satisfy its Instinctive needs, like running when walking or exploring the street.
- Neurotic-destructive behavior: the dog cannot properly drain its desire to play, as it is not stimulated to do so (overprotective), so it is common for him to become destructive and adopt repetitive behaviors, such as tail biting or obsessing over a specific object.
- Socialization problems: a humanized dog is rarely allowed to interact with other dogs, as it is thought that they may harm him. As a consequence, the animal develops insecurity when it comes to relating to its peers, and many times it does not even recognize them as equals. This is reinforced in dogs that are trained to use the toilet and in those that wear clothes all the time, as they are unable to decipher and understand the behaviors of their breed.
- Overweight: humanized dogs tend to be obese, because they are given diets that are not suitable for them, in addition to giving them sweets and treats. It is also common for them to gain weight because the caloric expenditure in exercise is much less than the amount of food they consume. This triggers other he alth problems, such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
- Anxiety: occurs when the dog gets used to being with its human companion 24 hours a day, so it reacts in a way refusal to have to separate. Because of this, he has diarrhea, tics, palpitations, and other signs of separation anxiety.
How to dehumanize a dog?
The first thing is to recognize and understand that your dog belongs to a different species than yours That does not mean you should stop caring for him or pamper him, simply do it in the right and necessary measure, while allowing him to unleash his instinct and carry out the activities that every dog needs to be he althy.
Start exercise sessions for your dog. Take him for a walk, jog in the park, play fetch with him, let him explore the world around him, get to know new smells, other dogs and other people. To socialize it correctly, do not hesitate to review the article "How to socialize an adult dog".
Understand that your dog needs quality dry food or homemade foodbut specially formulated for dogs What is tasty for you, can be negative for him, in addition to lacking the elements he needs to be he althy.
education is important. It does not imply being strict or authoritarian with your dog, simply establishing limits, as with any other member of the family, on what actions are allowed. With these guidelines, coexistence will be more harmonious, and you will save your dog confusion when he does something that bothers some people and that you usually allow.
Also remember, Go to an ethologist Veterinarian to study the specific case of your dog if it is already humanized.
