The way we internalize our idea of a person, place or thing has a huge impact on how we act towards it. In the West dogs have melted into our society and hearts playing an integral role as companions. We love them deeply, have a two way emotional connection, often considering them members of the immediate family. This is normal! Humans love dogs just as much as other humans – Sometimes more, sometimes less. In turn we personify our dogs human characteristics and incorporate our habits into their lives that they must think are extremely odd but rewarding. Those rewards usually contain lots of love and food. However, we need to ask ourselves, is this perspective appropriate for meeting the full needs of a canine? There are some stark differences between dogs and people. Here at Wise Woofs we think carrying this “family member” perspective absolutely works and has big time benefits! However appropriate boundaries specific to you dog needs to exist.
Through the process of domestication many dog needs have evolved to naturally overlap with needs of human. The requirements include a regular sleep schedule, a nutritious and delicious diet with a consistent schedule, social interaction, physical activity and new life experiences. In parallel, the responsibilities of a service dog may include just this, demanding their owner get up and out in the world.
In this sense dogs and humans are mutual vehicles to help each other meet our own needs. While routines are important, both dogs and humans have complex cognitive capabilities and may become bored by repetition. Creating new life experiences by visiting different parts of the world can us all grow! Healthy human and canine development is impacted by exposure to new sights, sounds and smells.
It is important to note that there may be things that impact our ability to meet our needs and the demands of our pups. Most important, while dogs are effective problem solvers they don’t have the same autonomy to meet their own needs. Dogs in modernized societies are generally dependent on their owners to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s our responsibility to make healthy choices that allow our dogs to thrive in life. Depending on the breed of your dog, they have varying nutritional and exercise requirements which are important to consider when choosing a dog. Since our dogs can’t go shopping or visit the vet themselves it’s on us to learn about their nuances and develop care taking strategies suited to them.
Finally, our physiological differences need to be taken into account. While most people depend on sight as their primary sense to interpret the world dogs rely on smell. An amazing smell to us is thousands of times more pleasurable for a dog. They are able to take in all sorts of information about the surroundings that humans aren’t aware of. Accounting for this difference is simple, just let your dog follow their nose when taking part in fun activities or exploring new places. The other major difference comes during the training stage. Since our dogs have a different system of senses and strengths having an awareness of these nuances can aid whatever we are doing. For example, the visual spectrum or colors that dogs see differs from ours.
Overall, it is important to create boundaries for our wise woofs while still allowing them flexibility to learn and grow in their environments. We may see our pups as part of the family, but at the end of the day they need to see us as the leader of the pack. How we perceive our dogs affects how we communicate with them. Creating boundaries with a purpose, and doing so in a respectful, loving manner will go further towards getting the desired results. This will lead to a healthy connection with your pup!
