Anthropomorphism

Its Sunday morning, pouring rain as I read e-mails from dog owners. Im thinking about the word anthropomorphism. It took me about two weeks to pronounce the word the first time I learned about it. I couldnt seem to wrap my tounge around the an-thro-po-mo-phism, it seemed like the word went in too many directions.

Anyway...

Im thinking about anthropomorphism because of the e-mails that I have read this morning. One very nice person that wrote to me is very confused by the way her dog is behaving. She is confused because she is thinking like a human and not thinking like a dog.

It’s one of the first words a dog trainer learns. I can remember when I was going through dog training school; the instructor Donna Crawley kept pounding the word and definition anthropomorphism into our brains:

“Anthropomorphism – attributing human characteristics to animals, plants or objects.”

Making comments like, “Stupid TV”, “Dumb computer”, or my all time favorite: “My dog is trying to spite me” are all anthropomorphic statements.

A TV can’t be stupid, it’s a TV, a computer can’t be dumb or smart, it’s a computer, and spite is a human emotion rooted in revenge, a very complex behavior that humans who are considered much more intelligent can use and apply(?).

Dogs operate on a much more basic level.

But I am guilty; I am sometimes anthropomorphic with dogs. Dogs have such a wide range of body postures and expressions and exhibit so many different personalities that it’s easy to think of them as little people in fur coats,

But being anthropomorphic with our dogs can get us into trouble. Thinking that our dogs are trying to get back at us, trying to spite us and knowing right from wrong can lead to big problems.

When it comes to caring for your dog you have to learn to think like a dog, you can’t expect your dog to think like a human.

The better you get at thinking on your dogs level the better you’ll be able to understand why your dog does the behaviors that they do and how to deal with them.

All the best,

Eric

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