How we describe our relationship with our dogs matters because, consciously or subconsciously, it affects how we treat them. While some pet care professionals and people cringe at the term “pet parent,” I believe it is an accurate and appropriate description, demonstrating that our dog is part of the family.
In the US, the law usually tells us our dog is nothing more than property. Classifying our dogs as property is tantamount to endorsing their abuse, as happened when humans were legally no more than property. The term “pet parent” also implies we have a much greater responsibility to our dogs than if they were a mere piece of property like the sofa in our living room. Unfortunately, too many people still have a dog but do not take the responsibility seriously.
We also need to understand that a human child and a dog are two different species with very different physical and emotional needs and methods of communicating and learning. In other words, being a great parent to a human does not automatically make you a great parent to a dog, nor does being a fantastic dog parent mean you will be amazing at parenting a child. However, if you take the time to learn and meet your child's or dog's basic needs, methods of communication, and learning, and are naturally empathetic, compassionate, and patient, you will likely do well.
There is one big difference between the development of a human child and a dog that we must never forget. Most children will typically develop into responsible adults in the future. However, neuroscientists agree that at best, dogs typically develop to be cognitively and emotionally equivalent to a 2- to 2.5-year-old child. A toddler requires a great deal of nurturing care during this period; however, your dog will need that same level of care for its entire life. Make sure you understand and are willing and able to make that commitment.
Things in our dog’s life we are responsible for include:
• Understanding Their Special Needs—Dogs are not humans and have particular needs that must be met. They have developmental schedules with timelines, and they communicate very differently. However, they can easily see the difference between a friendly and angry human face and detect our emotions from our scent. Dogs, like children, can also form powerful attachment bonds to the humans in their family. Interestingly, brain imaging studies of people and their dogs have indicated increased levels of the hormone oxytocin in both human and dog brains when the two species have positive interactions. This is the same hormone responsible for the bonding between an adult human and a human child. While dogs learn similarly to humans in many ways, you must understand the fundamentals of training that apply to a dog. While you can obtain this knowledge online and from books, be aware that many of those sources may be outdated. The best way to learn what you need to know is from an accredited Professional Canine Trainer (PCT) or Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC) [ https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/find-a-ppg-professional/ }
• Physical Health and Well-Being—We must ensure our dogs have adequate and appropriate food and water, a comfortable place to live free from the ravages of inclement weather, and proper space for their needs. They must also have adequate physical exercise of the type they enjoy and that maintains their physical fitness. If our dogs are sick, you need to be prepared to take them to the veterinarian as necessary. Dogs must be leashed as necessary and prevented from running off into harm’s way.
• Emotional and Mental Health and Wellbeing—We need to protect our dogs from emotional trauma as well as physical harm. Dogs are sentient beings, and to thrive, they must have a choice and the right to consent to how others interact with them. That includes other people as well as other pets. Not all dogs will do well with other pets, and that’s okay. Since we control so much of our dogs’ lives, we must provide them with appropriate mental enrichment and choices as much as possible. Walks should be about rambling opportunities to sniff and not about walking the same boring route as fast as possible day after day.
If you consider your dog a beloved family member, please take the next step and treat it with the same care as you would a human toddler throughout its entire life.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of thePet Professional Guild (PPG), where he serves on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Showpodcast,available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/,the Apple Podcast app, and Don's blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.