The Dilemma of Sharing Your Life With an Animal - an Uncomfortable Truth

The Dilemma of Sharing Your Life With an Animal -
an Uncomfortable Truth

Is a dog just a dog?

(This is going to get philosophical, so buckle up.)

If you’re reading this article, you most probably share your life with an animal. Are you a:

Fur-mom?
Dog-owner?
Guardian?
Companion?

Is your animal:

A fur-baby?
A guard-dog?
A companion?
A friend?
A worker?

I need you to think carefully about this. Take a moment; perhaps grab a cup of coffee. What is your animal to you? Why do you have this animal in your home, on your property, on your couch? How do they integrate into your life? Do they contribute in any way? Are they a luxury or a necessity? Is your animal a ‘he’ or ‘she’? Or is your animal an ‘it’? Is your animal easily replaceable or do you imagine your world collapsing around you with their loss? Or, are you on the fence about this whole thing? Is a dog just a dog?

I don’t think there is any other animal on Earth quite like a dog (or a cat, but this article is about dogs specifically). Dogs are canids, described biologically as a family of carnivorous or opportunistically-omnivorous mammals, such as the wolf, coyote, jackal, and fox. Canids share a number of morphological similarities, including characteristic skull and dental features and refined olfactory, auditory, and visual senses, as well as a collection of behavioural analogies like the tendency to form close social cohorts. Various forms of the canid are found on almost all land masses across Earth. Essentially, a domestic dog is a carnivorous, hunting animal that lives in our homes with us. I can imagine the shock on the aliens’ faces if they got a glimpse into certain homes: a large, hairy, wolf-like animal with huge, sharp canines, and claws, sprawled across a leather couch, padded paws in the air, and pink tongue hanging out. How did we get this right?

Everyday, I spend hours on the internet, reading and researching topics that focus on ‘pet’ health and well-being. Most of this is to contribute to the development of my very young business “Place for Paws” (check it out please 🙂), but I do a lot of this reading because I am deeply fascinated with our relationship with dogs and how this has developed, changed, and evolved over the millennia that we have shared our lives with domestic animals. For one, how did we decide which animals to eat and which to cuddle with? How did the palaeolithic canine get it right, but the wild boar landed up subjecting its descendents to lives that ended on the plates of humans? Did you know that dogs, in a convoluted and evolutionary manner, actually made themselves cute on purpose so that we would rather look after them than eat them (although some cultures still eat dogs).

As you will discover in this article, thousands of years of close interactions with humans means that dogs have evolved pretty much hand-in-hand with us. I will explain why they look the way they do today, all huge eyes, droopy ears, and wiggly tails. I will look at how our lifestyles dictate theirs, and how this has changed over the years to something less than satisfactory, for them at least.

A dilemma that often keeps me up at night is why we don’t make more of an effort to learn our dogs’ language, especially when many dogs are regarded as part of the family and have been in essence, an integral part of human development, growth, and evolution over millennia. I know so many people that have dogs and ‘love’ their dogs; yet, so often I see dogs being treated as animate objects that are bought and kept to fulfil a certain need in their human, be it a need to exert power over a ‘lesser’ being, or project a certain image to the public. There aren’t many people I know that actually try to understand what their dogs need and what they are trying to say to them. Many people expect their dogs to do what they want and what they need, without regard for what their dogs need or want.

I recently read this eye-opening and mind-expanding article by Emma Judson “Asking the Impossible” (trust me, read this article!) and it sent me into a spiralling whirlpool of guilt, hope, regret, and faith: All the conflicting emotions one can expect when confronted with the results of one’s actions. I started analysing how I saw my relationship with my animals. Are they, in fact, my animals? Doesn’t the use of this possessive determiner suggest exactly that, possession? I started thinking about the definition of a possession, and how this determines how people treat their dogs. A possession is described as the “ownership of an object, asset, or property by a person”. But to many of us, our dogs aren’t objects or property! They’re family, companions, and best friends.

The concept of owning an animal has plagued me for many years. I fully understand how the practice of ‘animal ownership’ developed over centuries as human societies expanded and civilizations grew. As modern Home sapiens ventured further out into the world thousands of years ago, we developed ways to utilise and manipulate our environment to benefit us. Sometimes we needed animals to help us do this, so these animals became part of our households and our properties. Animals help us to this day. The problem is, that when we see animals as ‘ours’, or in terms of an object we can buy or own, there is a chance we will start treating them like objects or possessions. There is a rising debate on whether we should even call our animals ‘pets’, as some people feel this implies ownership of subservient or ‘lesser beings’. The Journal of Animal Ethics created great excitement (not all of it good) when they published an editorial in 2011 suggesting that the language we use to refer to animals may cause more harm than good by implying “animals are property, machines, or things to use without moral constraint.” Kim Brophey did an excellent TEDx Talk on the issues we could create when we treat dogs like pets. Have a look at her talk here:

I think we have come to a point in our civilisation and technical evolution where we should no longer see animals as objects or possessions, and rather see them for who they are: emotional, intelligent, and sentient beings.

As Judson (2023) so correctly and blatantly points out, we keep animals with the expectation that they will do what we say, when we say it. To quote: Okay my doggy friend, why don’t you “stay here in this safe, warm building, that has all you need, whilst we’re gone.” When I read this sentence again, my heart jumps. I realise how simplistically we view the lives of dogs. I am not sure where this perception came from. I do blame a lot of Hollywood for the unrealistic expectations we have of ‘pet’ dogs: Idyllic suburban families almost always have a corn-coloured golden retriever dozing peacefully in the sun while the humans go about their daily business.

But I think we know better, and can do better. This article is meant to delve into some deep and uncomfortable deliberations on the meaning of dogs to humans. I apologise for anything that may come across as offensive to the reader. However, this article is also meant to jolt something within you and hopefully, trigger a re-thinking of how we, as ‘wise man’, treat those around us.

Where do dogs come from?

The shift of dogs from work-animals to indoor companions is closely correlated with the move from agriculturally-focused lifestyles to more urbanised, indoor living. The domestication of dogs is a topic that has been worked over many times. The theory is relatively straightforward: the common ancestor of the wolf and the domestic dog, known as the proto-dog (“primitive” or “original”) or palaeolithic dog, started living in closer proximity to Eurasian palaeolithic humans around 12,000 to 25,000 years ago (the approximate date of dog domestication is hotly debated). This prehistoric canid was perhaps slightly braver and less scared of humans than its cousin, the wolf. Maybe this ancient animal found that following nomadic hunter-gatherers produced nutrient-rich food that didn’t require great energy expenditure, as well as protection from natural predators such as the sabre-toothed cat or dire wolf. Possibly, these Old Stone Age dogs were taken in as young puppies and raised as part of the clan. Probably, ancient humans recognised the benefits of keeping placid, large-toothed canids among them: adept co-hunters, convenient sources of food or sacrificial oblations, a means of transportation, and efficient alert systems against dangerous predators. Whatever the reason for keeping dogs, there is evidence that these Palaeolithic humans had already started connecting closely with their four-legged companions. Various burial sites dotted throughout Europe and dating back to thousands of years ago show what seems to be the ritualistic placement of dogs with whom we can only assume were their guardians or owners.

Studies show that the move from a hunter-gatherer type lifestyle to that of a more settled, agricultural existence for humans actually resulted in a bit of a lapse in the relationship between dogs and us. Perhaps this is when things started to go awry. Dogs became workers rather than necessary members of the community-evident in the decrease in ritualist burial sites in which dogs were included with their humans and other important goods, as seen in older hunter-gatherer societies. Around 8,000 years ago, the time that livestock were domesticated, dogs were being used as herders and protection against predators.

Many thousands of years later, and dogs are being brought into the household as companions, status symbols, and protectors. Their freedom to move and choose has become greatly restricted, but their access to comfort and reliable resources has increased drastically. Dogs can no longer easily choose who they interact with, what they eat, or how they spend their time, and the pattern of their lives is now largely dictated by the humans around them. This change happened very quickly, perhaps too quickly for dogs to comfortably adapt.

I like to think about it like this:

About 20,000 years ago, humans lived mostly as nomadic hunter-gatherers. These Palaeolithic hominins shared the planet with Neanderthals and Denisovans, both species now extinct. They lived simply, hunting with crude stone tools and sheltering in caves or rudimentary huts. There were only around two million people on Earth (this is a very rough estimate. There is no way to actually know.) Large tracts of the Earth’s surface were covered with ice and humans only occupied a miniscule portion of it.

Fast forward to the year 2023 CE: Humans are the only extant species of Homo remaining. There are now almost eight billion of us on Earth, occupying approximately 90% of the habitable land on the planet (again, this figure is only an estimate.) We have electric cars, smartphones, social media, drones, cloud services, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. Many of us are sedentary, spending the majority of our time in front of electronic screens, and have to force ourselves to get an hour of exercise in every few days. Dogs no longer resemble their wolf-cousins; rather, they have non-functional characteristics like squished faces and bulbous eyes, and often suffer from severe health problems as a result of centuries of selective breeding.

We have evolved stunningly fast in terms of technological advancements, and have expected our canine companions to keep up. I sometimes think that even humans struggle to keep up with our rapid high-tech breakthroughs. Studies indicate that incidences of mental health issues in humans such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse have increased globally by an average of 25% in the last decade. How do you think our animals are coping with these huge changes in living conditions? We are confining natural hunters and foragers to tiny indoor spaces, day in and day out for much of their lives. No wonder dogs are ‘misbehaving’! Or, are they simply trying to express natural behaviours that we are forcefully suppressing through our strict rules and confined urban environments?

What are dogs now?

Regardless of the evolution of dogs from efficient hunters to cuddly couch potatoes, dogs are a unique and interesting story in human development. In fact, dogs are considered the very first domesticated species. What is even more interesting is that long-term research on the selectiveness of domestic dog traits has shown that the traits that we often consider ‘desirable’ in dogs, such as spotted coats, floppy ears, and curly tails, are all a side-effect of domestication (Morell, 2015). Some researchers even think that dogs have evolved to look ‘cute’ so that they more closely resemble human babies (think big eyes and little noses), prompting us instinctually to care for them.

Nowadays, there are over 400 different breeds of dogs within the species Canis familiaris, a diversity that is more than twice that found in humans, even though most dog breeds have only existed for less than two hundred years (Boyko, 2011). In fact, the genetic diversity of dogs is so muddied that it has become difficult to pinpoint their exact genetic heritage. Scientists keep trying though. So, what are dogs now? I guess they are still what they have always been: protectors; livestock guardians; herders; transporters; food; companions; commodities.

In many Westernised countries, especially in developed suburban and urban communities, dogs fall under two main categories: companions and/or guards. I call these ‘house-bound’ dogs: even though they may not live in the house, their range is limited by boundaries like walls or restrictions such as restraints, cages, leads, or chains. Some of these dogs are given free rein within the boundaries of a property, in the sense that they can roam freely within the yard or garden, or in the home. These dogs may experience varying levels of acceptance as household ‘pets’. Some are welcome in the home (and on furniture and beds), while others are encouraged to stay outside.

Others are kept restrained, and reasons for this vary: certain dogs are kept as ‘early-warning systems’ or guard-dogs with the intent to warn the residents of the property of any unwelcome visitors. Dogs like these are typically not considered part of the home and are kept in the yard (free or restrained) or in cages or enclosures. Dogs may also be restrained to prevent them from roaming from the property if the yard is not securely enclosed, or to discourage them from ‘undesirable’ behaviours such as chasing poultry and other livestock or disturbing neighbours. House-bound dogs are usually ensured regular meals, access to clean water and shelter, and basic veterinary care. However, a house-bound dog may not be completely free to express normal dog behaviour. Anyone living with a dog in close vicinity to neighbours understands the panic that sets in when the dog won’t stop barking. Unfortunately, contemporary close-quarters living means that dogs are expected to “be seen and not heard”. Completely normal behaviour (in the eye’s of a dog) like chewing, barking, jumping, and digging are seen as destructive and ‘naughty’ (a horrible word!).

In much of the rest of the world, especially in peri-urban, rural and developing regions, dogs live as semi-feral, free-ranging, or free-roaming dogs: basically, these ‘village dogs’ live as dogs have for centuries and perhaps millenia, roaming freely amongst their human co-inhabitants. Most of the time, these dogs are not confined or restricted to an area and are free to move around. They may or may not have allocated guardians or owners that tend to them and feed them. Many semi-feral dogs are scavengers that rely on human waste or trash as their main sources of food.

In comparison to house-bound dogs, it may appear as though these free-roaming dogs have tough lives. In certain societies, these dogs are feared and reviled as dirty and dangerous. They struggle to find food, may suffer untreated diseases, illnesses, and injuries, are victims of violence and accidents, may not have sufficient shelter from environmental conditions, and produce litter upon litter of puppies. However, they are free. They are free (mostly) to exhibit natural dog behaviours and characteristics, such as scavenging, roaming, resting, sniffing, digging, rolling, barking, and interacting with others when they choose to (again, most of the time).

Regardless of the hows or whys of dog domestication, there is no doubt that the evolution of humans and dogs is inexorably linked. Dogs are obviously very important to us, for various reasons. But, have we taken the time to learn to understand and communicate with these animals? Many of us have so much going on in life already that we need to make it as simple and convenient as possible to look after our dogs.

Have we done dogs an injustice?

Sometimes I get really angry with dogs. I wish that dogs had left us alone all those thousands of years ago. I want to go back in time to that ignorant animal that stole meaty bones from cold fires and give them a poke in the ribs so that they learn fear of humans, much like their wild cousins did. But, I look down at my 16-year-old kind-of-pug, a rescue from the local pound, and my heart melts with the love I have for her. She has journeyed with me through the years of good and bad and is my best friend. Perhaps, instead of being angry with my dog’s ancient ancestors, I should see the privilege of learning from, and spending time with animals.

I often spend time thinking about the welfare of free-roaming dogs in comparison to that of the house-bound dog. Who is happier? The dog that gets her meals served to her in a steel bowl every day at the same time, or the dog that has to roam and scavenge to find food? The dog that is whisked to the vet the minute she starts limping, or the dog that has to keep foraging for food even after being hit by a car? Your first thought may be: The first dog! Of course! Naturally, there are many nuances to this kind of debate. The first dog may also be expected to lie quietly for many hours of the day, or may be smacked for chewing a child’s favourite toy, while the second dog has the freedom to choose when to rest and what to chew. The answer to ‘Who is happier?’ is not straightforward and obviously requires reference to specific dogs and their unique situations. But, it is a good place to start when analysing if we are doing right by our dogs.

Let’s think about the basic requirements of a domestic animal’s well-being. To do this, I like to refer back to the ‘Five Freedoms’, a framework of animal rights, specifically in terms of animal welfare, that was developed in the UK around 1965. This list of basic needs outlines the satisfactory levels of animal welfare; in other words, ensuring the well-being of an animal in a domestic setting, such as farming. The Five Freedoms are:

Freedom from hunger and thirst;
Freedom from discomfort;
Freedom from pain, injury, and disease;
Freedom to express normal behaviours; and
Freedom from fear and distress.

Too often, I hear stories of very young puppies removed from their mothers and siblings to be left alone at home all day. And then, when these poor little ones try to keep themselves busy by chewing on nearby furniture, they are severely reprimanded. But, have we thought carefully about what we are putting the animal through?

Extensive research shows that puppies need to remain with their mom and littermates for at least the first 12 to 15 weeks of their lives. This is what is known as the formative period and is essential for the pup to fully develop physically, emotionally, and mentally. During this time a puppy will receive nutrient-rich milk from their moms. They will be slowly weaned onto solid food, but will continue to nurse for comfort and bonding. They will be taught effective canine communication skills, as well as manners and other socialisation skills they need to be the best dogs they can be. They will learn appropriate elimination behaviours and how to interact with other dogs. This critical period will largely determine a dog’s adaptability and resilience as well as their social skills and physical health. If a puppy is removed from their mom’s care before the formative period is over they are likely to suffer from a number of issues as adults, such as heightened fear reactions, resource guarding, anxiety, defence behaviour, and inappropriate play biting.

In closing

Science has proven that animals are sentient beings, meaning they experience different emotions and have the ability to feel, like humans do. Dr Bekoff (2022) declares that there is no longer a need to argue whether animals are sentient or not-they are!-(read more here), and I agree.

Over many thousands of years, we have manipulated, controlled, exploited, and utilised domestic animals, dogs included. I would even go as far as to say that dogs, as we know them today, are ‘man-made’, manufactured to suit our needs, wants, and desires. Unfortunately, this engineering of ‘man’s best friend’ has resulted in an animal that relies so closely on their human guardians that they are now suffering, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Meyer et al. (2022) have compiled a comprehensive discussion on the welfare of companion dogs, and I urge you to go through it. One of their concerns is that the rapid change in the typical life of a dog over the past couple of centuries may have led to a situation where we have placed “unrealistic social demands on our pets that have led to anxiety, depression, and aggression.”

The good news is that while it may take a bit of effort, there are hundreds of tried and tested ways to help our dogs cope better with our urban lifestyles, as well as highly educated specialists to help us. Perhaps it is as simple as recognising that you may not be able to fulfil all the needs of a dog at this time and deciding to wait before sharing your life with one. Maybe it is admitting that you can do more to meet your dog’s needs and wants and putting in the effort to do so. It may be that you decide to take the time to do the required research before adopting a dog so that you know how to help your dog integrate comfortably into your lifestyle.

I think that what I am hoping someone gets from this long-winded rambling is to look carefully at the lives of the animals they share their home or property with. I don’t expect everybody to feel comfortable with a dog in their bed, or fur on the couch, but I do expect people to take responsibility to ensure the well-being of their animals. And, this is not simply ensuring they have enough food and water, and sufficient shelter. For me, an animal should be able to (within reason) express as many of their natural behaviours as possible – of course, without harming themselves or others. Do you regularly let your dog sniff, dig, roam, explore, chew, play, roll, and rest?

So, in summary, I challenge you to re-look at why you have animals, and at the way you keep your animals, be they cats or dogs. Can you fulfil all of the Five Freedoms to a reasonable extent? Do you allow your animal to express behaviours natural to them? And finally, and controversially:

“Would you do this to your child?”

If your answer is no, then you shouldn’t be doing it to your animal.