Anthropomorphism

"The attribution of a human form or behavior to an animal."

Generally animal professionals will discourage people from being anthropomorphic about their pets since it doesn't allow humans to recognize that animals have very different needs, behaviors and responses to situations than humans. Anthropomorphism can cause people to call a cat lazy because he sleeps up to 18 hours a day. While 18 hours of sleeping each day is excessive for a human, it's quite normal for a cat.

Anthropomorphism can even be dangerous -- we humans show affection and love through wrapping our arms around the backs or neck of another and holding them close. This is what we call a hug. However dogs don't interpret this action the same way we do. A dog who puts his chin or paw over the shoulder or back of another dog is displaying status seeking behavior. When we hug dogs they don't interpret it as affection -- but either as our attempt to show our status, or as a way for us to restrain them.

Most dogs do not like to be hugged, but will tolerate it from the people they live with. Many will even tolerate it from those they've just met. Regardless, it's not a good idea to hug a dog that doesn't belong to you. Not only is it a good way to get bit in the face from a dog who doesn't want to tolerate hugging from someone they don't know well, but it's disrespectful to the dog as well. After all -- you wouldn't think it was polite if a stranger came running up to you in the street and threw their arms around your neck, would you?

In some cases anthropomorphism can be a good thing, however. The last sentence of my last paragraph is a good example of this -- comparing your own discomfort, fear or anger at having a stranger approach and hug you to what a dog may be feeling in the same circumstance can be useful in helping people relate to and feel empathy for their animals.

Recently a morning news anchor in KUSA-TV in Denver was interviewing the owner of a dog who had been rescued from an icy river the day before. The dog was also present in the studio. I've embedded video of that encounter below -- but full disclosure before you watch it -- the news anchor does get bit by the dog at the end and it may be disturbing.

The day before the interview the dog experienced a traumatic event. The next morning he was taken to a television studio and waited for 45 minutes to an hour -- during which time he was in an unfamiliar environment filled with equipment he'd most likely never seen before, and approached by strangers.

Then he was taken onto a news set with harsh lighting and cameras pointed at him. A woman he didn't know got in his space and rapidly ran her hands back and forth repeatedly, while his owner held on to his collar so he couldn't get away from her had he wanted to. At the end, this complete stranger moved towards his face with her mouth (trying to kiss him). This is the point where she was bit.

Anthropomorphism is useful in this situation. How many of us are at our best and are at our most tolerant during times of stress? The opposite is more likely -- when stressed we need extra space and the last thing we need is for additional stressful situations. This dog, had he been asked and been able to answer, most likely would have preferred to stay at home that morning, rather than go on a news show.

Removing the anthropomorphism again, I'd like you to take note of a few things that went on during the video footage -- should you choose to watch it, as I think it's helpful for non-dog professionals to be able to be able to see some of the non-verbal communication signals that dogs use to communicate stress. The dog was frequently flicking his tongue, was panting heavily, at one point (at about 11 seconds) his mouth closes and he freezes for a split second, and he turns his head away from her (about 18 seconds). These are all warning signs that the dog is uncomfortable and stressed. Right before the bite -- as she moves her face into his he freezes again for a split second before he bites her.

While this is a horrible situation and the news woman was badly injured by it (she required plastic surgery to repair her torn lip), I think it helps to remind us that dogs are animals and we need to not make assumptions about how we interact with them.

(Don't) Smooch Your Pooch

One of the newest children's book releases is entitled "Smooch Your Pooch" and has an illustration on the front cover of a little girl planting one on a dog's cheek. Amazon has some great reviews from parents who state that it's a cute story, has great rhymes, and their kids really love it.

It's also come on the radar of veterinarians, dog trainers and behaviorists, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The biggest problem are the pages that advise children to: "Smooch your pooch to show that you care. Give him a hug anytime, anywhere."

While these words sound innocuous enough to most people, to a professional in the world of canines they evoke horror. A display of affection by kissing and hugging is a part of what we humans do. But this kind of display can and does end up with children getting bit. When a dog puts his paw over the back of another dog it is not a friendly gesture. And many dogs do not like being restrained -- which is what a hug really is. Kissing can also bring problems since it usually places a child's face right next to a dog's teeth.

Yes -- I do hug and kiss my dogs all the time -- and they tolerate it because I am their human, and because I know when they are not in the mood for me to do it and want to be left alone. I think many dogs are the same way -- willing to tolerate the silliness of the people they live with. And I think it's unrealistic to expect people - especially children, to NOT ever display affection by hugging and kissing their dogs.

Dr. Sophia Yin wrote a really fantastic review of the book on Amazon detailing why this is an inappropriate book and I don't want to use my blog to re-write something that she already put so concisely. I'd rather address some of the reviews that were written after hers and those who concurred with her concerns.

Many of these reviewers stated that the book does not advocate that children go up to strange dogs and hug and kiss them, and so didn't see why the book was a problem. The problem is that children should be taught that even THEIR OWN dogs really don't like to be hugged and kissed, and that children should respect their own dog's feelings. The line, "Give him a hug, anytime anywhere" doesn't take into consideration the fact that no one wants a hug anytime, anywhere!

Additionally it's my thought that children who have extremely tolerant dogs at home are more likely to get bit by dogs in the homes of others. They many times have not been taught that not all dogs are as tolerant as their own, and that they need to behave differently around other dogs.

Some of the Amazon reviews stated that the book was a good opportunity for parents to have a discussion about appropriate interactions with dogs. The problem with this comment is that many adults don't understand dog behavior and don't realize what inappropriate human/dog behavior is.

A case in point is the reviewer who stated that the book "...does not encourage kids to kiss strange dogs or dangerous dogs." Another stated that "...adults can take proper precautions by explaining that it is not a good idea to hug or kiss any strange animals." In their minds the only dogs that would take offense to their children kissing or hugging them are dogs they don't know, or dangerous dogs. Would they be surprised if kids were bit hugging the neighbors dog? What about a dog owned by a relative that they visit frequently? Most kids are bit by dogs they know -- not by stray dogs.

When I do education programs on dog safety I hear many stories of people who have been bit by dogs. They aren't all children - one parent told me that she had been bit by a friend's dog when she went to hug it, and a child told me that his Mom had been bit by a dog after she hugged it -- no, it was not the same woman! And most of the children who get bit by dogs were attempting to hug them when it happened.

My last concern about this book is that it apparently does have cute illustrations and the rhyming makes it fun to read. Kids are so impressionable and if they enjoy the book may want to act it out -- with perhaps negative consequences.

Again -- I want to state that I do think it's unrealistic that people and their kids won't kiss and hug their own dogs. But children and their parents need to be educated that dogs really don't like this type of affection, and they need to respect their furry family member's feelings and keep that kind of affection to a minimum at times when the dog is in the mood for it. And this book really doesn't help them do that.