Are We Trying To Turn Our Dogs Into Humans?

Feb 18th 2010

We love our dogs. They soothe us, entertain us, and their devotion and affection brings an enormous amount of joy into our lives. For all that we are appreciative.

Some of us show our appreciation by buying luxury items that range from the frivolous (designer clothes and custom-made collars) to the more practical (organic dog food and orthopedic beds). When our hectic lives mean we have to leave our precious pooches behind, we put them up at fancy dog hotels with socialization hours and individual walks. Many of us avoid that problem entirely by bringing our dogs everywhere we go -- showering them with non-stop affection.

Is all this the least we can do for the pets that bring us so much happiness? Or, at some point does this 21st century lifestyle begin to take something away from the dog's essential animal nature? And are we somehow giving other humans less than they deserve because we are showering all this attention on our pets? These are some of the questions pondered in the New York Magazine article "The Rise of Dog Identity Politics" in which the author John Homans describes some of the conflicts we – and others, including academics, psychiatrists, and dog trainers -- feel about the way many of us choose to parent our pets.

"The dog is more and more an urban species. Even in the suburbs, the dog's unleashed, unfenced, carefree outdoor life is largely at an end. The dogs are in the house, even in the bed. (The doghouse is now mostly for husbands.) There are no rules to this evolving, increasingly intimate arrangement, and it can give rise to a kind of canine identity crisis. Outside of its country context, the dog plays an ever more human role. Which can make things very confusing," says Homans.

What do you think, Paw Nation? By giving our dogs the cushiest, most comfortable lives possible, are we somehow invalidating their essential "dogness?" Do you personally feel that you have ever gone over the line in your devotion and care for your pet?

Tell us what you think by taking our poll and sharing your comments below.