Anthropomorphism

[lovenotwar149]

Hi, I have a couple of Q's about my Labrador. I have been doing a course about dog behaviour and this very BIG word Anthropomorphism came up. It is
the attribution of human traits, emotions, intentions, or behaviors to non-human entities, such as animals. I have now questioned whether I am doing this.

1. I sit on the floor next to my dog when she is in her dog bed, as opposed to on the sofa. She isn't allowed on the sofa. I do this b/c I think that is nice for her to have my company. I now wonder whether it would be better if I sat on the sofa to assert my leader position?
2. I feed her a set amount of food that is her recommended allowance. She is a very good healthy size not at all overweight. I feed her at set times in the day, very consistent. Like I am with my meal times. But throughout the day , whilst I do stick with her recommended allowance, I do feed her several times a day. E.g. Breakfast/mid morning snack/lunch/afternoon snack/dinner/eve snack.

She eats when I eat basically.

FYI - Where I type 'snack' it means a few kibbles from her days kibble pot.

What do people think? I am now questioning whether she should be going more hours without food? At most she'll go 3/4 hours without food, other than overnight.

Her behaviour is absolutely GREAT btw, she's very well behaved, great recall, listens to commands exceptionally well and is a very happy girl.

At anticipated 'food' times because they are so consistent, she does know them well and does have a pavlovian response and can get too excited in anticipation for it. It's a bit OTT at times tbh.

Why isn’t she allowed on the sofa?

Our decision

I think that question comes from a place of anthropomorphism. Why on earth should she be allowed on the sofa?

Re the feeding, I'd say that it is a bad idea to be giving your dog so many little meals through the day. Two meals is better.

The multiple snacks will mean that she is inconstantly expecting food, which is likely to be particularly troublesome with a labrador, given how obsessive they are about food at the best of times.

However, you say that it is working ok for you in terms of behaviour, so perhaps if it isn't broke don't fix it. My only reservation would be that perhaps a dog's metabolism isn't so well adapted as ours to constant small meals.

I don’t think either of those things are anthropomorphism but erm Labradorism. Labradors like to be close to their person, mine is currently snuggled up in bed with me. I don’t think I’d want to be sitting on the floor forever so either sit back on the sofa and put her bed near your feet or be like us and cave in and let her on the sofa, she’ll end up there anyway 🤣.

Labradors love food. I don’t think it matters when they get their food as long as they’re healthy. But no matter how much you give them, they’ll always want more and it’ll always be the best thing they’ve ever eaten!

Basically, Labradors need love and food… and balls. So she sounds very normal to me!

Ok thank you very much. She certainly is a very happy and well behaved dog. Sleeps very well, regular good bowel movements. Very playful with both my hubby and I and has excellent recall when I take her out - all VERY good signs

I think that question comes from a place of anthropomorphism. Why on earth should she be allowed on the sofa?

I can’t imagine not letting my cat on the sofa so I think it might even come from a place of felinomorphism. Sorry.

I think the leader idea is now considered a little outdated in the UK. If you don’t want dogs on the sofa, that’s fine though, but I do think sitting on the floor sounds a bit daft. Just sit on the sofa with him by your feet.

Most adult dogs eat twice a day, with treats for training purposes. Maybe more food times as puppies. I’ve never heard of your method. Also, it’s best to vary the time so they don’t assume that soon as your up it’s breakfast time, or food is always coming at 5.15pm on the dot.

Also a lab owner who’s dog sleeps on the sofa, and has his main food twice a day, breakfast (8-9am) and evening (5-6pm).

I think most of us do this with our dogs.

My day is a continuous stream of:

‘Look at you in your smart new harness! Don’t you look lovely sweet boy.’

‘ Is it your dinner time?’

’Let me just finish this then we’ll have a walk round the block.’

He just looks at me and gets that the tone is friendly - perhaps picks up a few key words occasionally - so he’s happy. I’m happy because I am not spending the best part of the day in silence. It’s harmless.

I picked 'not letting a dog on the sofa' b/c I have been a guide dog fosterer and when doing so these dogs are not allowed on the sofa. I have kept this habit b/c I thought it worked well

I think perhaps you're overthinking. I don't quite get that you sit on the floor next to your dog who is not allowed on the sofa. My old dog wasn't allowed on the sofa until she was 10. I'm not sure exactly what happened but I know it was a comfort to her in her latter years. Having said that she was quite small. Anyway it sounds like you have a good relationship with your dog, you've obviously put in a lot of time and effort.

I think that what you are doing is basically fine -- even if it is just to accommodate your emotional needs rather than hers: As humans, we feel uncomfortable eating in the presence of loved ones without offering them food too. And we're allowed to anthropomorphise the relationship at our own end of it

Here's a thought though. Could you make each of your meal/snack times the occasion for a little training exercise, so that you could dole out her little ration of kibble in individual pieces as rewards for whatever behaviours you are training?

This might be even more rewarding for both of you, since training is so bonding. And it could just be little things that didn't take up too much time while you are preparing your own meal.

My favourite 'fun' training is 'go find', where my dog has to sit and stay while I hide some food anywhere in the house for him to find when I release him from the stay.

I also don’t think they’re signs of anthro… which is when you put human emotions onto dogs. . Ie. Think a dog is smiling. You’re describing training routines.

I do 'go find" too...she LOVES it!!!!!!

I think the leadership thing has been quietly dumped as it was based on non-familial groups of wolves. But my Labs have never been on the sofa. I sit on the floor too and have wonderful cuddles. Arthritic knee is unfortunately making that less frequent!

The more research is done into dog evolution, social awareness, brain activity and cognition, the less we hear of anthropomorphism - dogs do experience the same range of emotions as us; we recognise many of them in our dogs and they do the same with us.

your dogs job is to be a companion to you. If you want to sit next to them, crack on. Quite frankly if I wanted to sit next to my dog I’d rather they were on the sofa than me on the floor- but you do you. Your dog doesn’t see you sitting on the floor as lower status

My dog definitely has a smile, he also has a pissed off look - they are sentient beings that feel and show emotions.

I think sitting with your dog whether on the floor or sofa is a lovely bonding and relaxing thing to do, your dog is a pet she sounds well behaved i don't think you need to be "her leader"
i feed my dog twice a day he gets a "snack" at lunchtime a carrot or a chew he anticipates this, dogs thrive on routine and I just think you have your dog in a routine that suits you,.

I think sitting on the floor to cuddle your dog is fine and normal.

Ref the snacking, as long as the kibble comes from her meal allowance, it’s fine.

But the main thing is if she seems happy and her behaviour and weight is fine, then there’s nothing to worry about.

I have a one year old Lab (it’s his birthday today!) and I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong personally. If you have the dog you want, which it sounds like you do (I.e. no problem behaviours) then you must be doing something right.

I personally wouldn’t want to sit on the floor next to my dog and mine is allowed on the sofa (and sleeps in my bed) and I only feed mine twice a day (makes him work harder for treats when training on his walks!) but if you don’t want your dog on the sofa then I don’t see an issue with it - it’s your sofa and your house after all.

How old is she and can we see a pic 😍

anthropomophism is more about us imposing our emotions on a dog.
Expecting a dog to behave/react in the way a human would.

It makes us treat them like babies/children instead of animals.
One example might be when a child is hugging their dog and everyone is OH isn't that sweet!! But in reality most dogs don't like being hugged like that and are very uncompfortable, they put up with it because they like living in the house. Hugging is a human emotional need/response, not a dog's.

My friend's lab has never been given human food. She is so calm and no issues around food/begging/food stealing etc which many labs develop. She doesn't associate human food smells with herself at all, so is very non reactive around food. This is a massive advantage with a lab, but most people see it as 'sad' that she can't have a bit of sausage at the BBQ, and feel sorry for her, and assume she is missing out. She doesn't care, the people are superimposing their emotions on her.

Yes definitely, but I think pp is pointing out that people can see a dog as smiling and happy, but actually it is stressed and panting for example, but the shape of its mouth is like a smile. More understanding of a dog is needed to interpret ‘smile’.

What. @steppemum said, we can love our dogs and treat them like dogs and not babies. Although my dog has all the sense of a 5 year boy 😂

Another thinking you have misunderstood anthropomorphic. Dogs do experienc a range of emotions, of course they do, they are social animals, evolved to live as part of a pack. But they think and behave like dogs.

Incidentally my vet recently advised 3 meals per day, which we do anyway, as we don't feed so much at one meal that we risk bloat.

Yes, I see what you mean - you really do need to know the whole dog to know what the “smile” means rather than assuming a happy dog.