Saw a dog trainer on the news say that dogs are not human beings

[Yavin4]

Dogs are predatory animals that look out for themselves.

Guess that animal trainer does not know any Wall Street bankers.

[Swede]

1. There are too many stories of dogs protecting a child

by attacking something bigger.

[MrScorpio]

2. Defensive pack animal response nt

[femmocrat]

3. True, not technically at least.

But don't tell that to the dogs!

[david13]

4. Well, probably the dogs consider themselves to be far superior

to the humans. And thus they deign to protect them. And expect them to feed them, as if the humans were meant to be servants.
What the dog trainer means, is that you cannot relate to a dog as if they was a human being. The big problem with dog behavioral problems, as seen on such dog trainer shows as "Dog Whisperer", is that people try to treat them as human.
They are not and don't respond that way.
dc

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Dogs are not human beings - they are superior creatures.

Almost as excellent as cats.

[Lucinda]

11. Agreed

:)

[davsand]

6. He-llo Captain Obvious!!!!

I'm sure that incredible leap of knowledge and stunning insight left news viewers gasping...



Anthropomorphizing ANY animal leads to trouble. THAT is a fundamental. I love my cat--Chaucer is an excellent companion animal, but he IS still a cat with cat behaviors. Similarly, I loved my Lab but she was still a DOG and she did dog things.


:banghead:



Laura

[nolabear]

7. I agree, Anthropomorphizing them some is inevitable but too much is disrespectful.

That statement by the trainer was simplistic, though, if he/she left it at that.

[murielm99]

8. Yep. My dog rolls in shit.

I don't know any humans who do that literally. There are plenty of right wingers who do that figuratively, but that is all.

My dog eats cat poop when she can get away with it. Right wingers don't do that, but they do spew plenty of shit.

I am not picking on you. I am just making a few lounge-worthy observations.

[TorchTheWitch]

9. they aren't human beings and look out for themselves and their pack

and their pack can consist of species other than their own and be as small as a pack of one. They can also be very compassionate to strangers either human or animal. Yes, they are naturally predatory... so are humans.

Dogs and humans can relate together so well because of such a similarity in societal structure and a similar high level of adaptability.

[old mark]

10. Given a choice, I much prefer dogs...they are better beings....nt

[Generic Brad]

12. Is that also true for the "cool kidz" in high school?

They sure seem to have a pack mentality.

[madmom]

13. Over the summer my parents came to visit with their dog/child. My husband was a little

put off by the way my dad treated the dog. I am NOT exaggerating when I say he treats the dog better than he did his kids. They got into a bit of a discussion about how my dad feeds the dog only people food and literally treats the dog like a kid. My husband then told my dad "yeah but it all comes down to if anything were to happen to you and mom and you were all inside the house and couldn't get out, the dog would eat you for survival, would you do the same to him?" That was the end of that conversation.