There are many beauties in a relationship between humans and dogs. From the moment the bond is created to the point when inevitably the relationship ends it is full of joy and nuance. Many academics have made an effort to research this relationship. But, much of this research is faced with the problem of assigning dogs to one box. This is a problem is a symptom of the wider scope of what to do with animals and their rights. Humans we believe that there is something innate about us that makes us superior to the millions of other animals that share this planet we call home.
One of the first problems we deal with is how dogs became dogs. We all know that dogs were domesticated from wolves, but we struggle to acknowledge our role in changing the natural world. We ask questions like why did dogs become smaller, weaker, and more juvenile? What we forget when we ask these questions is that these are all traits that make dogs more appealing to humans. An example is the weakening of the jaw muscles in dogs. There are many reasons for the jaw muscle to become weaker in dogs. The jaw didn't need to be as developed when dogs were eating cooked food from humans. The weakening of the jaw changes the face shape of the dogs. This change in their face shape creates the more juvenile look. These profiles help to punctuate the many changes that have happened to go from wolf to dog over the 20,000+ years or our relationship with them.
Wolf & Dog Profiles
Credit: Me
These profiles though not perfect show the changes between the wolf's face and the dog's face. The dog has less space between the snout and the crown of the head, the ears are dropped down, and there is a less hunched stature. Additionally my dog who was the model for the dog profile has thick curly hair that has a habit of getting in her eyes. This would be harmful to a wolf because it would impede their hunting ability. This difference makes my dog more appealing to me as a human. She is soft, cuddly, and looks rather similar to how she was when she was a puppy. These characteristics though shallow makes it easier for humans to find her appealing. These characteristics were carried over because they make her more appealing as a pet. Even dogs like huskies that have a wolf like appearances have dog characteristics. These fundamental differences in characteristics are important in seeing the human bias in our perception of animal rights.
Animal rights are deeply tied to how we view what it means to be human. There is a dichotomy in how we think of ourselves as humans. We both believe that we have no impact on the natural world and believe that we are like gods able to make judgements about the whole world. This factors into every element in our lives, our political beliefs, our values, and most our interactions with animals.
The traits we assign to dogs are interesting to look at. We ascribe both loyalty, patience, and deep emotional intelligence while also associating dogs with stupidity, unpredictability, and aggression. These negative traits are even more associated with wolves. Why is it that we can ascribe such opposite traits to one animal? This is because it is much easier for us as humans to label a large group of relatively similar things with general statements than challenge our beliefs and misconceptions. Those of us who have a dog know that not all of these things are true. Dogs can be aggressive and unpredictable but only when provoked. If you are respectful of the dog's boundaries it is likely that nothing will happen. Dogs warn when they mean to attack growling, retreating, or making themselves big. Through these signs dogs make an effort to warn you that you are encroaching on their personal space. Dogs aren't stupid either. They may do things we think are not wise but there is a reason for it. They have reasons for why they run into the street or after a car. For my own dog it is the thrill of the chase. When she is lonely and hasn't been walked it is much more likely for her to run into the street. She knows this will get our attention, and she is right. What she doesn't know is that there are cars that could seriously harm her. We can prevent her from running by meeting her needs for walks and attention. This is why it is so important for us not to generalize animals and their experiences. They are all unique in their experiences and attitudes.
This problematic generalization carries over to how we interact with humans. When we generalize about those who we view as different of inferior we cause a cycle of hate and misunderstanding. If we continue to ignore this pain it will only force us further away from one another. This is why animals are so important. They teach us things about ourselves that we can be too proud to acknowledge and address. The dog human relationship is beautiful because of these reasons. They teach us more about ourselves and how we act than we may care to know. Tt is our job to accept these criticisms and change because of them.
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