Dogs Don’t Do Gray

Why Humanizing Dogs Hurts More Than It Helps

Are you guilty?

I was too….

I love my dogs with all my heart, but I love them because they are dogs, not because they act like humans.

When we treat our dogs like people, we often blur the lines of what they actually need from us. Dogs don’t live in the “gray areas” the way we do. They don’t need long explanations or reasoning. For them, life is black and white: clear rules, clear boundaries, and clear communication.

Examples of humanizing dogs:

• Letting them sit on the couch growling, but saying “oh, he just doesn’t like being disturbed” instead of correcting the behavior.

• Explaining out loud why they shouldn’t pull on the leash, as if they’ll “reason it out.”
  

• Feeling guilty for crating them because “they’ll be sad,” when in reality the crate is supposed to give them security and structure.
  

• Feeding them from the table because “they’re family too,” which creates begging and entitlement.

When we do these things, we risk:

• Confusing them with mixed signals
  

• Creating anxiety because they can’t understand “why”
  

• Reinforcing unwanted behaviors instead of guiding them

Your dog doesn’t need you to explain. They need you to lead. They thrive when you show them exactly what is expected in a way they understand. Structure, consistency, and patience build trust far better than treating them like little humans ever could.

So love them for the simple, loving creatures that bring joy to our lives just by being dogs and don’t over complicate things!