04/06/2026
Anthropomorphism and Our Dogs 🐾
Anthropomorphism is when we attribute human thoughts, emotions, or intentions to animals.
It usually comes from a place of love. We care deeply about our dogs, so it’s natural to interpret their behaviour through a human lens. However, doing so can sometimes lead us to misunderstand what our dogs are really trying to communicate.
How many times have you heard someone say their dog looked guilty after chewing something up? In reality, what we often see is a dog responding to our tone of voice, body language, or previous experiences rather than experiencing guilt in the same way a human would.
Or perhaps you’ve heard a dog described as being stubborn. Sometimes what appears to be stubbornness may actually be confusion, fear, distraction, or a lack of understanding about what is being asked.
What about the dog that has taken revenge for being left alone by damaging something in the home? More often, this behaviour is linked to stress, frustration, anxiety, or an unmet need rather than a deliberate attempt to get back at us.
And be honest…
Do you talk to your dog as if they can talk back and fully understand every word you’re saying?
“Who chewed this?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Are you going to tell me what you’ve been up to today?”
Most of us have done it! There’s nothing wrong with chatting to our dogs, and many of us do it every day. But it’s important to remember that while dogs are incredibly skilled at reading our body language, tone of voice, routines, and emotions, they don’t interpret language in the same way humans do.
Dogs are emotional beings. They form strong bonds, experience a range of emotions, and learn from the world around them. But they experience and process the world differently from humans.
The more we understand behaviour from the dog’s perspective, the better equipped we are to support their welfare, strengthen our relationship with them, and communicate more effectively.
