13/07/2025
So true...
Too much choice is still too much.
We love the idea of freedom. But the science is clear - animals don’t thrive in chaos.
They thrive with structured autonomy - choices that are clear, meaningful, and manageable.
Give a dog too little control, and you risk stress or learned helplessness (Seligman, 1972).
Give them too much? Confusion, anxiety, or shutdown (F***t & Parron, 2010).
The same goes for zoo animals, dogs in training, even humans with too many cereal options.
Freedom isn’t about letting them do whatever they want.
It’s about setting up the environment so that their choices make sense.
Because true agency isn’t a free-for-all - it’s knowing what you can control and being safe enough to try.
