Wait! Don't Ever Humanize Your Dog

If you truly love your furry friend as much as you say, start by respecting his or her nature. Once again we will say from My Animals: never humanize your pet.

Treating pets like human beings, another form of animal cruelty

The inability to see past one’s nose is a trait of many people. This is why it’s hard for them to understand that what’s good for them is not necessarily what’s good for their animal friend.

But in addition, they truly believe that treating them like humans is good for their furry friends. However, the opposite is true and pets begin developing serious physical or behavioral problems.

And even worse, their owners wonder how it’s possible that their spoiling has brought on this situation, if they live for them and always give them the best.

From My Animals we insist once again that you never humanize your pet. Respecting the nature of your furry friend is the best thing that you can do for yourself and the little animal in order to live together, healthy and happy.

Humanizing pets, a problem these days

We agree that life is not easy for anyone in this virtual era where people have less and less real contact with their peers.

Loneliness and the lack of communication, especially in big cities, are usually destructive for people. But as a result they are trying to fill that void with their pet, and there is a chasm between the two.

Dogs, cats and other pets are usually great and loving company for many people. And that is great, without a doubt.

The problem is in confusing things too much. Our dear little furry friends are not human beings. The two things can’t be mixed. Failing to respect the characteristics of each species is not good for people nor furry friends.

If you truly love your furry friend, don’t do this to him

There are various ways of humanizing your pet. For example:

• Giving them food meant for people.
• Sitting them at the table at meal time.
• Dressing them up or putting them in costumes with clothes and fashionable accessories,  or exclusively designed for them.
• Celebrating birthdays with balloons, cake and even candles.
• Organizing and celebrating weddings between them, where the tuxedo and the veil aren’t missing – what are you thinking.
• Thinking of them as if they were small children, or even worse, babies.

Consequences of humanizing animal friends

If you think about it, a pet being treated like a human being won’t take long before showing signs that something is not going well in his life. And those signs will be evident, physically as much as behaviorally, there’s no doubt. Among them are:

• Obesity and other nutrition problems
• Aggression
• Breaking furniture and others objects
• Doing their business all over the place
• Barking compulsively
• Stereotyped behaviors (chasing their tail, constant licking, self-mutilation, etc.)

Benefits of never humanizing your pet

There are so many ways of having a good time with your furry friends. They are wonderful beings that want to offer us all of their love. And the best way to repay all of that affection that they give us is to treat them with respect and taking care of them responsibly.

This way we’ll make sure that they are healthy and happy, letting them be what they are: dogs, cats, ferrets, etc. And we must not miss the opportunity to be what we are: humans who must also relate in real life with our peers.

And walking your dog in the park or taking your pet to the vet may be great opportunities for your social life to expand. Just wait and you’ll see.

Advocating for many happy owners and pets

So be careful how you’re dealing with your pet. We repeat: never humanize your pet. Respect its nature. So:

• Give her the right food according to her species, size, age, particular characteristics, etc.
• Play with her. It stimulates her intelligence.
• Ensure an appropriate level of physical activity.
• Allows him to be what he is: to explore, to sniff trash and others’ tails, to scratch, to dig, to bark, to meow, to chase leaves and butterflies, etc.