Pete the Vet: Dogs think and behave in similar ways to us
It’s easier to understand dogs if you see their perspective.
When I qualified as a vet, the idea of comparing the actions, motivations and behaviour of dogs with humans was seen to be unscientific and sentimental. This is known as “anthropomorphism”, and back then, it was thought to be the terrain of over-involved owners who projected their own ideas onto their pets.
This view has now changed dramatically. Advances in neurology, brain biochemistry and behavioural studies of dogs now lead us to believe that anthropomorphism can actually be a useful tool in trying to understand what dogs are doing. Simply put, if we try to imagine that we are in the same situation as a dog, it can help us understand why they are behaving the way that they are. And we can then be in a better place to modify undesirable behaviour, because it makes more sense to us.
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