The State and Future of Dogs

Captivity is the state of being for our companion dogs, and as we’ve stressed, captivity carries significant costs. It’s not easy for dogs to live as our pets. Being “good dogs” requires a continual stream of limitations to their natural dogness. Regardless of whether dogs have “chosen” to evolve with us, they have very little choice in the specific human environments in which they live their lives, and often they have very little control over what they’re allowed to do. There is a crucial asymmetry in the human-dog relationship: We enjoy many freedoms and our dogs don’t. Dogs have only as much freedom as we allow them.

Because of the various constraints we place on the natural behavioral repertoire of our dogs, all pet dogs are behaviorally challenged to some degree. They are struggling to adapt, even when it seems as if they aren’t. It is the obligation of every dog guardian to make this struggle a little easier, to minimize the costs of captivity and reduce the daily deprivations experienced by our dogs as they try to adapt to our homes and neighborhoods. We can do this through paying careful attention to who dogs really are and what they really need.

Our basic message, and the basic freedom enhancer we’ve tried to emphasize throughout this book, is to let your dog be a dog, as much as possible, as often as possible, and with as much patience and goodwill as possible. As you do this, pay close attention to your dog’s unique personality and idiosyncrasies. Each dog is truly a distinct individual.

As the Beatles said so well, we all get by with a little help from our friends. We sometimes forget that the human-dog friendship is two-sided. We need to hold up our end of the friendship by being proactive in providing a good life for our companions. We need to find ways to adapt ourselves and our homes to our dogs. Enhancements and enrichments don’t fix the underlying disease of captivity, but they go a long way toward making the lives of our dogs happier and more fulfilled.

TEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR DOG HAPPIER AND MORE CONTENT 1. Let your dog be a dog. 2. Teach your dog how to thrive in human environments. 3. Have shared experiences with your dog. 4. Be grateful for how much your dog can teach you. 5. Make life an adventure for your dog. 6. Give your dog as many choices as possible. 7. Make your dog’s life interesting by providing variety in feeding, walking, and making friends. 8. Give your dog endless opportunities to play. 9. Give your dog affection and attention every day. 10. Be loyal to your dog.

People often report that their dog is their most important source of emotional support. The reason? “My dog loves me for who I am,” people often reply. When we love and respect dogs for who they are, it is a win-win for everybody. We are most fortunate to have dogs in our lives, and we must work for the day when all dogs are fortunate to have us in their lives, too.

by Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce.