Anthropomorphism: the tendency to attribute human characteristics to animals.
The most common way that we humans do this to our dogs, is that we assume our methods of creating emotional change in each other apply to them. Allow me to explain: as a young child you likely had moments when you were highly afraid of something. In these moments, it is likely that an adult scooped you up, held you close, and told you that it was going to be ok. This approach works on us humans, even, or perhaps particularly, at a very young age. Years later, when we look at a scared dog, it is instinctual for us to do the same thing. We want to scoop them up, hold them close, and pet away their fears. Why is this a problem? Because dogs don't have the same emotional healing process and reaction that we do in that situation. Our house pets see praise as petting and hugging and treats for doing something right, for being right. When we give them affection when they are afraid, we are telling them that they are doing the right thing when they are not. Watch a pack of dogs sometime: when a nervous member of the pack is behaving in an unbalanced manner the other dogs will ignore it, or sometimes even correct it with a bite or a growl! This would be scaring to us as humans, if we were afraid of something and then were corrected further! However, dogs are not humans and their emotional experience does not always mirror ours. Next time your pooch is afraid, try simply ignoring it, and carry on by simply telling them how to be better. Show them calm energy and allow them to process the situation and overcome their fear. Remember not to give affection to an unstable, fearful, anxious, or aggressive mind, because you will only be rewarding an unhappy mind, and happy is the goal!
A time to pet -> when your animal is calm, balanced, or attentive to you. Give attention to a mind that is happy, relaxed, and well-behaved. Encourage a positive mindset! You want your pet to be happy, so when it is happy and balanced, reward that mindset.
A time to refrain from petting -> when your animal is anxious, angry, mournful, or upset. I know you want to make them feel better, but they may not interpret it this way. Remember that they don't understand your intentions; they interpret only positive reinforcement for a negative mindset. So when your little chihuahua is shaking and quivering at the dog park and you scoop it up and cuddle it close you are in no way giving it a better mindset, you are telling it "yes, that is scary isn't it, here its safer here" and each time they are nervous in the future what will they want to do? be safe and protected in your arms. This does not make for a happier pet, unfortunately.
Having trouble identifying when to give reinforcement and when to withhold? Watch the dogs around you interact with each other. Watch an older, balanced dog at the dog park... what dogs does it give attention to and what ones does it ignore? You might be surprised how infrequently you see an unbalanced animal getting any positive attention from the other dogs.
The most common way that we humans do this to our dogs, is that we assume our methods of creating emotional change in each other apply to them. Allow me to explain: as a young child you likely had moments when you were highly afraid of something. In these moments, it is likely that an adult scooped you up, held you close, and told you that it was going to be ok. This approach works on us humans, even, or perhaps particularly, at a very young age. Years later, when we look at a scared dog, it is instinctual for us to do the same thing. We want to scoop them up, hold them close, and pet away their fears. Why is this a problem? Because dogs don't have the same emotional healing process and reaction that we do in that situation. Our house pets see praise as petting and hugging and treats for doing something right, for being right. When we give them affection when they are afraid, we are telling them that they are doing the right thing when they are not. Watch a pack of dogs sometime: when a nervous member of the pack is behaving in an unbalanced manner the other dogs will ignore it, or sometimes even correct it with a bite or a growl! This would be scaring to us as humans, if we were afraid of something and then were corrected further! However, dogs are not humans and their emotional experience does not always mirror ours. Next time your pooch is afraid, try simply ignoring it, and carry on by simply telling them how to be better. Show them calm energy and allow them to process the situation and overcome their fear. Remember not to give affection to an unstable, fearful, anxious, or aggressive mind, because you will only be rewarding an unhappy mind, and happy is the goal!
A time to pet -> when your animal is calm, balanced, or attentive to you. Give attention to a mind that is happy, relaxed, and well-behaved. Encourage a positive mindset! You want your pet to be happy, so when it is happy and balanced, reward that mindset.
A time to refrain from petting -> when your animal is anxious, angry, mournful, or upset. I know you want to make them feel better, but they may not interpret it this way. Remember that they don't understand your intentions; they interpret only positive reinforcement for a negative mindset. So when your little chihuahua is shaking and quivering at the dog park and you scoop it up and cuddle it close you are in no way giving it a better mindset, you are telling it "yes, that is scary isn't it, here its safer here" and each time they are nervous in the future what will they want to do? be safe and protected in your arms. This does not make for a happier pet, unfortunately.
Having trouble identifying when to give reinforcement and when to withhold? Watch the dogs around you interact with each other. Watch an older, balanced dog at the dog park... what dogs does it give attention to and what ones does it ignore? You might be surprised how infrequently you see an unbalanced animal getting any positive attention from the other dogs.
