We Really Don't Deserve Dogs

Last week, I blogged about behaviors by humans that dogs don't really love, but many put up with, in the name of keeping the peace and pleasing those humans (and increasing their social media followers!). Several people messaged me saying that we really don't deserve dogs and I think that's worth discussing further.

Dogs and humans have been co-evolving for over 30,000 years. I've referred to this as a symbiotic relationship, but it truly does go deeper than that.  They are such an important part of human society around the world.

"Coevolution entails biological influences among species, and reciprocal entanglements between culture and biology "(Durham, W.H. 1991 Coevolution. Stanford University Press). 

"Dog-human coevolution is based on intimate cooperation..." (Ellen, R. 1999 Categories of Animality and Canine Abuse. Anthropos 94:57-68).

Dogs are marvels of adaptation.  Biologists define adaptation as "the mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment." And just think of all of the environments that dogs have adapted to living and thriving in.  We see dogs living in high-rise apartments, navigating elevators to get outside to relieve themselves.  We see dogs guiding blind humans so that they can safely move from place to place. We see herding dogs responding to whistle notes and moving livestock accordingly. We see street dogs confidently approaching unfamiliar humans in the hopes of a handout for themselves or other pack members.  And, yes, we see dogs on sofas and in handbags, wearing expensive collars, nail polish, sunglasses, and booties.  As they say, "it's a living."

The fact that any dog can be dropped into one of these environments and thrive is stunning.  While it may not be ideal by the standards of some, I've seen a Malamute living in a studio apartment and a Chihuahua living in a 15,000 square foot home.  While it might seem that those two dogs would have been happier if they'd switched living environments, the truth is that both of those dogs were quite content and thriving right where they were.  They'd adapted to their circumstances and found their joy.

For me, the epitome of the human-animal bond are the stories of the dogs and their human handlers working in the aftermath of 9/11.  Dogs working tirelessly alongside their handlers searching for survivors, searching for bodies, providing comfort, and doing so at their own peril. The story of the two guide dogs, leading their humans and others to safety, as the towers were crumbling down, gets me every single time.  As do all of the stories of the 300 dogs who brought closure, relief, and comfort to the people around them.  Truly the best examples of adaptation, cooperation, and coevolution.

So, yes, I guess you can say we don't deserve dogs, but we should try to be worthy of their companionship and tireless assistance.  We must help them find joy and purpose in every day as their lives are short and we are all that they have.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Three generations of service dogs at CCI, Canine Companions for Independence.