Creature Feature: Let Dogs Be Dogs

Americans are in love with their dogs. We lavish upon them the best foods, medical care, grooming, and attention that we can afford. Books about the "hidden" lives of dogs hit the best-seller's list and films that feature anywhere from one to 101 dogs are blockbuster hits. There is, however, a darker side to this infatuation.

"A dog is not 'almost human,' and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such," stated the American poet John Holmes. Though most local animal care professionals do not take such a misanthropic tone, they all agree with Holmes's general thesis: A dog is not a human, it is a dog and should be treated as such.

Attributing human characteristics to animals is called anthropomorphizing. "We all anthropomorphize our dogs to some extent," says Can Gebbia, an East End dog trainer. We are, of course, only human and can only interpret our animals' behavior through our own emotional experience.

No Equality Here

But when our emotions blind us to a dog's natural behavioral patterns the resulting confusion can lead to behavioral problems, none of which is fun (at least not for the human side of the equation) and many of which can be extremely dangerous.

Liberty, equality, and democracy are wonderful concepts (and we can only hope that one day they will hold sway in human society), but they are not a part of canine pyschology. "In the wild, dogs lead a very structured life," says Mr. Gebbia. "The 'alpha'is the leader of the pack. They set up their domination in a very simple way . . . using intimidation. When you allow a pet into your home, a pecking order must be established. If you don't assume the alpha role, your dog will."

Mr. Gebbia, host of Channel 27's "Pets and People, People and Pets," has been training dogs on the East End for 17 years and has seen a great increase in the tendency of owners to over anthropomorphize their pets. On occasion, he has observed this misinterpretation of basic dog psychology lead to behavioral problems so severe that owners were faced with the heartbreak of getting rid of their dogs.

Why Listen?

Matthew Postnick, an East Hampton dog trainer, concurs: "The most overwhelming problem I see is people who pamper and placate their dogs. They call me because the dog doesn't listen to them, but they've never required the dog to listen to them."

Mr. Postnick deplores the recent trend toward humanizing animals, saying, with some despair, "More and more, people are tending to humanize the whole natural world!"

Misinterpreting dog behavior can lead to confusion about physical care. "I see it all the time. Someone goes to pick up their dog and it growls at them. They bring it into the hospital, saying, 'There must be something wrong with his back.' But there is nothing physically wrong with the dog. It's just asserting its dominance and saying, 'Get away from me!' " relates Dr. Barry Browning of the South Fork Animal Hospital.

Show 'Em Who's Boss

How to avoid creating a bossy dog? Become a "Rules Owner," advise the experts.

Retain a psychological edge over your dog by doing the following: Always eat your own meal before you give your dog his, restrict access to your bedroom and furniture (particularly your bed), if your dog is in your way, make him move out of it, always be the first through the door, always greet your guests and visitors before your dog does, take stolen articles and food away from your dog, call your dog to you to give affection, discourage pawing, whining, and nudging, initially ignore your dog when you come home, have the dog perform a "down stay" at least once a day, and initiate games with your dog and win them.

Both Mr. Gebbia and Mr. Postnick observed that the large dogs of the working breeds tend to require this tough love approach. "They are loving, yet large, powerful, self-willed dogs. Many of these strong traits evolved temperaments that require firm handling," says Mr. Gebbia.

Read Up On Breeds

Obedience training is in order. Not only to give the owner the upper hand but also to give the dog something to do. "These dogs have been bred for thousands of years to perform work. But their job has changed drastically . . . now dogs are required to be just pals. Not putting them to work leads to frustration in dogs. Owners should put the dog to work," Mr. Postnick says.

Prospective dog owners who find all this tough love a bit much should think twice about acquiring a working breed and consider instead one of the less challenging, willful breeds. Collies, Shetland sheepdogs, standard poodles, and the retriever breeds are usually more tractable and a better choice for the novice dog owner than working breeds, advises Mr. Gebbia.

To find out the handling requirements of the breed of choice some research is in order. "Read, read, read about the breed," advises Jeanette Friscia of Southampton, who has been training dogs on the East End for 15 years.

Terrier-Terrorists

And don't judge a book by its cover. Terriers are a good example of how misleading appearances can be. "Many people get terriers because they're cute and small. People imagine how cute the dog will look sitting on a cushion. But, though terriers are small in stature, there's a big dog inside them," Ms. Friscia says.

Bred for centuries to hunt vermin, terriers are extremely lively, willful, and courageous little creatures who, for the most part, require firm, knowledgeable handling lest the terrier turn terrorist.

The foundations of all good relationships are built on love and respect. With most dogs love for their humans is pretty much guaranteed, but with many dogs respect has to be gotten the old-fashioned way . . . the owner has to earn it.