Psychology Says You Can Learn One Deep Truth About Someone By Watching How They Treat Their Dog
Mariela Ferbo | UnsplashDog owners and their furry friends share a very special bond, one that’s based on trust and understanding. Dogs are intuitive creatures: They can sense when their human is feeling low and needs extra kisses. They can tell when we’re happy, and they share in our joy.
Researchers explored how dogs can read emotional cues from other dogs and humans and use the information to guide their behavior and solve problems. Not all human-dog bonds are the same, though. One study has suggested that a dog’s job (pet, working dog, etc.) determines how humans treat them.
Of course, some people pamper their pets but don't always treat them the best. Researchers found that working dogs receive more positive care, better treatment, and are considered contributing family members, which reduces poor treatment. As dog lovers, we learn how to best care for our beloved pets, yet the way we treat them says a lot about us, too.
Psychology says you can learn one deep truth about someone by watching how they treat their dog:
The way a person treats their dog tells you about their childhood
An Instagram post by Crown and Paw, a pet portrait company, shared the following statement: “People treat their pets the way they wished they had been treated growing up.” How we treat our dogs says a lot about how we want to be treated. Showing our dogs love and warmth while meeting their basic needs is one way to heal ourselves.
If we care for our dogs with unwavering support, we’re also caring for our inner child, showing the deepest part of ourselves how we want to be provided for. Even for people who grew up with loving, supportive childhoods and were then able to form secure attachments as adults, the way they treat their dogs reflects their values, especially surrounding how they conduct their relationships.
For those who were neglected as kids, research has suggested that having a canine companion may be a way towards healing, as caring for their dog soothes the wounded parts of themselves that weren’t tended to in childhood.
There’s inherent value in treating our dogs how we hope to be treated
It models caregiving behavior we can use for ourselves. Certain elements of doggie care are non-negotiable. We have to meet their most basic needs by giving them food, fresh water, and a cozy place to sleep. We should walk our dogs for twenty minutes, at least twice a day.
These actions also translate into how we should treat ourselves to live the best versions of our lives. We need to feed ourselves nourishing meals. We need to stay hydrated. We need to move our bodies, even gently, for just a few minutes a day. Extending kindness to our dogs means that we’re learning how to be kind to ourselves, as well.
The key element to having a loving relationship with your dog is to build trust
yurakrasil via Shuttestock
Having a supportive relationship with your dog can be done through training, showing affection, and praise. Showing cruelty to a dog only serves to instill fear in them. Punishing your dog just makes them confused, withdrawn, or leads them to act out. Being mean doesn’t help them become better dogs, a lesson that applies to humans, too. Research has shown that cruelty toward animals is often a warning sign of the capacity to cause harm to people,
We should speak to our dogs with kindness. We should cuddle them and play with them and show them just how much we love them. Caring for our dogs teaches us how to appreciate the smaller things in life: walks in the sunshine, mornings spent snuggling, and the swell of love we feel when we’re with them.
Each day with a dog is a gift, just as each day as yourself is also a gift. Loving your dog can show you how to love yourself without hesitation.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
