somehow it seems so strange to me that we construct these houses, these human habitats, these environments specifically developed to cater to the needs of human beings, and allow (or sometimes force... believe it or not, some dogs DO prefer living outdoors) pets like dogs to take up residence in them. it is not designed for them, it is somewhat exclusionary, they accept the manmade objects around them but have no understanding of their purpose, or our interactions with these devices, it is just the way things have always been to them (excluding cases of previously different living situations, of course).

they then have to follow our rules, which they generally adapt to eventually without any harm done, but which probably don't make any sense to them at all. why can't i pee anywhere i want? why can't i get on the sofa? why can't i scavenge food from the garbage cans and countertops? why must i have a bath? why is the mud wiped from my paws before i step foot on the carpet? it's no wonder so many dogs seem to behave in very "human" ways. beyond of course what comes instinctively, they don't have knowledge of the way of dogs, therefor instead of watching and learning from their canine parents, they watch and learn from us.

it's comparable to raising a tiger in an environment designed for a lion at a zoo, isn't it? it probably wouldn't cause the animal discomfort, and having known nothing else it likely wouldn't long for its natural ecosystem, much like the way liberated lab animals seem confused when first encountering a normal life outside a cage. it's just a rather bizarre concept.

i'm not suggesting that it's a bad thing- it's certainly not abuse, it's not remotely bad in any way, for the benefits often outweigh the drawbacks. it's just strange, the things that people do.

a shelter, from pigs on the wing