Why We Treat Our Pets Like People

Sure, some pet owners treat their dogs like dogs. But plenty of us treat our pets like furry little people (or even better than people). In fact, pets have become such important parts of our families that traditional pet names such as Fluffy and Fido have, in recent years, given way to adorable human names such as Max and Lily, "Psychology Today" reports.

What gives?

Psychology researcher Adam Waytz of Harvard University studies why people anthropomorphize, or attribute human traits to animals and objects. In a recent study, Waytz found a variety of explanations for the all-too-common behavior.

Not surprisingly, loneliness can drive anthropomorphism. In Waytz's study, people who were lonesome were more likely to describe their pets as having human qualities like thoughtfulness.

But loneliness is hardly the only reason that people treat their pets like kids, Waytz says. He found humans may have a natural tendency to anthropomorphize objects and animals because it helps them make sense of the world around them.

"People might humanize pets for any number of reasons," Waytz told Paw Nation. "I imagine that non-lonely people may already have a sense of affiliation with their pets and want to anthropomorphize them because they like them so much."

That makes sense to Lisa Hanock-Jasie of New York. "We treat Hugo, our 8-year-old Belgian shepherd/chow mix, as if he were a child because he is our baby," she says. "We celebrate his birthdays as we celebrate our own. His photos are included in our family album. [One] reason we treat him as a furry person is that he actually understands what we say, even full sentences. He's very intelligent." she tells Paw Nation.

Ruth Kiser, the owner of K9 Confections natural dog treats, takes her puppy love even farther. Her two German shepherds were rescued from a Brooklyn street and spent many months in a shelter. "Therefore I must shower them with all of the lavishness that they lacked when on the streets," she tells Paw Nation.

Kiser's pooches have their own bedroom with therapeutic beds, she says. Their room is decorated with pictures of their furry friends, and they have their own photographs taken at least once a day. "I don't have children so they get all the attention and love that human kids would get," she says.

It's easy to understand why you'd pamper an adorable pooch. But there may be a downside, says Chris Hamer, an animal behavior consultant and author of Parenting with Pets, the Magic of Raising Children with Animals."When people treat their dogs like children, they place expectations on them that the pet cannot fulfill," she tells Paw Nation. With dogs, she says, "there needs to be rules, and there can be no shades of gray."

When treating pets like people, mis-communication often occurs, she says. That can lead to confusion and behavior problems.

"Give love and affection, but do it in a way that the dog understands," she adds.

And as for dressing dogs up like little dolls? Waytz warns of another potential drawback. "Anthropomorphizing pets may seem like a nice thing to do, but it may have some ironic downsides for the pet," he says. For proof, he adds, just visit this site.

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I am glad a psychology researcher has finally said it. Folks have told me I don't know what I am talking about when I suggest they may be lonely.