Dogs are the oldest domesticated species. Dogs that live in our households have a very high degree of vulnerability and dependency. They depend on us for food, shelter, and medical care. They depend on us for survival.

 

Our dogs try their best to fit in with human society, having to navigate our ambiguous, and often conflicting demands.

 

We are responsible for our dogs’ lives from beginning to end, and this means that we will have an immense causal influence on the quality that their life ultimately has.

 

Dogs don’t have a say in choosing their caregiver but the person(s) they end up with will have a profound influence on their life. Co-operation with humans and learning from humans are facilitated by a high degree of social attentiveness.

 

Bonds between dogs and humans are selective, intense, and will vary in quality. It is important that we bear in mind the spectrum of positive duties that this relationship engenders, including the duty to live up to the trust that dogs place in us.