•We provide shelter, veterinary care, love, education, and play to our pets. From the moment we choose their food to who they meet, we manage almost every aspect of their lives. We love our pets and want them to be safe; but there is a dark side to this care: It often comes with restrictions, limited freedom of movement, limited social choices, and constant surveillance.
Separation anxiety has become a growing problem. The number of diagnoses of dog behavior disorders in the United States increased tenfold between 2010 and 2020. Dog behavior specialists and organizations have emerged to help pets cope with the challenges of modern pet life.
It is often assumed that the long history of domestication has made dogs dependent on us. But this is not true. The majority of dogs in the world do not live as pets; they roam freely without being owned or confined.
Seeing free-roaming dogs
Participants were experienced professionals who had worked with domestic dogs for years, dealing with anxiety, aggression, or other behavioural problems. They were keen to test their assumptions about dog welfare by encountering free-roaming dogs directly.
Some expected to see a lack of freedom or resilience that is often lacking in most domestic dogs. But most expected to see difficulties: dogs in conflict, in poor health, or forced to stay awake. These expectations reflect the association of dog safety and care with human management and control.
Life on the streets
Participants found the lives of street dogs in India impressive. Most described them as socially skilled, physically robust and competent. They were able to navigate independently through busy city streets and move confidently through crowds. They resolved conflicts using subtle signals such as growls and postures, rather than fighting; choosing the right time to approach or retreat from people.
Participants felt that street dogs appeared calm and composed, rather than overwhelmed by the noise and traffic of the city. This was a stark contrast to the domestic dogs they had experienced, which react to small stimuli by increasing their behaviour.
There is no universal template
There is no universal template
It would be easy to reduce this research to a simple comparison: street cats are free, domestic cats are in prison. But that is not the issue. The issue is that there is no universal template for a good cat life.
Free-living cats face serious risks, from illness and injury to hunger and hostility toward humans. We cannot give domestic cats the life of free-living cats.
Most domestic cats spend most of their lives indoors, behind fences, in collars, in cars, or in cages. They are often taught what to do and have fairly planned routines. When a problem arises, such as an anxiety or a lack of impulse control, the owner may interpret it as a problem caused by the cat. But cat behavior is relational – it arises from interactions between the cat and the human.
Is confinement the cure?
As cat behaviorists have moved from city to city, they have begun to question their internal models of what constitutes well-being for most cats. Is good care limited by confinement and obedience?
As one put it: When we tell our cats, “You can only walk on your feet,” are we stressing them out by limiting their behavioral diversity?
Many have wondered whether their efforts to provide safe and loving lives for their beloved pets are hindering their development of confidence, adaptability, and social skills. The result may be cats that become anxious when left alone or hiss at strangers. They may also react aggressively to others or panic in crowded places. These behaviors are real and often disturbing. But people often resort to even more confinement and control.
Better questions to ask
For participants, the experience of interpreting street dogs competently and independently led them to think about giving more autonomy to domestic dogs.
Some participants had a dramatic shift in their thinking. They came to India wondering how free-living dogs survive without constant human protection. They wondered whether some of the common behavioural problems of dogs might not be a reflection of the conditions we create for them, rather than failures within the pet itself.
Most participants said that by the end of the tour, the guide’s questions had shifted from “how do street dogs survive?” to “how do domestic dogs survive for us?” This did not mean that free-living dogs necessarily had a better life. But they use a wide range of skills to survive in the street – from social navigation to finding food – which is what we do for our pet dogs. If domestic dogs are too restricted, they become frustrated and develop behavioural problems.
As one participant asked: “What happens when you don’t control every aspect of their lives? When dogs are allowed to make their own decisions, they learn to cope with things.”
