07/02/2025
“Dogs don’t have free will.”
That’s what a trainer claimed in a video I watched and it made me pause. Here’s why that idea is not only misleading, but harmful.
While dogs may not have human-style free will like abstract thinking about future dreams, philosophy, or existential meaning — they absolutely make choices based on learning, memory, emotion, and experience. Just like many other animals.
They choose where to sniff, when to rest, who to approach or avoid, and how to engage with their world. In animal welfare science, this ability to choose is called agency, and supporting it is considered essential for mental and emotional well-being.
So no, dogs aren’t pondering the meaning of life but they do have will, and we should support their autonomy in everyday moments.
Another thing worth pointing out is the strange kind of anthropomorphism happening here. (Anthropomorphism means attributing human thoughts, motivations, and emotions to animals.) Researchers are cautious with it because it can lead to misunderstandings of behavior — and good trainers aim to understand dogs for who they are, not who we imagine them to be.
This message used a very human-centered logic to claim that dogs aren’t as evolved and must be led through dominance. But that projection is based on outdated ideas. Autonomy and trust regulate the nervous system. Control does not equal care.
Research shows us that dogs do have autonomy and a sense of will. So I’m not sure where this trainer is getting their information but I felt called to unpack the harm in this kind of thinking. ❤️
