Jeffrey,
There is starting to be a change in the way some humans perceive animals, less as mechanisisms reflexively responding to the world and more as complex sophisticated beings in their own right. I heard Jane Goodall describe animals as non-human beings and said YES! that's it! and then chose to describe humans as human animals to further remind me that humans and non humans are all animals and beings.
Cougar or bear might cheerfully try to hunt and eat me, they can try but I'll put up a fight. I don't mind being considered food, I consider some animals food. And when I die, I'd rather be composted than cremated or pickled. To me, it's all part of the balance. There's nothing wrong with killing to eat. Putting chickens in battery cages or cattle/hogs in tiny pens is another issue. That's torture.
Sadly, while there is one belief system about animals changing for a more informed one, there is a phenomenon happening that has 2 sides. One is the fur baby, don't you dare hurt that poor animal's feelings even if you are training it not to investigate a bear and the animals are toys that come with software mentality. At least the furbaby mentality thinks about animals to some degree but the other group is so cut off from animals in their urban, assembly line copy life that they have no clue about animals at all. Only a short few generations ago, most people were living in a rural area, and if not working with animals, knew that milk came from a cow--not a carton, eggs came from a chicken's bum and meat used to be walking around with skin on. There was at least a passing knowledge that animals were individuals and could be dangerous. People were aquainted with different types of hunting dogs, herding dogs, varmint dogs, hog dogs and knew that cattle need different handling than a hog or a horse. People now are so ignorant they think horsies are nice kind creatures by nature, cows are cute and quiet and hogs are like the pigs in a few Disney movies. And all dogs are born knowing what Lassie etc. could do. And when the animals don't behave as expected, it is their fault! The human provided a leash, collar and food. The dog should walk on a loose leash, never counter cruise and only bark at those the owner doesn't like.
Educating humans in how to observe, interpret and influence dog behavior in a way that connects them and is enjoyable for both is one of our goals. Teaching a dog the life skills it needs to live in a family is generally easy for us. Teaching the owners to keep the dog easy to live with and how to have a good relationship is more difficult by far. But we're working on finding better ways to help the human animal understand their non-human being partner. There are wonderful humans who dearly want that heart connection and willing to open up. Those human beings help spread it to those unenlightened ones also.
And we know a trainer who is working on expanding communicating into 2 way 'talking' between humans and non humans. By training an animal to target say thumb, forefinger and pinky for different choices, she can play 20 questions. Example, offer the dog a choice of food, a walk or playing fetch. Or asking the food detection dog, do you smell meat, vegetable or grain.
This type of interaction allows us to find out just how many abstracts and generalizations animals have the ability for. And it's more than most beleived.
Us humans are finally growing a brain. Our animal partners are probably delighted that their patience is now paying dividends.
take care,
Julie