I think what makes dogs attractive to people is the animal's ability to fit in the human world. I was watching the dogs running and goofing around Dolres Park; sniffing asses and doing the usual gross dog stuff. The only dogs that really stood out were those that returned to their owners on command, and hung back a bit from the whole humping/ass smelling ritual. Untrained dogs are really not good for much; they may be pretty to look at, for a moment, but if they bark for no reason, or jump on you, or simply geek out, then they're pretty much useless. And that's when I see them as a conspicuous, first world relational dysfunction. Owners of ill-behaved dogs are probably unable, or unwilling to get the animals to do their will; the dogs end up running the show; calling the shots: That's no good. What's dogs bring to the world of manners is worth less than their shit. Everything good about them, they get from us.

As I'm raise my new dog, I hear from a lot of people the suggestion that I should just let the dog find his groove, and sort of let him find his own behaviour. What a mess that would be. If dogs were allowed to shit and piss on floors, houses would be unlivable. It would be like letting children set make decisions about food.

A dog that strives to fit in among people; that's sensitive to situations and vibes; and that can minimize its canine-ness when it doesn't help the situation... That's a cute dog. That's a star. That's what Baby's going to grow up to be.