“My dog is stubborn!” “My dog has an attitude.” “My dog is needy.” “My dog is acting guilty.” Have you ever used one of these phrases? Heard someone else say it? We humans tend to project our human qualities onto other species, including dogs. Dogs aren’t stubborn, mean, brats, guilty-looking, out for revenge, or needy in the sense the word is usually used. When we let go of human-like labels and treat and train our dogs like the amazing, unique species that they are, it deepens our bond with them, sets up realistic expectations, and opens the door to a much happier and cozier existence. Dog trainer extraordinaire, Kristi Benson, discusses what our dogs’ behavior actually means when we label them things like “stubborn,” and how we can set them up for success when we stop anthropomorphizing them.