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The “owner” / “guardian” / “companion” debate.

Once a month, at a minimum, I receive a note from someone who complains about WDJ’s use of the word, “owner.” “By using that sort of language, you perpetuate the owner/slave hierarchy, which encourages humans to regard their animal companions as property,” is a (paraphrased) common criticism. What’s more, some readers have pressed, as a “progressive,” animal-friendly publication, WDJ really ought to be leading the drive among dog magazines to strike such paternalistic, repressive language from our pages. According to the real hard-liners among you, we shouldn’t even imply ownership with phrases such as, “your dog,” as used in a sentence like, “Pet your dog at every opportunity.” …

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