Thoughts on using “owner” to describe who we are to our dogs

Ever since growing up with two childhood bichons, I’ve called myself a dog owner.

While I believe I’m many things to Scout—friend, partner, teammate, and more—”owner” is one of the labels I’m happy to use. This is partially because it’s still the most common term (and therefore best for connecting with fellow dog lovers on social media and our blog) and partially because I have a positive association with the word.

Here are my thoughts on hesitations with the owner label, things we need to be aware of when choosing our words, and what I ultimately think matters most.

This article largely inspired by a conversation with the lovely Michelle of Kono’s Kitchen 💛

TLDR summary

• Language matters! The labels we use to talk about things can affect how we feel about them—and how clearly we’re able to communicate our intentions with the people around us.

• At the same time, labels aren’t everything. Semantics and personal connotations are messy. Rejecting or accepting someone purely because of the words…