When Humans Become the Dog: What the Gorn Can Teach Us About Training

(with thanks to Jean Donaldson, author of The Culture Clash, for the original allegory)

Many years ago, world-renowned trainer and author Jean Donaldson wrote a brilliant allegory in her book The Culture Clash that has stuck with me ever since. In the story, an alien species called the Gorn keep humans as pets. Yes—humans become the dogs.

It sounds playful… until you realize how powerfully this turns our assumptions upside down.

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Imagine This

You live on a planet ruled by a species far more advanced than you. They communicate differently, they think differently, and they make the rules. And you—an adult human—are now their pet.

You try to be “good,” but what does “good” even mean?

No one ever taught you.

You just keep getting corrected for breaking rules you don’t understand. When you finally protest or show stress, the Gorn label you “aggressive,” and suddenly your future is in danger.

Now pause—

How stressful would that be?

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Good Intentions, Terrible Communication

Donaldson’s point is devastatingly simple:

Most dogs are punished not because they’re defiant—but because they’re confused.

We humans tend to assume our dogs:

• “know they’re wrong”

• “should already understand”

• are being “spiteful”

…but what if they’re simply lost in translation?

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Our Rules Are Alien

In canine culture, rules are communicated through:

• body language

• movement patterns

• scent interpretation

• proximity

• space control

Then we come along and expect English vocabulary, moral reasoning, and self-control that even many humans struggle with.

We build rules in a foreign language—and then punish the dog for not speaking it.

That’s the emotional punch of Donaldson’s allegory.

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Who’s Really the Alien Here?

At DogDude™️, I work from an evidence-based assumption:

Your dog is doing the best they can with the information they have.

When the dog “misbehaves,” it’s rarely willful defiance.

It’s usually:

• unclear expectations

• conflicting signals

• artificial human rules

• too much pressure

• not enough guidance

• or just plain confusion

The Gorn allegory reminds us that our dogs are the ones trying to decode an alien species—us.

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Communication First. Punishment Last.

Great dog training isn’t about control—it’s about communication.

When I teach obedience, leash skills, confidence-building, or advanced e-collar conditioning, I focus on:

• clarity

• leadership through predictable patterns

• rewards that mean something biologically

• body language that makes sense to the dog

• structured movement instead of confrontation

The goal isn’t obedience through fear.

The goal is trust through understanding.

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Jean Donaldson’s Legacy

I want to thank Jean Donaldson for writing an allegory that has influenced the way trainers like myself think about dogs, behavior, learning, and ethics.

Her reminder is simple:

Before you judge a dog’s behavior, imagine being the dog.

It’s powerful. It’s humbling.

And it’s one of the most important truths in dog training.

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Final Thought

When you teach a dog something new, think like a compassionate leader—not a superior being.

Ask yourself:

• Did I explain that clearly?

• Does the dog actually understand?

• Am I teaching, or am I expecting?

We’re the Gorn in this story.

Let’s be the kind of Gorn who communicate with kindness, structure, and clarity.