Freedom by Permission, Freedom by Nature. A reflection of Dogs and Cats.

What happens if the lead is removed? Is freedom ever truly free for dogs or is it granted with boundaries?

What might we discover when we explore the tension between two kinds of freedom – the freedom by permission, granted by society and is reliant on observing a set of recognised and obedient behaviours, and freedom by nature, an inherent or natural quality, something that exists independently of society, laws or external authority.

This paradoxical observation carries more weight than it first appears. At a glance, dogs are the image of freedom, bounding through parks, chasing toys, and accompanying their humans in public spaces. Their presence is normalised, accepted, and even celebrated. But this freedom is not innate – it is conditional. It is permitted because of compliance.

Dogs are trained, leashed, and expected to follow commands. Their freedom is structured – granted not by nature but by social contract. Their access to the public world hinges on predictability, obedience and the comfort they bring to others. They are companions whose liberty is earned through their alignment with human expectations.

Cats, by contrast, are often kept indoors. Their presence in the public sphere is minimal, when they do wander outside, it is usually unsanctioned, solitary, and silent. And yet, within their domain – often the home – they rule with quiet autonomy. They yield to no leash, obey fey commands, and move according to their own internal compass.

This mirrors a deeper tension in human society, the difference between freedom by permission or freedom by nature.

We often reward individuals with visibility, mobility, and privilege when they conform to social norms, when they are well behaved, in other words. Like dogs, human freedoms are broad but bounded. The terms are laid out and the rewards are clear. Those who resist control, who question or challenge, step out of line often face restrictions, isolation, or invisibility. Like cats, they may lose access to the collective space but may retain a deeper sovereignty over themselves.

Which is freer? The one who runs in public within invisible fences or the one who sits in private, answering to no – one? The question is not just about pets, its about people, power and the price of participation.

Why do we make dogs conform to human standards?

At the heart of the human- dog relationship lies a long history of evolution, domestication shaped dogs into animals that fit our social structures and homes. But beyond practicality, the urge to make dogs conform reflects something deeper – our desire for control within chaos. Humans build systems, laws, customs, architecture, and language to tame the unpredictability of the world. We seek order. In dogs, we find a mirror that reflects our need to shape nature into something familiar and manageable.

A well-trained, well-behaved dog makes us feel comfortable, that nature can be civilised. It affirms our place as authors of behavioural order. Their love and affection and loyalty must be functional in our world and structured. A dog that runs into traffic, for instance, is a tragedy, so they must be trained, leashed, and follow commands.

In a way, a dog’s obedience becomes a kind of emotional contract: I give you love, shelter, food and purpose and you give me trust, loyalty, and submission to my world,

Ironically, we do not ask the same of cats because we never truly expect them to care about our rules. Their indifference protects them from our systems of discipline.

For dogs, the lead is not just physical but symbolic – a tether between the species and a subtle assertion that rules apply.

Punishing those who break the rules.

The human desire to punish those who stray, whether individuals, groups or animals has long been a cornerstone of social order. It serves as a deterrent and a means of enforcing norms, but at its core, the desire to punish is often less about the those who have offended than about reaffirming authority of the punisher. Punishment satisfies the human need for retribution. When rules are broken there is a desire for balance to be restored, often in the form of punitive measures. There is a feeling of righteousness, that the wrong doer deserves it and reaffirms that there is a right and a wrong way to do things. Punishment is a complex social tool but punishment in dogs is not about training, it is ensuring compliance. It is the assertion of dominance – the exertion of power.

Just as humans domesticate animals, shaping them to fit within our social structures, so too do we seek to shape humans’ behaviours through using punishment.

In exploring the complex relationship between punishment, control and autonomy, the theme of Freedom by Permission, Freedom by Nature encapsulates the tension between societal expectations and personal liberty. Our relationship with dogs serves as a barometer for obedience and freedom in modern life.

Dogs enjoy freedom in public spaces but only within the confines of human imposed rules. Freedom is granted based on compliance with accepted structures, any deviation from this will result in reduced freedom. Freedom by permission highlights how social systems dictate the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, with punishment in one form or another, used as a tool to maintain order.

Dogs, as companions, occupy a unique space in the human experience. Bridging the gap between the natural world and the constructed order of the human world. While we shape them and their behaviour, they also shape us – reminding us of the connection we have with the natural world, even as we try to impose order and structure. They grant us the freedom to live in another way, a freedom of spirit that crosses boundaries.

This exploration of the topic of freedom should make us ask some in depth questions about dogs and ourselves but most of all teach us that companionship, whether human or animal, requires mutual respect, understanding and shared recognition of the balance of living freely but within a social structure.

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Foucalt, M (1975) Discipline and Punish. The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books

Lennox, L (2013) The Social Behaviour of Dogs, How canine behaviour influences family dynamics. Oxford University Press.