This master's thesis explores the relationship between humans and dogs. In the first part I
present the theoretical framework of anthropozoology and also the anthropology of pets. The
main theorists of these research fields are mainly interested in the issue of nature and culture,
and one of the main approaches to exploring this is using the phenomenology introduced by
Edmund Husserl. In the second part I focus on the dog's diet and, on the other hand, dogs as
food. The phenomenon of nutritious food for dogs and also the mass appearance of dogs as
house pets is associated with the appearance of hyper-industrial society. I continue with the
concept of dogs as pets at the present, where I derive my information from conversations with
the dog owners in Slovenia. In these conversations I mainly focused on the concept of the
dog being a family member, where I wanted to know how can a dog gain and obtain this
status and what are the main characteristics and functions of the dog’s performance that are
crucial for their definition as a member of the family. The thesis also includes a study of the
dog profiles in social media, such as Instagram, which could be a part of the so-called
economy of cuteness, which is rapidly spreading and growing through millions of clicks on
the Internet. With the question of the symbolism of dogs in Slovenia, I focus on the
mentioning of dogs in Slovenian folk tradition, and then present the appearance of
dogs-related acts in the Slovenian legal system. Finally, the thesis presents different views on
the influence the dogs have on the environment we live in.
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