Anthropomorphizing

To anthropomorphize is to attribute human thoughts, emotions or other human attributes to non-humans.

I was guilty of anthropomorphizing when I claimed the Boston Terrier was "strutting".

Unofficially...

I think humans inadvertently selected for human-like display of emotions as they chose dams over the thousands of generations.  They chose mothers who exhibited facial expressions and body language that were near clones of our human ones.  We felt comfortable around those dogs.  They were easier to work with because we could "read" them.

Happy dog

Not just "happy" but remorseful, fearful, proud, enraged.

I was technically guilty of anthropomorphizing when I wrote the Boston Terrier was strutting...but he was clearly on an adrenaline high and prouder than heck.