--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Had they been dogs they would have…" description: "\"“Had they been dogs they would have sniffed me over and then drawn back. But humans have no such inbred courtesies.”\" — Robin Hobb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3eb/robin-hobb-489_dogs_had-they-been-dogs-they-would-have-sniff_1821401.jpg" --- # Had they been dogs they would have sniffed me over and… ![“Had they been dogs they would have sniffed me over and then drawn back. But humans have no such inbred courtesies.” quote by Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3eb/robin-hobb-489_dogs_had-they-been-dogs-they-would-have-sniff_1821401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3eb/robin-hobb-489_dogs_had-they-been-dogs-they-would-have-sniff_1821401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3eb/robin-hobb-489_dogs_had-they-been-dogs-they-would-have-sniff_1821401.jpg) > ““Had they been dogs they would have sniffed me over and then drawn back. But humans have no such inbred courtesies.”” [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans lack innate polite instincts that animals possess. **In simple terms:** Humans lack natural courtesies. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and courtesy. Themes human nature social behavior animal comparison Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - customer service - leadership - conflict resolution - personal relationships Key Concepts social etiquette psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you show courtesy? - Can you learn animal-like instincts? A Different Perspective Cultural norms can shape courtesy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Dogs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogs/) [Fitzchivalry-farseer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitzchivalry-farseer/) ## Related quotes > [“Because your heart will be hammered against him, and your strength will be tempered in his fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/because-your-heart-will-be-hammered-against-him-and-your-strength/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“The King's tool. I see.' An oppression settle over me. My brief glimpse of blue skies arching over yellow roads and me travelling down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/the-king-s-tool-i-see-an-oppression-settle-over-me-my-brief-glimpse/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“It was inside me. The more I sought it, the stronger it grew. It loved me. 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We have to be exceptional in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-inbred-in-us-that-we-have-to-do-exceptional-things-for-god-but/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Generosity, pleasing address, courage and propriety of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/generosity-pleasing-address-courage-and-propriety-of-conduct-are-not/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [I've got taste, it's inbred in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/i-ve-got-taste-it-s-inbred-in-me/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [“She looks like an inbred Pomeranian on her best days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/she-looks-like-an-inbred-pomeranian-on-her-best-days/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [The Bumpuses were so low down on the evolutionary totem pole that they weren't even included in Darwin's famous family tree. They had inbred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-shepherd/the-bumpuses-were-so-low-down-on-the-evolutionary-totem-pole-that/) [Jean Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-shepherd/) ## More by Robin Hobb > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“But that is not true for all folk. Some folk are meant to argue with fate. And win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/but-that-is-not-true-for-all-folk-some-folk-are-meant-to-argue-with/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I tried to leave you alone, Fitz. To find what peace you could, even if it excluded me from your life.” Ten years ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-tried-to-leave-you-alone-fitz-to-find-what-peace-you-could-even-if/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Do you think you're taking Etta out of here?" "Yes," Kennit called over his shoulder up the sairs. "What about all these dead men?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/do-you-think-you-re-taking-etta-out-of-here-yes-kennit-called-over/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“A way out is a way in. Then,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/a-way-out-is-a-way-in-then/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Die in your dreams, wake up insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/die-in-your-dreams-wake-up-insane/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I felt a familiar squeezing in what I thought must be my heart. I had heard of being "heartbroken" or "heavy-hearted" but I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-felt-a-familiar-squeezing-in-what-i-thought-must-be-my-heart-i-had/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“They spoke of a dream of a child who bore the heart of a wolf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/they-spoke-of-a-dream-of-a-child-who-bore-the-heart-of-a-wolf/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“There is always power in holding a secret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/there-is-always-power-in-holding-a-secret/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“... finally realizing that life was to be lived, rather than hoarded against an unseen tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/finally-realizing-that-life-was-to-be-lived-rather-than-hoarded/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Why, I suddenly wondered, had I wasted all those hours I could have spent with her? Why hadn’t I gone with them, to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/why-i-suddenly-wondered-had-i-wasted-all-those-hours-i-could-have/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf. Why not wait until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-think-i-made-a-better-boy-than-i-do-a-man-i-admitted-ruefully-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“So, with all the wide world to choose from, you didn't choose at all. You simply stopped wandering one day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/so-with-all-the-wide-world-to-choose-from-you-didn-t-choose-at-all/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I don't think I can stand it much longer,” he warned her. “Something will have to give way. And I fear it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-don-t-think-i-can-stand-it-much-longer-he-warned-her-something-will/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) [Explore all 500 Robin Hobb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. 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It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Had they been dogs they would have sniffed me over and then drawn back. 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