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Dehumanization in the BDSM world is reducing the subject to the status of an animal. This is different from objectification where the subject is demoted to an object.
Purpose of Dehumanization
For the dominant partner there are several reasons to want to dehumanize his subject. The feeling of power you can have ordering around a person who will not even be able to talk or move upright is higher than most other forms of domination. Dehumanization also lowers the threshold for many people - many people are able to treat an animal much harsher than a human being.
The benefits of dehumanization for the submissive partner are twofold. First is one of the most humbling experiences, giving away more control than in most other forms of play. Second, many submissives experience dehumanization as a way to come free from the normal restrictions and requirements of being a normal human being.
Dehumanization and Humiliation
Humiliation is often used as a tool for dehumanization, however, the two are often considered to be very different. Humiliation can be used without trying to dehumanize the partner.
Methods of Dehumanization
There are many different methods for dehumanization. Depending on the people involved, some forms may be harsher than others - i.e. for a person used to talking a lot, being forced to bark to get attention rather than talking will work well. For people that do not like to talk, this dehumanization method will likely not show much impact.
No matter what methods you chose, dehumanization is usually a very long process where different methods are used at different times.
