We all know our dogs love to cuddle, play, and sometimes fight, but what is really going through their head during these times? Are our furry friends really showing us love through their slobbery licks or just getting a treat out of our sweaty legs? Is acting towards other dogs a sign of anger or just a fight-or-flight response to danger? For over 14,000 years, we have been domesticating dogs and yet we are still confused at times with what our four legged friend is really trying to tell us about their thoughts and emotions….or do they even have emotions?
Does your Pup have Emotions?
The best and most accurate way to answer this question is through analysis under an MRI. After 3-4 months of intensive MRI training, simulators, hard work, time (and let’s be honest, a large bucket of treats) a dog can finally be looked at under a scan. To do this, they are trained two commands: treat, and no treat. Then, these signs and verbal cues are presented to them while the scan detects changes in brain activity that may point toward emotion.
So, what did those MRI’s detect? Do dogs really have emotions? The simple answer: yes...and no. While dogs do show simple emotions like joy, fear, love, distress, and shyness, they lack the ability to express guilt, pride, shame, and contempt. Some of these feelings are obvious to us through body language. For example, we know a tucked tail points to nervousness, while a wagging tail displays joy and excitement. Next time you look at your pup, watch for tail movement, head stature, and eye position to help recognize what he or she may be feeling. You’ll realize that discovering these emotions on your furry friend is actually much easier than you may think!
Why do Dogs make Great Emotional Support Animals?
The answer to this is quite obvious. Dogs are extremely good at conveying their happy spirit and energy to the people surrounding them. In fact, the love hormone, Oxytocin, is released when a human looks into the eyes of a pup! Chemically, just the presence of a happy dog leads to a happy human. When your pup is happy, you're happy.
In addition, a dog will do anything for their owner, even though this may be difficult to believe at times. They are loyal and dependent upon their caretaker, which radiates positivity to both the pup and the human, letting them both know they are loved and have a companion. The Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever are rivals when it comes to ranking the best emotional support dogs, since they are both people-loving, energetic, and social. However, any dog breed has the ability to serve as an Emotional Support Animal depending on the owner’s needs and wants.
Fun Facts!
Dogs can wag, position, and move their tail in so many different ways, all of which have different meanings as to what your pup is really feeling. Just slight variations of a wag can have totally different meanings. For example, wagging to the right displays excitement, whereas wagging to the left is code for being scared.
In case you were wondering if your dog has the ability to fall in love with another one of their kind, yes they can! Amazing, right?
The smell of their owner causes a spike in the “reward centre” of a dog’s brain. So yes, they are very excited to see you after a long day of work!
The part of a human brain that responds to a dogs whine is the same part of a dogs brain that responds to a human cry.
I hope reading about your dog’s thoughts and emotions gives you some insight as to what your dog is trying to tell you next time they grab your attention! Your pup’s emotions are incredible and have been studied for years on end to figure out how they display and transfer feelings to others. What kind of dog do you have or want and how do they express their emotions? Comment below!
Keep calm and wag on!
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Which Emotions Do Dogs Actually Experience? | Moderndogmagazine. (n.d.) Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/which-emotions-do-dogs-actually-experience/32883
5 Reasons Why A Dog Make The Best Emotional Support Animal | Moosh. (n.d.) Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://mooshme.com/5-reasons-why-dog-make-the-best-emotional-support-animal/
ESA Dog 101: Finding the Best Dog Breed for Depression | CertaPet (n.d.) Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.certapet.com/best-dog-breed-for-depression/
Dogs get jealous and 19 other facts you probably never knew about man's best friend | Mirror. (n.d.) Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/10-dog-facts-amazing-things-3908754
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