On our site we have no doubt that dogs have emotions From the moment you adopt them as puppies to their old age, they show us a range of feelings ranging from love to jealousy. When we arrive home they are the first to greet us with total joy and express sadness when we leave.
This is our parental subjective view, however, what do the experts say? Over the last 25 years, neuroscientists have provided a we alth of data and studies on canine emotional learning and claim that dogs are perfectly capable of having complex emotions like those of humans.
Continue reading this article and know the answer to the question " What emotions do dogs feel?", you will discover some thoughts about the science behind your pet's emotions.
Emotions in dogs and the experts
Science has come a long way, especially in the field of animals. We have come to understand that dogs possess the same brain structures, hormones, and chemical changes that produce emotions in humans. Every time we discover how complex they can become. Dogs even have the hormone oxytocin, the one we secrete when we are in love or feel affection for others. Having said that, you will imagine that your dog has tons of this hormone, because what he likes the most is to give you affection and seek affection from you.
Studies show that with respect to basic emotions, humans and other mammalian animals are very similar and these emotions are produced in deep areas of the brain. Similarly, they maintain that although these parameters are similar, animals are purer in terms of emotions than people.
What happens is that the feelings that dogs experience are not connected to complex thoughts. Dogs don't question their own emotions, they just feel. His emotions are 100% honest, your dog could never lie to you, or have ulterior motives about something he is feeling. But this does not make them less sensitive, it does not mean that they do not feel intensely, in the same way that we do.
Joy and love
No one can deny that dogs feel a deep love for their human companions, which translates into loy alty like no other. If you build a good and solid relationship with your pet, your dog will always want to receive and give love, will see you with eyes of unparalleled appreciation, will make you feel loved and appreciated and will constantly show it to you. He will seek to lick you, kiss you and, if he could, also hug you.
Similarly, that love is mixed with joy. A he althy dog is a happy dog that enjoys life. His way of expressing how happy he is is through play, jumping and very spontaneous body language and sounds. Without a doubt, dogs experience joy The natural scientist Charles Darwin mentioned: "under the expectation of any great pleasure, dogs jump in an extravagant manner and bark happiness".
Emotional pain
Dogs don't feel emotional pain the same way people do, but they experience feelings of loss and sadness when, for For example, a member of his pack (his family) leaves or dies. Although they do not cry, they express their grief and anguish in other ways, such as through fear, depression, loss of appetite, reluctance, anxiety, sleeping too much or too little. According to a study conducted, dogs can exhibit various behavioral changes after losing a companion, entering a mourning process that can last weeks or even months.
Jealousy
Do you come home and go to pet your dogs and one of them wants to steal your cuddles and affection? Dogs are territorial creatures, even on emotional levels. You are part of him and he will seek all your attention If you have another dog or someone new comes to the family, your dog will be jealous of this "invader" and Therefore, when asked "what emotions do dogs feel", this is one of the most common.
Dogs don't appreciate preferences when it comes to another creature, however, when it comes to them they are very comfortable with the idea of not sharing you. This does not have to be the rule. If you raise your dogs with a lot of love around them, a sense of trust and independence, as well as their due moments of relaxation, you won't have to have a jealous dog at home.
Shame
Your dog, of course, knows when he has done something wrong, like peeing where he shouldn't, biting, breaking or eating something that isn't his. The typical guilty face, accompanied by the tail tucked between the legs, curling up like a little ball and locating on your bed or in a corner, are clear signs that your dog is feeling shameThese are behaviors that dog handlers are very familiar with. But for dogs, this emotion is less complex than human guilt or shame. Submissive postures are the clear result of an anxious anticipation of anger on your part. Your beloved and emotionally intelligent pet knows that her actions were not correct and will lead to disciplinary action. However, this emotion that dogs feel does not usually last, so correcting the behavior some time after it has been carried out will not achieve results, since the dog will have already forgotten what it did wrong.
Fear
Dogs can also suffer from fears and phobias. They are creatures very sensitive to traumas and strong emotions that come suddenly. How many times have you not gone for a walk with your dog and out of nowhere it runs to get between your legs? That is a clear behavior that expresses fear, in which your dog will seek your protection. Fireworks, vacuum cleaners, trucks, people in mysterious suits and hats, and even the dark may be just some of the factors that produce the emotion of fear in dogs. Nerves bring cravings, cravings bring fear, and fear results in fear. This is an expansive chain in which most dogs are trapped and that people, as their caregivers, must help free them with love, patience, attention and emotional education.
Now that you know what emotions dogs feel, have you noticed that yours expresses any that is not on our list? Do not hesitate to leave your comment!
