Does your dog really love you?
Or do they just respond that way because you feed them?
It’s both. To him, there’s no distinction between the two.
[quote]Der_Steppenwolfe wrote:
It’s both. To him, there’s no distinction between the two.[/quote]
So, your dog sees you as no different than a walking refrigerator with special needs?
I was told that they walked dogs through mri or cat scans, some thing of that nature that can read images of areas of the brain that work in dogs. They are capable of experiencing love as you or I. Anyone who nurtures them they will have a bond with . My dog pulls me from person to person if they have ever said hi or pet him before that point in time.
Not only does it seem that he likes them he also remembers their scent and what not and that they were nice to him before. Other than that they act cmpletely off of impulse and learned behavior like pavlos dogs. They have an intellect but only so far, depends on the dog as well. Some are really dumb and other really more aware and responsive.
first and only time I’ll use fox news lol
That’s not really what I meant. I think he sees you in a way that you or I would find difficult to understand, because I think although dogs and humans have emotions in common, I think they also both have emotions that the other wouldn’t ‘get’. I’ve never seen a dog, for instance, experience schaudenfreude.
I think your dog loves you not because you give him food, but because he thinks you’re the man. And one of the functions of the man is to provide food. I don’t think he can actually conceive of a world where the leader of the pack- i.e. you wouldn’t provide food. Having said that, I’m pretty sure that dogs know they aren’t actually homo sapiens, and that humans aren’t dogs. They just don’t care as long as they’re socialised with humans at an early stage.
[quote]Jlabs wrote:
first and only time I’ll use fox news lol[/quote]
Interesting.
What made me ask is the way my dog behaves. He was a rescue dog. When I lay his food down…he won’t touch it at first. He’ll look at it and them come over to me and stay with me until I either respond to him and pet him or say it’s ok.
If he was just after the food…he won that without the extra credit.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
What made me ask is the way my dog behaves. He was a rescue dog. When I lay his food down…he won’t touch it at first. He’ll look at it and them come over to me and stay with me until I either respond to him and pet him or say it’s ok.
If he was just after the food…he won that without the extra credit.[/quote]
My dog, like all dogs, loves food but she is the same way. I taught her to never take a treat or eat a bite of food without permission when she was a puppy. She won’t even take a biscuit from the vet without checking with me. She’s just a well trained pooch.
I never really thought of it as love that’s a word we (humans) made up. If I had to guess I would think my dog “cares” for me and I love her but in the end she is a dog. I read a book a couple years ago that was very interesting called, “Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know.” I would recommend it to anyone that thinks they are a dog expert, you will learn at least 1 new thing, I promise.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Jlabs wrote:
first and only time I’ll use fox news lol[/quote]
Interesting.
What made me ask is the way my dog behaves. He was a rescue dog. When I lay his food down…he won’t touch it at first. He’ll look at it and them come over to me and stay with me until I either respond to him and pet him or say it’s ok.
If he was just after the food…he won that without the extra credit.[/quote]
They are the greatest companion for sure. Very interesting and respectful creatures when in the right care.
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
What made me ask is the way my dog behaves. He was a rescue dog. When I lay his food down…he won’t touch it at first. He’ll look at it and them come over to me and stay with me until I either respond to him and pet him or say it’s ok.
If he was just after the food…he won that without the extra credit.[/quote]
My dog, like all dogs, loves food but she is the same way. I taught her to never take a treat or eat a bite of food without permission when she was a puppy. She won’t even take a biscuit from the vet without checking with me. She’s just a well trained pooch.
I never really thought of it as love that’s a word we (humans) made up. If I had to guess I would think my dog “cares” for me and I love her but in the end she is a dog. I read a book a couple years ago that was very interesting called, “Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know.” I would recommend it to anyone that thinks they are a dog expert, you will learn at least 1 new thing, I promise. [/quote]
I know we tend to humanize behavior. It is just that I do see signs of him just giving me respect…or “thanks”…and it stands out as more than just “dog behavior” sometimes.
Me and my family left for a week last month and I left my dog with a friend. When I got back and picked her up she went crazy happy, spinning around, then jumped in the car and wouldn’t come back out. My buddy was amazed because he said she howled the saddest most mournful howl for the first two days he was watching her, and was indifferent to him for the rest of the time.
Once home with the wife and kid, she cried happily and rolled around for about an hour, and wouldn’t leave my sons side for the entire next day.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Me and my family left for a week last month and I left my dog with a friend. When I got back and picked her up she went crazy happy, spinning around, then jumped in the car and wouldn’t come back out. My buddy was amazed because he said she howled the saddest most mournful howl for the first two days he was watching her, and was indifferent to him for the rest of the time.
Once home with the wife and kid, she cried happily and rolled around for about an hour, and wouldn’t leave my sons side for the entire next day.
[/quote]
I think that’s awesome.
I have had mine since April and he really acts like he is “my dog” and always was.
There can be 5 other people in the room but when I leave, he leaves.
My dog is a rescue and treats my roommate and me like we are his saviors (we practically are). It took him a while to warm up to us and was very skiddish but now he does not leave our sides. If I walk to the bathroom he will get up, follow me, lay outside the door in the hall, and then follow me back as if he was scared I was going to leave him. He also needs to meet people numerous times before he lets them touch him. It took him a good week to warm up to my girlfriend who was almost always around. He also can tell when either my roommate or I have a bad day. The second we walk in the door he will come over and try and cheer us up. Even if it is not real love (on his part), I would still like to think it is.
My in laws’ dog sleeps outside of my sons bedroom when he sleeps there and gets really nervous whenever anyone is playing roughly with my son. My son hasn’t ever fed him so I think dogs genuinely care for people who are close to them.
BG knew a lot about this, I think he mostly said dogs only love humans because we feed them. For some reason I think Whiteflash has some thoughts on the matter as well, but I may be confusing him with someone else.
My family picked up a dog at the shelter many years ago. She would only come to the cage door when I was there. We left with her and they told us if she dies, she was the runt, had 0 energy, and worms, they will let us get another dog for free. We named her Summer. Well Summer made it and lasted 16 years.
So her entire life I was the only one when I came home could make her pee on the floor. My sister took her to college with her so it was a couple years one time before I saw Summer again. I walked into my sister’s apartment and got Summer to pee on the floor. My sister said, “Summer has not done that in two years, and you walk in and she pees the floor.” That’s my dog.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Me and my family left for a week last month and I left my dog with a friend. When I got back and picked her up she went crazy happy, spinning around, then jumped in the car and wouldn’t come back out. My buddy was amazed because he said she howled the saddest most mournful howl for the first two days he was watching her, and was indifferent to him for the rest of the time.
Once home with the wife and kid, she cried happily and rolled around for about an hour, and wouldn’t leave my sons side for the entire next day.
[/quote]
Dogs are pack animals and your dog instinctively knows that your family is his pack. He is bonded to your family. Food, shelter, safety and companionship are all part of the benefits of the pack. Your dog does not have reason or logic or the understanding of circumstances like a human would so all he knew was that he was suddenly removed from his family. Imagine being pulled from your family and placed in the hands of people that you barely know with no understanding as to why or if you would ever be reunited. Then imagine the exultation you would feel when you were suddenly reunited with your family (pack). Hell, if that happened to me I would sure cry and roll around too!
Some people say that dogs merely stay close to you and show you affection purely in self-interest. To stay in the good graces of their Alpha. I have had a lot of dogs over the years and I believe that they are capable of feeling emotions of every sort.
Our dog is a canine fundamentalist. He is fanatically devoted to one owner- my father.
[quote]Der_Steppenwolfe wrote:
Our dog is a canine fundamentalist. He is fanatically devoted to one owner- my father.[/quote]
More than likely he sees your dad as Alpha, but you are still part of his pack. I would bet that he would jump to protect you if you were threatened in his presence.
Oh hell yeah. He seems to think that the biggest threat to me is large lorries, and I can’t fault him on that, I just wish he wouldn’t try to jump in front of them barking.