Many people say that dogs are animals that have an emotional closeness to their owners. For example, we often play with our dogs to relieve the stress that we feel. What about dogs? Can our own dog know that we are really sad? What dogs do when the owner is sad and crying? Learn some ways to know that your pet dog knows your sadness.
As explained in the article about Effective Methods to Treat Depression in Dog, dogs can feel the emotions of their owners. For example, when you are grieving, your dog will feel the emotion, and it can make him mourn and depression. It shows that dogs can understand human feelings. It also shows that dogs can feel the pain felt by their owners.
Not Guess, but Based on Research!
This is not only a guess, but this is supported by research. There are several studies that show that dogs can understand the feelings of their owners.
1. Comfort human
Research published in the journal Learning and Behavior shows that dogs will show their affection when the owner shows signs of anger. Not only know when you feel sad, but dogs will also do anything that can make you feel better.
The research was carried out by placing 34 types of dogs with their owners in different doorways. However, the dog can still listen to the owner’s voice clearly. Then, the researchers let their owners hum or cry. When the owner cries, the dogs open the door three times faster than when the owner hums.
The study also shows that dogs who come to comfort their owners when crying show a lower level of stress. This shows that they do not feel stressed to help their owners to be comforted.
Emily Sanford, a graduate student in psychology and brain at Johns Hopkins, explains that dogs not only feel what their owner feels, but a dog knows how to help its owner and they will pass through barriers to help their owners. Emily also explained that dogs will sit with you, licking your face, when you are sad or crying.
2. Dogs catch emotions
Another study published in the Animal Cognition journal May 30, 2012, found results that dogs tend to approach people who are crying compared to people who mutter or talk. In addition, they also automatically respond by being sympathetic to people who are crying or sad.
Many people think that dogs understand their feelings. However, from the results of this study, there are other things that can be considered about dogs knowing the emotions of their owners.
Deborah Custance, a researcher, and psychologist explains that dogs can have a curiosity if the owner sings or murmurs. Unlike that, when the owner cried, the dog approached him not out of curiosity, but because the dog understood the owner’s emotions from the cry. The dog will show more reaction when the owner cries rather than when the owner mumbles or sings.
Research conducted by Custance and Mayer involved 18 dogs and their owners who were carried out in their homes. The results of this study are, there are 15 dogs who approach their owner or Mayer when they cry. Meanwhile, when the owner and Mayer just muttered or talked, not many dogs responded. This study proves that dogs are driven by emotions when they approach their owner or someone who cries, not because of curiosity.
Mayer explained that dogs approached anyone who was crying regardless of someone’s identity. Dogs pay attention to someone’s emotions, not to the emotions of the dog itself.
There is an interesting thing that happened when Mayer did this research. Of the 15 dogs, there are 13 dogs that not only approach but also do physical forms to comfort someone who is crying. This physical form includes moving the tail or bending, which indicates that the dogs are trying to show empathy. However, the researchers did not know what the dogs were thinking when they did that. Because of this, you need to learn about Ways to Understand Your Dog’s Wishes.
Although 100% can not be ascertained about the dog has empathy when someone cries, but the results of this study become the basis to open other studies to find out about the emotional side of the dog.
3. Dog’s reaction
Other research put forward by Express, shows that dogs can know the difference between expressions of pleasure, sadness, or even anger at humans.
The researchers showed photos of men and women with one of six facial expressions, namely anger, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, and natural disgust for 26 dogs when they were eating. At the same time, the researchers also monitored the beating of the dogs.
The results of the study show they (the dogs) will turn to the left when they see photos of anger, fear or happiness from humans but if they see a surprised expression they will turn to the right.
According to research published in the specialist science journal Learning & Behavior, the dog’s heart rate also increases when they see the owner is unhappy.
When the dogs see pictures that show an expression of anger, fear, and happiness in humans, it triggers the most heart activity and shows a higher level of stress. Dogs also take longer to re-eat their food when these photos are shown to them.
Although the study involved pictures, scientists believed the sound, smell, and posture of the body also acted as a guide for dogs to capture human emotions.
4. Expression and Sound
Based on facial expressions and sounds, you can know that your dog knows your sadness. Other studies that show ways to know that your pet dog know your sadness are explained below.
Research published in the journal Biology Letters explores the emotional relationship between humans and their pet dogs.
The study conducted in Brazil involved 17 pet dogs that were shown images accompanied by sound. When the dogs see pictures with happy dog facial expressions and funny barking dogs, they look longer on the screen than when they see inappropriate images and sounds.
This study shows that dogs recognize emotions. Dogs develop emotional abilities possessed by their kind to interact with humans. This is a form of cognitive ability. Dogs will also raise their eyebrows as they communicate with humans. Read more about How to Make a Dog Listen to Your Command.
Some other ways to know that your pet dog knows your sadness are:
- Smell – dogs are famous for their very sharp sense of smell. Dogs can smell biochemical changes related to mood.
- Body posture – the way you move your body, whether it’s your posture, how you walk, tilting your head greatly affects your dog. Your dog recognizes your posture as the owner.
- Physical contact – when you are sad, your dog will make physical contact with you, for example by sitting with you, hugging you, or lying on your lap while you are crying or sad. It may not be done by all dogs, but this can be done by some dogs and may include your dog. You need to know about How To Tell That Your Dog Is Truly Sad.
- Invitation to play – your dog can also invite you to play or invite you to come out to comfort you.
These are facts that show that your dog understands your emotions, including when you are sad.
Now, are there some of these facts that occur in your dog when you are sad or crying? Observe!