Many people wonder if their dog has feelings or emotions, what they can perceive and with what intensity. Dogs, like humans, can experience emotions and feelings, with more or less intensity, but in the same way that humans do.
There have even been numerous scientific studies that verify these data, not only in dogs but in many other animals. Dogs are very expressive and they have always imagined or suspected that they can feel love, sadness or fear, among many others.
Let’s review what are the feelings and emotions that dogs can feel. Keeping in mind that with feeling we refer to a spiritual sensation while with emotions we refer to a more physical sensation. Most of the time feelings and emotions go together.
Feelings and Emotions in Dogs: Pain and Jealousy
We all know that dogs are much tougher than humans when it comes to resisting physical pain, a newly neutered dog hardly needs a couple of days to want to run or play with his puppy friends…. his ability to tolerate pain is amazing.
However, emotional pain is different, they can feel hurt on certain occasions, how when they are abandoned, how when we hit them, scold them for no reason, etc…. Remember that you should never, under any circumstances, do any of the above with your dog, only cowards and bad people abandon or hit their dogs.
Jealousy is a very present emotion in dogs, it is not positive to stimulate jealousy because they can lead to uncomfortable situations. When a baby comes home and we give him all the attention in the world, our dog can be jealous. When a new puppy comes home, and we pamper him more than our dog, he may also be jealous.
The best way to avoid jealousy is to maintain the same intensity of care, attention and the same to our dog. Do not leave him out for the arrival of a baby or a new dog, participate in the new family expansion and continue to pamper him as always. You will get more detailed information at: How to prepare a dog for the arrival of a baby.
Conclusions
Dogs do have feelings and emotions, in the same way that you do. But his brain is not as evolved as yours, he does not ask himself why he loves you, he just loves you, period.
He does not question whether he should be afraid for this or that, he is simply afraid when certain things happen (fireworks, the presence of another dog with whom he gets along badly, a scolding on your part, etc …).
Dogs are incredibly emotional animals, to them you are their family. Don’t let them down.