Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Pets > Dogs
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-23-2010, 08:39 PM
 
5,715 posts, read 15,014,934 times
Reputation: 2949

Advertisements

My lab has this adorable way of wrinkling up his lip. I swear, it's like he's asking me a question or he's communicating something in particular when he does it.

Dogs definitely show sadness, and jealousy, and embarassment, and love,... and joy...

what emotions have I left out?

Last edited by World Citizen; 03-23-2010 at 09:32 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-23-2010, 09:43 PM
 
Location: east of my daughter-north of my son
1,928 posts, read 3,633,165 times
Reputation: 888
Definitely. My dog Charlie was my Dad's. He was sad from the time we got to my Dad's to pick him up and on the trip back home from Florida after Dad passed away. Thank goodness he knew my husband and myself very well and soon perked up.

Also, after my Mom passed he seemed very lost and sad and looked for her for the longest time.

And on a lighter note, if you don't fuss over him when he wants he gets the saddest little face.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-23-2010, 10:51 PM
 
Location: Southeast Missouri
5,812 posts, read 18,768,277 times
Reputation: 3384
Of course dogs get sad. Ours look sad when they're in trouble. But I think they do get sad when their owner is away.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 03:23 AM
 
1,791 posts, read 1,787,915 times
Reputation: 2210
Default Diabetic Diva

Ohhhhhh.... let me tell you. I have NO doubt in my mind that dogs can feel whatever we feel. Have their own feelings. Happiness, sadness, nurturing, depression, etc. And are privy to "things" we are not. They "talk" to us.

We acquired "Lady" (Ladybug, Buggins, Buggaboo, Big Beauitiful Beast, etc.) when we were living in Florida from a guy that abused her. (That's a whole other story) She was about four months old and nothing but a fluffy heart with eyes. At first I was against taking her because we already had five cats. (Buddah, Pickles, Diamond, Deja, and Luna) I asked a few people at work, as well as some customers about a home for her. This went on for a week. By the end of the week, I swear she was "telling" us that we all belonged together. She was right.

Lady, from the word go was an absolute joy. I can't even say we "trained" her. Not really. Everything was a one or two time deal and she knew what to do. Not a lot a repetitiveness at all for a certain goal. A natural, if you will. So at six months when she started peeing on the floor, it was quite a shock. At first we thought this might be a stage she was gonna go through. Similar to teenage rebellion. Now, we believe in just reprimanding with only a stern voice with some finger pointing. (that's mostly my job) And if we knew then what we have now known for three and a half years, we wouldn't have even had to scold her.

I didn't know dogs could have diabetes. My wife on the other hand did. She was hoping it wasn't. But it is. (if I typed faster I'd tell of the fiasco with the animal hospital that almost killed her-ended up taking her to Banfield-who ultimately saved her) We had a hell of a time getting her sugar leveled. It took several months. She gets two shots of Novilin N insulin a day. 40-50 units. Depending on how much water she drinks. Because all the usual methods of getting blood just don't work. At one point WE had to shave a spot on her leg and draw blood with one of her needles. I'm not sure, but I would bet most dogs would have nothing to do with this outside the hospital. The first time we tried, it was ten minutes before we got any blood. She didn't fuss, wiggle, snap. Nothing. She knew when we had her blood because she stood up before we did. We don't do the blood thing anymore. We gauge her level by water intake. High sugar=a lot of water. She's had one grand maul seizure in 2007. In which we thought she was going to die. Her sugar bottomed out during the leveling period.(another fiasco with emergency insurance-2am-$99 or no care-no payments-45 min. away) After that seizure, whenever she starts feeling funny she'll lick my hand in a certain way (can't explain it) to let me know to get the corn syrup. This "dog" is so very intelligent. I wouldn't be surprised if she knows that I'm writing about her. Diabetes in a dog her age is rare. We seem to get the ones that need a little, sometimes a lot, of extra care. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I know Lady gets sad. She is bummed out right now (even though she's sleeping) because Mommy is not home for the week. I tell her "Mommy will be home on Friday". And even though she's about 70% blind, she'll look at me and sigh. I kid you not. My wife is babysitting our Grandson and Lady knows I miss her too. She'll comfort me for a little while. Then as if to say "enough" she'll go and lay in one of her five spots in our little apartment.

Lady is a Golden-Chow. Beautiful red hair. A face that EVERYONE falls in love with. 100 - 110 lbs. And much smarter than most people I know. Mommy is the LOVE of her life. (vice-versa) Daddy is very loved, but takes second seat.
On a foot note. She knows the names of the different animals as well as the people we associate with. I can say we're going to Lewies and that is directly where she goes. I can even name one of his dogs and that's where she goes. If I had to guess I would say her vocabulary is upwards of about 1000 words. No matter what it is, we talk to her as we would with anyone else. AND with better results.

OH! Don't say "WATCH-EM"! That's protection time. And then a treat. She gets a lot of treats. Well, not as many as she used to. She doesn't understand the recession. Good for her, huh?
She is the LOVE of our lives.

Last edited by shroombeanie; 03-24-2010 at 03:35 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 03:40 AM
 
Location: ROTTWEILER & LAB LAND (HEAVEN)
2,404 posts, read 6,241,781 times
Reputation: 6048
Yep...no doubt.
They not only show you, but tell you how sad they are.

So glad ours are happy again. When one passes away...it really makes my guys sad.
The new adopted girl is fixing that. She has already made the older girl get out in the yard & play some with her.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 03:54 AM
 
1,791 posts, read 1,787,915 times
Reputation: 2210
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sillypups View Post
Yep...no doubt.
They not only show you, but tell you how sad they are.

So glad ours are happy again. When one passes away...it really makes my guys sad.
The new adopted girl is fixing that. She has already made the older girl get out in the yard & play some with her.
Yea. Buddah and Pickles passed within a few months of each other. Pickles was her Bud. He had feline lukemia. Not a tooth in his mouth. He stopped growing but his teeth didn't. We had to have them pulled. He had STRONG gums. Ate hard food. He passed first. We laid with him in his little blanket on the bed and Lady was right there trying to wake him up. She wasn't "right" (nor were any of us) for two weeks. Pickles was eight. Then Buddah passed and it was the same thing. Buddah was twenty-two. Oh yes, they most definitely get sad. As well as many other emotions. I DO NOT care what the "experts" say.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 06:53 AM
 
3,650 posts, read 9,190,467 times
Reputation: 2787
Quote:
Originally Posted by DandJ View Post
I know that there are some schools of thought that argue that dogs do not have human emotions such as sadness,

What are your thoughts?
I think these "schools" must be full of HS dropouts. It's common knowledge and clear to anyone capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time that dogs have MANY emotions (as do most if not all creatures of relatively higher intelligence). So this isn't a question of "thinking" or "believing" it. Honestly, what yahoos are spewing such silliness?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 07:59 AM
 
7,380 posts, read 15,632,321 times
Reputation: 4975
Quote:
Originally Posted by joey2000 View Post
I think these "schools" must be full of HS dropouts. It's common knowledge and clear to anyone capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time that dogs have MANY emotions (as do most if not all creatures of relatively higher intelligence). So this isn't a question of "thinking" or "believing" it. Honestly, what yahoos are spewing such silliness?

well, they don't have HUMAN emotions. they have dog emotions. but yeah, really, are there many "experts" out there who espouse this idea? maybe some do, but i don't think it's the prevailing school of thought anymore.

there is a danger to assuming dogs have some human emotions (like spite). it is important to understand that dogs are not humans and that their brains work differently than ours. but it seems obvious that they do experience, as has already been said, joy, sadness, fear, etc.

i'd highly recommend the patricia mcconnell book world citizen mentioned earlier - "for the love of a dog". it does a great job of explaining canine emotion and body language, and how they are both similar and different from humans.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 08:19 AM
 
628 posts, read 2,038,268 times
Reputation: 524
I wholeheartedly agree that dogs have emotions. Even if they are simpler does that make them any less valid. Human mothers course with hormones to bond and attach to their baby--does that make their love any less valid?

If I were to die and my dog was to be locked in and hungry--take a bite--heck if I care--I would willingly give an arm (dead or alive) to save my dog. Same as I think if my dog were to die and I needed to eat him (in some strage other-worldly survival situation) I think he would want me to-ok that's weird and way out there but I really believe it to be true..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2010, 09:42 AM
 
Location: Brooklyn, New York
445 posts, read 1,444,082 times
Reputation: 526
Louie is an English Bulldog so he often looks sad or worried. He whines and cries ("ow! ow! ow!") when denied a treat or a pair of shoes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Pets > Dogs

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top