Can Dogs recognize what we are feeling?

So if an owner is feeling sad, the dog will be able to feel it as well..

Dog owners have always felt that their canine pets understood what mood they were in and responded accordingly. This obviously has often raised the question that can dogs really recognize our emotions? In the past research would often say that dogs learn to recognize the different facial expressions and voice tone of their owners which is why they respond accordingly. But a new study has shown that dogs do actually recognize our emotions rather than remembering from memory that if the owner is sad, he/she talks in a low voice.

The study, published in Biology Letters displayed 17 domestic dogs picture of both humans and other dogs showing positive and negative expression along with their respective positive/ negative audio clips from unfamiliar humans and dogs. The results showed that picture (of both dog and human) and their respective audio, like happy face with happy sound, were looked at more carefully by the dogs. This shows the dogs’ ability to form a mental picture via different sensory information. It is possible that this ability to sense emotions via sensory information was developed in dogs due to generations spent as the pets of humans, domesticated by them. This ability benefits dogs and humans. Their bond is improved. The dog has someone who will look after him and care for him while the human will have unconditional love and friendship in his dog who clearly understand his feelings too!

So if an owner is feeling sad, the dog will be able to feel it as well. He may not feel empathy but he will sense the emotion and it will have an effect on him too. Another important point is that dogs understand body language too. So they can gauge by your behavior and body language which mood you are in. They may also be able to sense your intention, such as excitement when you get up to feed him or fear when you go for the nail clipper. They will also when you are taking him to the vet and will look at you suspiciously.

Dogs can also sense chemical changes in their owner’s body when the latter has disease. So if your dog has been paying too much attention to one part or two parts of your body, it is best to get it checked out. In fact, they also know when a woman is pregnant! They can pick up on hormonal changes so a pregnancy is not too hard for them to figure out and they will lay their head on the pregnant woman’s belly or muzzle it. Dogs can also sense fear and anger and if they are on the receiving end of the latter feeling, they will whine and maybe lose bladder control. Even your acts of kindness are noticed by dogs. If someone is generous to them and talks in a nice tone, they will like them more.

In short, dogs are not only the most loyal companions they are also very smart and understand their owners very well. 

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