Dog Behavior and the Expression of Emotion

There has been a lot of speculation recently on dogs and their experience and expression of emotion.  Are they "feeling" in the sense that we do?  Are they only responding from instinct and what's happening in the moment?  What about dogs and emotion?         

These questions are an ongoing consideration by us dog behaviorists and lovers.  We speak definitively as if to know so much more than we really do.   Thanks to scientific study and our ability to analyze thought and the brain as we think the thought, we are better able to understand what is happening in the minds of humans.  We are also making great progress in learning more about the level of awareness of animals, specifically our canine companions.  

Working with rescue dogs, I can tell you that dogs definitely experience different emotions.  Who knows the exact process or if their emotion can or should be rated or in any way equated to a human emotion.  Since I don't have any other language, I'll use human emotion as my way of labeling a dog's expression.  Here are a few of my observations:

• Dogs smile when they see us smile at them.


• It may not be an emotion, but it is definitely an expression - I have seen more than one dog turn a shade of green after eating something that wasn't meant for consumption.  (Not unlike us, that may not stop them from doing it again!)


• A tail wag and a crab crawl toward the human hand that is reaching to give affection, is definitely a giggle.


• A tail tuck and cartoon-like run as they spin around the yard or room is a moment of pure bliss.


• Our dogs running to grab a treasured toy when we arrive home is not unlike a child who runs to greet a parent after work showing them their latest creation.  (Everything seems more valuable when you can share it!)

 
Does it really matter if we know exactly what caused the moment of shared or spontaneous glee?  We don't stop when a human smiles at us to ask  them what they are specifically feeling at this moment.  We just enjoy the smile.  While I find the study of emotion (canine and human) fascinating, the most important thing is to be in the moment and to share it!

Gayle Cousineau
http://divadogtraining.com
http://divadogtraining.com/blog
Dog Trainer and Behavior Modification for Dogs and Their Humans