When They Just Know

[ladyfreckles]

I've had a rough weekend and a particularly bad night. It just felt like one bad thing after another. A friend of mine from my hometown died and I just found out about it. They died a month ago. So I was feeling overwhelmed and sitting on the couch with my head in my hands. Viking, who had been quiet for most of the evening started whining and trying to paw his way out of his crate. I took him outside assuming he had to go potty, which he did, but then when I brought him back inside he kept crying and staring at me.

Finally I just let him out and instead of being wild he took to snuggling with me and giving me kisses. I can't help but feel like he knew something was wrong and was trying to make it better. He hasn't left my side since. Sigh. What a good puppy.

Do your dogs ever just know?

[MustLoveGSDs]

I think they can sense our different emotions and react accordingly. Whatever the case may be, dogs are great therapy

[brembo]

To most dogs we humans wear our hearts on the sleeve. Since humans rely on speech to such a great extent we often forget body language and let it slip. Dogs don't have the luxury of a 1/4 of a million words to decode their needs/wants/feelings and thus are very keen on reading body language.

Now as to why dogs seem to want to comfort, that's speculative as can be. A complete cynic would cite pack mentality and stability as the driving force for seeming comforting behavior. A skeptic might allow for a bit of actual fondness for the pack leader but give more credence to the stability theory. Me? My dog loves me and wants me happy. I have no issues with the idea that dogs can and do love, it's a flipping chemical reaction in the brain. At the molecular level the operation and function of a dog's brain and a human's is essentially identical, it's a matter of scale and density rather than process. So, why not? We humans have had millenia to sort through the characteristics of canines that mesh best with us. Over those many many years the creme rises to the top and we are left with intuitive animals that want to a productive part of their perceived pack.

I have wrestled this issue for a long time. My logical brain is at war with my emotional side over this. The science of dogs is sadly very behind where it needs to be. People get revved up about other animals because of the exotic aspects or the "contribution" to society (food animals, cattle, chickens...etc), but dogs get a handful of fanciers and vets to carry the torch. When the general scientific consensus shifts from a limbic controlled machine to an animal with complex emotions and desires I think the body of study will increase vastly.

After that mouthful I'll say that I am unapologetic in my assertion that my dog(s) are in some ways bound to the genetics and instincts coded in their DNA. There is also that portion of a dog that is genuinely just GOOD. Good dog. Lots can happen when the numbers billion and trillion get bandied about and those numbers apply to the number of synapses in an average dog's brain(trillion might be stretching it, seeing as how a GSDs brain is about 1/10th the size of a humans). Some very complex computing can occur when 10 digits are being discussed.

Went kinda nuts there. Sorry.

[doggiedad]

sorry about your loss. i think some dogs can sense things
or read our body language better than others. is there
a chemical release in our bodies when we're upset? maybe
they can smell that.

[the_butcher]

Originally Posted by ladyfreckles

Do your dogs ever just know?

I think they definitely know! An example was a couple of days ago my girlfriend was driving me back to our place because I was quite ill. Butch was sitting in the back of the car and was putting his nose through the middle console and licking my face, he seemed genuinely concerned and i honestly believe he knew that I wasnt well. Needless to say he did make me feel slightly better

[evybear15]

In my opinion..dogs absolutely know. Baxter prefers to snooze on his own. But if I'm sick, stressed out, or upset about something, he chooses to curl up next to me on the couch, more often than not. He'll be calmer, listen better, etc. It's like he knows I just can't handle his antics and I need him to chill for me. I always try to get him out for a good walk, or extra play time when it's all said and done as my way of "thanking" him for being there.

Pets truly are wonderful at taking care of us. So glad that Viking was there for you.

[iBaman]

They totally can. I suffer from pretty bad depression, and when we first got Sheldon, I wasn't medicated. I go through my rage moments, and while I would never hurt him, I'm not very nice or welcoming all the time. I feel like he understands that, and never once held my anger against me. He's still my little bubbah, and when push comes to shove, he always chooses to sleep at my feet over my SO's. When I'm having an off day, he tries so hard to be good and not get in my face as much. <3

[codmaster]

They know!

[Cheerful1]

iBaman - I can totally relate, both with your situation and how my dog handles it.

[KSdogowner]

Originally Posted by ladyfreckles

I've had a rough weekend and a particularly bad night. It just felt like one bad thing after another. A friend of mine from my hometown died and I just found out about it. They died a month ago.
Finally I just let him out and instead of being wild he took to snuggling with me and giving me kisses.

ladyfreckles, I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your friend and your rough weekend. I am glad Viking has been a comfort to you. My dogs are the same..they know when things aren't right and try to comfort. I think they understand a lot more than what us humans give them credit for.

Hugs.