It’s a dog’s life - and they know it!
Leading a dog’s life could be much more complicated than anyone had previously imagined.
Research carried out recently by top scientists has revealed that canines often feel the negative emotions usually more associated with their human owners, such as envy, jealousy and pride.
Dogs loathe to witness their owners bestowing affection on others, particularly other dogs and appear to experience complex emotions when a newcomer such as a new partner enters the home environments, when they may suffer the fear of displacement.
One leading animal psychologist from the University of Portsmouth, Dr Paul Morris explained:-
“We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realised.
They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience.
Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity.”
Until very recently animals psychologists assumed that the majority of domestic pets didn’t appear to have the all important “sense of self” associated with the experience of secondary emotions like guilt, embarrassment, jealousy or empathy.
This latest canine study is one of many which are being undertaken by animal psychologists, other species under the microscope include cats, horses, cows and sheep.