Posted on 10/19/2017 6:30:14 AM PDT by C19fan
Dogs really do put on their puppy eyes to pull on our emotional heartstrings, new research has found. Experts found that pet pooches raise their brows when they are being looked at, making their eyes look bigger, as well as pulling a number of other expressions. Our manipulative four legged friends do not respond with more facial expressions upon seeing tasty food, however. This suggests that they change facial expressions to communicate and not just because they are excited.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Cocker Spaniels, with their big, naturally sad-looking eyes, are quite good at that.
Anyone who thinks that dogs can’t and don’t manipulate our feelings has never owned a dog!
Isn’t it more like being owned by a dog? Worst of all, I have two who add up to 220 lb. of dog, one of whom owns the couch and the other of whom insists on sleeping with me. The larger is a Great Dane and the smaller is half American Staffordshire Terrier, a quarter Lab, an eight Golden, and an eighth Cocker Spaniel.
How can you be sure about the bloodline of your clever pup?
I had his DNA tested. Twelve and a half years ago he was a shelter puppy and I adopted him on the representation that he was half black Lab and half Great Dane. Then, about a moth later, the instructor at basic puppy class said he looked a lot more like a Pit Bull; however, by then he’d nailed me with those puppy eyes and I wasn’t about to return him. A couple of years ago I ran into an American Staffordshire Terrrier (that breed is also often classed as “Pit Bulls”) at the vet’s office that looked remarkably like him, so I decided to do the DNA thing.
Our Beagle Buddy was a world class beg artist. He would hit you with those sad eyes and your hand would involuntarily give him food off your plate. :-)
Baby kitties still have those beautiful big blue eyes to “grab” you. I got each, Puppies and kitties. They look at each other like “Don’t try it! This is MY SPOT!”
So do women. Its just a look.
I read an interesting thing a little while back.
They did a study on people where they had them wear a device that could measure eye movement, even slight, imperceptible (to us) eye movement.
They found that when people come face to face with another person (or even see a picture of another human face) upon first encounter, both of our eyes focus on one eye of the other person for an imperceptibly short period of time, we can’t even notice it.
So the researchers got curious, and tried to see if all primates did it, and to their surprise...they didn’t. Monkeys, chimps, apes, none did it.
So they began testing other animals, and of all the animals they tested, there was only one other species that exhibited that same trait: Dogs.
Them and Golden Retrievers.
What about the look of disgust?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNXHo_Jtr2o
That is a a great mix!
I have one that is 25% Lab, 25% Spaniel, and 50% Great Pyrenees, and he is the best dog ever. He guards the cats all day.
Does he herd the cats? Reminds me of a remark Mitch McConnell made about getting a,majority of Senators, like “getting frogs into a wheelbarrow.”
Well, his protective instincts from his Pyrenees ethnicity are strong. He looks for things to protect, but he does not herd them. He just lays 20 feet away and waits for attackers.
I have a 14 month old toddler. He instinctively seeks to protect her. Not from humans, but wolves and bears and the like.
I live in Houston, so the biggest threat is an illegal alien hopping the fence to steal my tools.
He allows my kids to stomp on his paws and tail, and his attitude is “sorry, my tail was in your way”.
He instinctively does not bite (I try!), but has a very loud and authoritative bark. I obtained him specifically to prevent house burglary during the day while we are at work.
My guys run loose in the yard when I’m not at home. There’s never been any problem with them threatening any delivery person or neighbor. However, the mere sight of a 120 lb. Black and white semi-horse running up to one’s car is enough to deter most potential burglars. Unfortunately, if I try to threaten neighbors or delivery people with sicking my dogs on them, I just get laughed at. Humiliating.
I know a certain Irish Setter that will shift his gaze from my left eye to right eye and back, while doing that ‘puzzle pup’ head tilt. That is, when he’s not ‘resting’ his head on my arm while I type.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.