The idea that animals can experience love was once anathema to the psychologists who studied them, seen as a case of putting sentimentality before scientific rigor. Posted on 02/20/2020 6:46:08 AM PST by Red Badger
The idea that animals can experience love was once anathema to the psychologists who studied them, seen as a case of putting sentimentality before scientific rigor.
But a new book argues that, when it comes to dogs, the word is necessary to understanding what has made the relationship between humans and our best friends one of the most significant interspecies partnerships in history.
Clive Wynne, founder the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, makes the case in "Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You."
The animal psychologist, 59, began studying dogs in the early 2000s, and, like his peers, believed that to ascribe complex emotions to them was to commit the sin of anthropomorphism—until he was swayed by a body evidence that was growing too big to ignore.
"I think there comes a point when it's worth being skeptical of your skepticism," the Englishman said in an interview with AFP.
Canine science has enjoyed a resurgence in the past two decades, much of it extolling dogs' smarts.
Titles like "The Genius of Dogs" by Brian Hare have advanced the idea that dogs have an innate and exceptional intelligence.
Wynne, however plays spoilsport, arguing that Fido is just not that brilliant.
Pigeons can identify different kinds of objects in 2D images; dolphins have shown they understand grammar; honeybees signal the location of food sources to each other through dance; all feats that no dogs have ever been known to accomplish.
Even wolves, dogs' ancestor species known for their ferocity and lack of interest in people, have shown the ability to follow human cues—including, in a recent Swedish study, by playing fetch.
Wynne proposes a paradigm shift, synthesizing cross-disciplinary research to posit that it is dogs' "hypersociability" or "extreme gregariousness" that sets them apart.
Williams syndrome gene
One of the most striking advances comes from studies regarding oxytocin, a brain chemical that cements emotional bonds between people, but which is, according to new evidence, also responsible for interspecies relationships between dogs and humans.
Recent research led by Takefumi Kikusui at Japan's Azabu University has shown that levels of the chemical spike when humans and their dogs gaze into each others' eyes, mirroring an effect observed between mothers and babies.
In genetics, UCLA geneticist Bridgett vonHoldt made a surprising discovery in 2009: Dogs have a mutation in the gene responsible for Williams syndrome in humans—a condition characterized by intellectual limitations and exceptional gregariousness.
"The essential thing about dogs, as for people with Williams syndrome, is a desire to form close connections, to have warm personal relationships—to love and be loved," writes Wynne.
Numerous insights have also been gleaned through new behavior tests—many devised by Wynne himself and easy to replicate at home with the help of treats and cups.
One involved researchers using a rope to pull open the front door of a dog's home and placing a bowl of food at an equal distance to its owner, finding that the animals overwhelmingly went to their human first.
Magnetic resonance imaging has drilled down on the neuroscience, showing that dogs' brains respond to praise as much or even more than food.
But although dogs have an innate predisposition for affection, it requires early life nurturing to take effect.
Nor is the love affair exclusive to humans: A farmer who raised pups among a penguin colony on a tiny Australian island was able to save the birds from maurading foxes, in an experiment that was the basis for a 2015 film.
All you need is love
For Wynne, the next frontiers of dog science may come through genetics, which will help unravel the mysterious process by which domestication took place at least 14,000 years ago.
Wynne is an advocate for the trash heap theory, which holds that the precursors to ancient dogs congregated around human dumping grounds, slowly ingratiating themselves with people before the enduring partnership we know today was established through joint hunting expeditions.
It's far less romantic than the popular notion of hunters who captured wolf pups and then trained them, which Wynne derides as a "completely unsupportable point of view" given the ferocity of adult wolves who would turn on their human counterparts.
New advances in the sequencing of ancient DNA will allow scientists to discover when the crucial mutation to the gene that controls Williams syndrome occurred.
Wynne guesses this happened 8,000 - 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, when humans began regularly hunting with dogs.
What makes these findings important, beyond advancing science, is their implications for dogs' welfare, he argues.
That means rejecting brutal, pain-based training methods like choke collars based on debunked understandings of "dominance" popularized by celebrity trainers who demand dog owners become "pack leaders."
"All your dog wants is for you to show them the way," says Wynne, through compassionate leadership and positive reinforcement.
It also means carving out time to meet their social needs instead of leaving them isolated for most of the day.
"Our dogs give us so much, and in return they don't ask for much," he says.
"You don't need to be buying all these fancy expensive toys and treats and goodness knows what that are available.
"They just need our company, they need to be with people."
I work out of town during the week and I know that when I get home my babies will be waiting impatiently for me to pop through the door when they hear the garage door open. They can’t wait to maul me with love and uncontrollable tail wagging, but they know they have to wait until I kiss my wife and put my things down, which must seem like an eternity for them.
Just to see any dog wagging their tails is all I need to make my day.
The proof for what I mean:
Lock your dog in the trunk for an hour and lock your wife in the trunk for an hour. When you let each one out, let me know which one is glad to see you.
It’s a funny joke, but it makes the point. I love dogs. I have one that is approaching his last days. He’s great company. But the fact is that dogs are easy because you can abuse them and come back for more. You can do whatever you want, and the relationship is unharmed. Sure, if you are physically abusive, they may learn to cower around you, but the trunk thing would still apply.
That doesn’t work with other humans. You would not put up with being treated that way by another human - at least you shouldn’t.
And your dogs control you because you let them, but you know you could stop at any time. I’m the same way with my dog.
Regarding their innocence, it is because they are not imagers of God. The word “moral” doesn’t apply to anything they do. They are like trees in that sense. If one falls on your house, it is not because it was an imoral tree. Rather, it’s just what they do.
My neighbor’s dog used to sit on our porch and masturbate.
And dogs do have a kinship and awareness, when you are not feeling well, they nuzzle you under the arm.. “you Ok buddy?”
That’s because I’m less compliant to your will. :D
His greatest joy was walking with me out on Prior Lake ice in winter months and would beg for a beer from the fishermen. He'd put his big black nose inside the ice houses and look forlorn...
I love my dogs. I have had a total of 14 dogs in my life. Couple mix breeds that I adored. But one day, my father who was a milkman took me on one of his milk routes because of these cute dogs he wanted me to see and then rest is history. These cute dogs were Shetland Sheepdogs. Ever since then that has been my breed.
Yes dogs lives are short but it shows us humans to enjoy every moment. I lost 2 of my babies, 1 60 days before and another 30 days before losing my husband. Then thanks to wonderful friends who are breeders 2 dogs came into my life that I trained in agility. These critters have gone to the rainbow bridge and now I have 3 critters that I run in agility. But the main thing is they are my companions at home and I love spending every moment I can with them. For if they were not in my life I don’t know where I will be. I LOVE the bond that we have and again will enjoy every moment in life with them.
People suck (particularly those who don't like animals).
BTW, if you think people who have animals "control" those animals, you know nothing about this subject.
One of the most attractive feature of animals (next to their being loving) is their spontaneity. Humans are pale substitutes for animals.
In fact, people who don't have animals are cowards...and dullards. I wouldn't even have a friend who doesn't love animals. That is a minimum requirement.
It has nothing to do with will. Only a really stupid person would even think it has anything to do with "will."
“My neighbor’s dog used to sit on our porch and masturbate.”
There’s nothing wrong with that. Now if it was a human on your porch...
Ah, never mind on that!
I am reminded of my buddy, whose wife abused him constantly, physically and verbally, I’ve really never seen anything like it, and he coming back and coming back for more and more.
But I started whispering in his ear about how horrid a person she was. And he tried to tell her directly this needs to stop, and we need to work on this, yet she “persisted”, and so did I.
Now my buddy is dating a very nice Christian lady, and his ex-wife is home alone in an otherwise empty house.
I’m proud of myself, I’ll tell you that!
My daughter wants to accuse me of loving my dog more than her. I reminded her she doesn’t do a happy dance when I come home like my Molly
”If people were to God like dogs are to people, the world would be a really great place.......“
———————
Except for the farts. :>)
I have dachshunds they are only compliant if your offer is more interesting then what currently has their attention.
It’s the food. Don’t feed them grains......................
I am on my 4th female Labrador Retriever. There was LADY, JENNY, and AMBER. The one I have now is BAILEY.
Each one was a completely different personality. ALL loved our family with complete devotion.
Labs are good for 12-14 years. They burn bright and burn out pretty fast.
My last Lab Amber was 13 she began to suffer from Kidney failure. A morning came and I knew it was her last. She was in no pain and even ate some Orange Sherbet. I began digging her grave in the woods she loved to run. I cried that last day until I realized that we gave her the very best life she could ever have. At the end I wanted her to pass in her sleep. She went to sleep for the last time and I buried her at 2AM the next morning. I used a pair of safety glasses with LED lights to see what I was doing. The next morning my neighbor Anthony saw me on my back porch. He asked me; Is your wife okay?” Puzzled by the question I asked “Why do you ask?” He replied; “Well I got up to go to the bathroom last night looked out my window and saw you burying something in the woods and I just wanted to be sure.”
It was a welcomed laugh on a tough morning.
Sweet memories, Eric. I hate being in the rain but somehow walking with my dog this morning was a wonderful experience. How long to Goldens live? They say my mutt is about 2 years.
LOL!..................
My buddy has a long haired dachshund named bandit, that dog is a chick magnet LOL
He is a medical alert dog, they come into the VFW and bandit gets his own stool and bowl of beer, jeeze if you get a whisky and coke his face is in it! Comical little guy. Then its nappy time for bandit.
Goldens are really sweet, even angelic dogs. Very popular because of this, which has led to a few genetic susceptibilities that drag down average lifespan. The worst of these is hemangiosarcoma. The only saving grace is, it’s quick and apparently not very painful. If you can avoid this, a Golden should live as long as a Lab of which I’ve had several. A well-loved, well cared for Lab with a good diet, veterinary care and exercise should make it to at least 12. My last lived to 15 and was a big boy, over a hundred pounds in his prime. I still miss him, always will.
Interesting. Carried to an extreme that case might be made.
I was never a dog person (they were OK - never owned one) until our adult daughter got a very special one and also began fostering and socializing rescues. I really enjoyed them, for a couple it was love.
That said, as a normal person (I think I am anyway LOL) there are times when I prefer dogs to humans for company. And vice versa. The same could be said for my preference between children and adults. I don't want to spend all of my time with kids, but I do miss having them around. Sometimes they are a lot more fun than adults. I think enjoying the variety of contact between all is important.
Back to your postulation. It may be true in some cases, but IMO what plays a bigger role for those people is the unconditional love the dog gives. A sad number of people don't feel loved, or ever having been loved. Or the "love" they have experienced has been conditional in some sense, which is not fulfilling. Also, some people are simply ill equipped to deal with the cliffs and valleys of complex human relationships. They can only deal with simple.
I have to get back to work, but that's my perspective.
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