Dogs are pack animals by nature, and feel anxious when not in their pack. As pets, their owners represent their pack and it is a big deal for a dog to left alone by his pack. Dogs can be trained out of 'separation anxiety', but some dogs are more sensitive to this than others. Even if your dog remains calm and confident when alone, he will still be waiting for the wonderful feeling of relief he will feel when his pack return, hence all the waggy tails and slobbery kisses (dog's way of making returning pack members regurgitate some of the food they have been out hunting - mmm yummy!). I think the idea that animals don't have feelings is a way for some humans to justify their lack of sympathy with what they regard as a 'lesser' being than themselves. After all, we're animals too. Of course animals have feelings - look at a new mother and her pups, or see the distress in a dog which has just lost its playmate or other 'pack member'. I recently watched a tv programme where they were filming a fox family group 24 hrs a day. They lived in Glasgow, and one night one of the cubs went exploring and walked onto a nearby busy road, and you should have seen the alarm and distress which the other foxes were showing. The adults went out searching for the cub all night, and the other cubs stood at the entrance to their 'lair' shivering and whimpering until the escapee finally turned up again - a bit shell-shocked, but thankfully unhurt.
Dogs obviously have feelings. I've always had at least one in my life at all times. Their love and tenderness way surpasses that of people. I can be watching TV with a dog in my lap and they'll be gazing up at me like I'm God or something. They also have a sense of humor. When they play-wrestle with you their face is lit up because they're having fun. They are like kids, but better.
Yes dogs miss you when you go away. When my sister left home, my dog would just sit on the drive way each afternoon waiting for her to come home. We would have to drag him inside ourselves.
Yes absolutely they do! If you have a puppy, you need to start going out of the room gradually for a few minutes at a time, then longer and longer before you go out all day. That way he will get used to your being gone. Otherwise, you may come home to a disaster area!
If your talking about leaving a dog, because you go on vacation or something like that it does depends on the dog/owner relationship. Most likely if your dog is type that follows you wherever you go and watches what you're doing all the time then yes the dog will miss you. I had a dog that wouldn't eat when I left it with my parents he would just sleep. Never leave your dog fully alone if going on vacation, have someone who can take care of it. Wouldnt you be lonely if you were left alone?
YES dogs do have feelings!! That is why they cry or whine..... Dogs also have anxiety issues... I have 2 dogs and they do not like being left at home alone... They bark and whine the whole time my husband and I are gone... My male dog will cry for my husband when he is at work, because he misses him... :) Hope this helps...
Dogs definitely have feelings. One of mine howled for days when her mother died, and lost her hair in clumps. What was that if not grief? I also saw a documentary about a lion pride, which had an outcast member with aberrant behaviour. This lioness killed the other lionesses cubs one by one. When she killed the oldest lioness's only surviving adult daughter, the poor old thing searched for her daughter for weeks and finally died. Sadly we do have to leave our dogs alone, and it is best to accustom them to this from an early age, for short periods. They do not like pack members to leave, but remember the pack has to hunt, and the pups will be left behind - so it is not unnatural for them to be alone for some time.
Yes ma'am, you are correct. Not only that, they can develop anxiety issues as well, they are very feeling beings. Now you can go celebrate your victory with an awesome dinner and some snuggling :) Be a gracious winner :)
Dogs have feelings like humans too, you know. I'm going to tell you some stories about our dogs; We have 17 dogs, all of them stays outside our house while our dog, Chicken stays inside. She is a very happy and cheerful dog. She is very clever too. My father throws his slippers too our dogs. When my sister, my mother and I we're in our house, our dogs really like to go inside, Chicken was very happy when we're at our house. But, when we(my sister, mother and I) go out, our dog Chicken will cry, she even want to go inside our car. Before I sit in the car, she was very fast and jumps inside the car. It means that she want to go with us and doesn't like to stay with my father.
The other one was all about the time when we swam in the swimming pool. When we go underwater, she cried and barked. She thought that we were lost. While our mom was using the computer, Chicken went to our mom and called our mom to go to the swimming pool. My mom was confused about Chicken because Chicken went all over the house. Chicken barked at my mom, it means my mom should follow her. Chicken went to the swimming pool and cried.
I have so many stories to share, but, they were so many. I cannot write it all right now... Dogs really have feelings! -- Carla. 04/08/10/10:37
