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How well does the dog sense the owner?
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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A dog won't be able to discuss your troubles at work with you, but when it snuggles into your lap, you get the feeling that your pet understands your mood without saying a word. Dogs have the intelligence of a two-year-old child. This is the conclusion reached by a leading expert in dog psychology from Columbia University, Professor Stanley Coren.
In their development, dogs, without being Einsteins, are quite close to humans. Dogs can "read" some simple emotions and sense chemical changes in the human body.
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Dog's sense of sadness
Can you swear that your dog shows more emotion, affection and even a bit of sympathy when you are upset and in a bad mood? Maybe these are just your illusions? You are absolutely right, as it turns out, dogs really can sympathize with a person. They will try to lick the face or bring a toy to a person, in an attempt to comfort him. And what is most interesting, a person who is in such a state will still cause a feeling of pity in a dog, and it does not matter who it is - the owner or a stranger.
Dogs sense injustice
If you pay more attention to another animal, the dog will not miss such injustice and will notice the unequal distribution of love. Researchers have found that dogs watching their fellows receiving a treat for a trick they performed for free, began to yawn, lick their lips and whine. Dogs notice and react to the amount of attention they receive, but this cannot be compared with human envy or the desire to be first. When dogs received a reward, they were absolutely happy, not paying attention to the fact that some got sausage, while others got a piece of bread.
What can cause depression in a pet?
When a baby is born into a family, it is not surprising that all attention is focused on the baby. Naturally, less attention is paid to the dog, and this can lead to emotional disorders of the animal and even depression. Dr. Koren recommends that before the dog and baby are directly introduced, let the pet get used to the new smell, and at the same time to the new family member. To do this, take a diaper and put it in the baby's crib, and then in the place where the dog sleeps. This way, from the very beginning, this smell will be associated with something that she already loves.
The dog knows when you are angry
When you scold your dog, you certainly notice its reaction. The dog does react to reprimand and senses that the person is angry. This is evident from the way it looks at you from under its brows, shifts from one paw to the other, wags its tail and whines. However, this behavior should not be confused with remorse. A dog's guilty look is a normal reaction to human behavior and emotionally charged speech.
Dogs sense fear
If a person's safety is threatened, for example, an intruder is trying to enter the house, then he begins to send out alarming vibrations, which the dog senses perfectly. But dogs of the Doberman Pinscher or Boxer breeds are likely to be just as scared as the owner. Research shows that dogs read a person's emotional reaction and are likely to copy his behavior.
Doctor dogs
Research by scientists confirms that dogs can smell dangerous diseases such as lung cancer and prostate cancer. The fact is that malignant tumors can emit odors that they can smell.