Dogs bond deeply with their humans, and they feel emotions like love, fear, anger, anticipation. These animals can teach us about leading with a full heart, being other-centered and taking time to recharge. They’re also curious, eager to learn and obedient. Plus, they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
1. Loyalty
Dogs are often portrayed as the ultimate loyal companions. We’ve all heard stories of dogs fearlessly protecting their owners, waiting hours or even days for their owner to return, and giving comfort in times of sorrow. Loyalty is a natural canine behavior, rooted from their wolf ancestors. Wolves are pack animals and adhere to strict hierarchical social structures. Domestication transformed wolves into modern dogs and allowed for mutual benefits to develop, including protection and food.
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The instinctive loyalty of dogs toward their human companions is evidenced by how quickly they bond with people and identify them based on their scent, voice, and face. It’s also exhibited by how often they check in with their owner, whether it be by peeking into different rooms or offering a gentle nudge or lick.
When dogs sense their owner’s stress, sadness, or worry, they offer comfort by close physical proximity and gentle nuzzles. This empathetic response showcases their deep emotional connection and unwavering loyalty, underscoring their role as humans’ most empathetic friends.
2. Selflessness
Dogs don’t get their egos in the way of what they want, and they don’t become discouraged if they don’t have the lasagna they were dreaming about. The energy of a happy dog is infectious, and their light-hearted silliness can lift your spirits even on the worst day.
Even dogs who have been through abuse and neglect are able to find joy, love, and trust again. They know who will give them food and kisses at the end of the day, and they don’t hold grudges or regrets. For veterinarians and pet owners, it is essential to comprehend and treat infectious diseases in canine and feline practice.
The world can be a scary place for your dog – new sights, sounds, and smells are around every corner. They must also deal with crazy humans who tell them to sit, stay, and not touch that! Fearful dogs often display a tense body, flat ears, tucked tail and a hunched posture. However, dogs who are calm and confident have upright ears, a loose wag of the tail and a relaxed body language.
3. Sense of Humor
A sense of humor can be a great asset in life. It can help you see the lighter side of a difficult situation, make you laugh at yourself when you’re not expecting it and even help you cope with stress. A good sense of humor can also help you maintain healthy relationships with people and can be a sign of emotional strength.
Dogs have been shown to display behaviors that appear humorous to us humans. They can be playful with their owners, nudge or paw at them in fun ways, or even mock a yawn. They can also make funny vocalizations that resemble human laughter.
Charles Darwin observed dogs engaging in what he considered “a sense of humor.” He described one such instance in The Descent of Man wherein a dog carried a stick for a short distance and then squatted down on the ground with it, waiting until his master came close to take it away from him. Then he would seize the stick and rush off in triumph, obviously enjoying his little practical joke.
4. Curiosity
Curiosity is displayed in the way your dog sniffs, licks and paws at things to find out what they are. They love to follow spiders and ants across the floor, and they can pick up on minute smells and high and low sounds that humans cannot.
This curiosity is a basic drive that is seen in the entire animal kingdom, from apes and dolphins to crabs and tiny nematode worms. This drives every creature to seek information about their environment so they can navigate it successfully. In fact, this is the same reason dogs want to play with new toys and get bored of old ones – they’re seeking that new information!
Interestingly, this curiosity is also the reason why they can be so easily distracted by people and other dogs. This is especially true when they’re anxious or stressed, like when your fur baby hangs around waiting for the postman!
5. Confidence
Like people, dogs can sometimes lack confidence. Fortunately, a dog with low confidence usually only needs a bit of love and positive reinforcement to become more secure. Confidence is displayed in many ways, depending on the individual dog’s temperament and personality. A confident dog will generally display open, relaxed body language and a calm, happy expression. They may also show little to no tail wagging and approach a new situation with curiosity, rather than fear or anxiety.
In contrast, a nervous or shy dog will exhibit a variety of behaviors, including lowered body posture, lip licking and yawning in response to potential threats. Some dogs will display reactive behavior, lunging or barking to scare off the perceived threat. Other dogs will hunker down or hide, hoping to escape the scary situation.
Some of these shy dogs may have had traumatic experiences as puppies or during critical early developmental stages, leading to their fear and anxiety in certain situations. Other factors may include health issues, lack of good socialization, or past traumatic training experiences (like punishment). In all these cases, a skilled relationship-based dog trainer can help the dog learn to associate these new situations with positive outcomes and feelings, rather than negative consequences.