dO YOU THINK DOGS CAN LOVE?

marykay48 · 10-19-2007, 06:59 AM

The reason I ask this is last night at trainning my trainer said they dont love they respect. That is hard for me to believe but maybe I am wrong. What do you all think?She said ithat they respect you ,not love They dont have emotions like we do.

**Luvbirds59** · 10-19-2007, 07:07 AM

I'm reading the book:

Dogs Never Lie About Love.
By Jeffrey Moussaidff Masson

alwayshadpets · 10-19-2007, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marykay48

The reason I ask this is last night at trainning my trainer said they dont love they respect. That is hard for me to believe but maybe I am wrong. What do you all think?She said ithat they respect you ,not love They dont have emotions like we do.

There is a word for for giving human feelings to an animal-- anthropomorphism
The flip side to that is the dogs are giving us a pack status. Since we don`t talk the same language, the jury is out for me. To many unexplained things these wonderful creatures do and add to our world. I can only expalin them in my world with my language so I am going to say they love me as well as respect me.

i don`t think I really care what the dog studies come out with, until an animal can talk in my language we will never really know for sure.

Julie W · 10-19-2007, 07:40 AM

I'm amazed a dog trainer would say that dogs don't love. Anybody that is paying attention just has to look in their eyes and you can see it.

hbwright · 10-19-2007, 07:45 AM

I've heard that from others too and I hate to admit it bothers me. The only word that I can put to it is love. My dogs love me. The depend on me, look up to me, almost worship me and of course respect me. I can also say my dogs love each other.

I tell my kids very often that they have to remember that either one of our dogs could harm them greatly or even kill them but they have to remember that they love them and respect them and that is the reason they don't. So, yes, I believe that they love my kids. It is also a way for my kids to understand their responsibilities to the dogs and why it is important to treat them with the same respect that we expect back. I just have a hard time thinking that love has nothing to do with it.

Claudia · 10-19-2007, 08:11 AM

I don't know if dogs can loves, what I think is, that they appriciate the attention that they get. When you treat a dog with respect, you can expected the respect back. A dog looks at you as the leader. When a dog wants something he will do this for self gain.

Most people look at the dog as if he is human. (sometimes I do that too)

marykay48 · 10-19-2007, 08:19 AM

Thank you I like to believe they do love. When they look at you you can see it. Thats how I SEE IT. Also please feel free to reply on my post on his first day at puppy school. I want to know if this trainer is right. I posted it this morning

marykay48 · 10-19-2007, 08:21 AM

correctio it is called Zeus big day

JLC · 10-19-2007, 08:36 AM

Personally, I think it's the height of hubris to say that dogs (or any animal) "can't love." Find me a scientist who can actually get into a dog's head and heart and understand what's going on in there...then get back to me on that one.

I agree with alwayshadpets. We don't speak the same language as dogs. And the emotions each species experience would probably be somewhat alien to the other, if we could actually feel them as they do. It's part of our human nature to project our own feelings onto those around us and assume they feel the same way we do. Especially when we love something deeply. Heck, sometimes we'll even want to believe that an inanimate object (such as a favored childhood teddy bear) can love us back.

So...do I think dogs can love us? Maybe not in the same sense that we understand it. But our word "love" comes closest to describing the devotion, loyalty, and affection they display quite clearly. The bond between humans and their dogs is powerful and it is real...no matter what you call it.

poconogal · 10-19-2007, 08:47 AM

Years ago, during my GSD's training classes, the trainer took his leash and walked him around to heel. Wolf did as asked and he respected the trainer. Wolf LOVED us though, of this I have no doubt. He gave us kisses, he did NOT give the trainer kisses. The look of adoration in Wolf's eyes when he'd look at us said it all. He did not look at the trainer like that. I think your trainer is wrong, I truly believe that our dogs love us.