As we live with and interact with our dogs, we get to know them well. Despite their inability to talk, we often understand their emotions based on their body language. Scientists now know what dog owners have suspected all along—dogs experience a wider range of emotions than scientists once thought. The dog brain is substantially smaller than the human brain when accounting for body size, so it isn't as complex as our brain. Yet, MRI studies reveal dogs' brains aren't much different from humans'. MRIs show the same sections of both the human and dog brain light up based on various types of stimuli, according to Dr. J.P. McCue, a board-certified veterinary neurologist at New York City's Animal Medical Center in "Dog Brain Facts: Understanding Canine Cognition."
It's also been found that dogs produce oxytocin, the neurotransmitter and hormone that creates the emotion of love in humans. In fact, research reveals that when our dogs stare into our eyes, it activates oxytocin, creating a bond similar to that between a mother and infant. David Grimm reports on the research of this phenomenon in his article, "How Dogs Stole Our Hearts," from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In an experiment by Takefumi Kikusui, an animal behaviorist, and his colleagues, dogs and their owners gazed into each other's eyes. Their gaze ranged from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. In the dogs and owners who stared longer, researchers found the oxytocin levels rose 130% and 300%, respectively. This adds to the growing body of science that shows dogs can feel love and attachment. The reciprocity of emotion between dogs and their owners is strong, according to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Helen Moore at Riverside Animal Hospital in Bend. “You can usually tell when a dog is happy because their person is usually smiling or laughing too,” she says.
Dogs give us cues to their emotions, including:
Joy. “Most wag their tail, some smile, some prance, every dog is a little different,” says Dr. Moore. They also express joy when playing by barking or giving a playful bow.
Love and affection. When dogs are feeling affectionate, they might nudge you with their nose, make loving eye contact (as opposed to threatening eye contact toward an unknown dog). Some dogs will lean their bodies up against you while sitting or standing.
Shyness, suspicion, fear. These emotions are often quite evident. Dogs might flatten their ears, avoid eye contact, tuck their tail under, cower, pant, or shake. They may also have dilated, glassy eyes. Pacing, hiding, whining, barking, sneering, nipping, or submissive urination can also be signs of fear or shyness.
Distress. When dogs are distressed or depressed, they may experience changes in appetite, behavior, sleep patterns, and have reduced activity levels. They might also lick or shed excessively.
What about hackles?
People often think raised hackles indicate a dog is angry or showing aggression. Sometimes that's the case. But raised hackles are an involuntary reaction and are often caused by a host of other emotions including excitement, arousal, fear, shyness, defensiveness, or being startled.
Our dogs’ physical signals are their only means to communicate and it’s important to understand when they aren’t acting like themselves that they may need to be examined by a veterinarian. If they exhibit pain, like limping, hunching, or avoiding stairs or jumping, or are not eating well, are vomiting or lethargic, there is likely an underlying cause. “Dogs have subtle ways of communicating,” says Dr. Moore. “If there is a change in behavior, for instance hiding or cowering, having accidents, drinking excessively, they may have a medical condition that can be helped with treatment,” she says. “Watching for discrete changes can make a huge difference in their comfort.” RiversideVetBend.com
+ Riverside Animal Hospital
25 NW Olney Ave., Bend
541.585.3739