Everyone has those days where life is just kicking our butt. We are overwhelmed and feeling sad. But then we get home, see our dogs, and it all goes away. It has been proven that dogs can be sensitive towards what their owner is feeling. We can’t know for sure how they know when or how to comfort us, but here are some ways our dogs notice and respond to human emotions:
- Voice: Apparently dogs have “voice areas” in their brains. These are like the ones we have, which help the dog notice the difference between our cheerful voice or our sad voice.
- Smell: We all know dogs have sophisticated sense of smell and this may help dogs sniff our biochemical changes related to moods.
- Facial expressions: If your dog is used to receiving a glare when he/she does something wrong and you get home with a grumpy face, they’ll either know something is wrong or think they are in trouble.
- Attention: When you have been gone all day and you get home to ignore your dog, after they are used to you showering them with love, they’ll know something is up.
(yes, this is a dog not a cat)
Even with these facts, how our dogs know how to comfort us is still mysterious. I asked some of my friends about their dogs and I can conclude one thing from what they said: dogs are worth having because they can provide comfort even when we do not know we need it. No matter how much we got going on, or how many disasters they make when you’re not home, they love you and they are there to shower you with licks, jumps and hugs. If your dog comforts you when you’re feeling a little blue enjoy having a sensitive, playful and loving companion…. who sometimes won’t want you to leave.