Why dogs can sense fair play

[Bob Juch]

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/scienc ... index.html

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Dogs appear to experience a range of complex, unpleasant emotions such as jealousy and pride, scientists have discovered.

Dogs hate their owner showing affection to other dogs.

Until now, this type of behavior had only been shown in humans or chimpanzees, but researchers suspected that other species that live together could be sensitive to fair play -- or a lack of one.

"We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realized," Paul Morris, a psychologist at the University of Portsmouth who studies animal emotions, told The Sunday Times.

"They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience."

Scientists noted that dogs hate to see their owners being affectionate to other dogs and can suffer if a new baby or partner arrives on the scene.

To test the theory, Friederike Range and colleagues at the University of Vienna in Austria asked 33 trained dogs to extend a paw to a human.

The animals performed the trick virtually all of the time whether they were given a reward or not -- when alone or with another dog.

But the dogs' enthusiasm waned when they saw other dogs being rewarded but received nothing themselves.

Dogs that were ignored extended their paws much less often, doing so in only 13 out of 30 trials. They also showed more stress, such as licking or scratching themselves.

"They are clearly unhappy with the unfair situation", Range told New Scientist magazine. She also suspects that this sensitivity might stretch beyond food to more abstract things like praise and attention.

"It might explain why some dogs react with 'new baby envy' when their owners have a child," she said.

[gsabc]

I've probably told this story before, but ...

Our first dog, a purebred Lhasa Apso acquired barely two weeks into our marriage from a friend of GW's, was very possessive. Her relationship with the kids started early and badly. GW was lying in bed, around 7 months pregnant at the time. Truffles was lying next to her, leaning on her belly. HS-to-be gave a kick. Truffles stood up, turned around, and growled at GW's belly.

Her relationship with the kids was all downhill from there. The kids learned quickly that Truffles was GW's dog and proud of it.

[Bob Juch]

My parents had to give away their cocker spaniel after it attacked me in my playpen.

[DevilKitty100]

My parents had to give away their cocker spaniel after it attacked me in my playpen.

OK.......


Resisting........


Resisting...........


Resisting..............


Resisting.................


I know I'm not he only one who thought this...........At what point did they realize their mistake?

[silvercamaro]

"We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realized," Paul Morris, a psychologist at the University of Portsmouth who studies animal emotions, told The Sunday Times.

"They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates could experience."

Here is another scientific discovery that is right up there with the news that nerds have fewer sexual relationships.

[silvercamaro]

To give equal time to good little doggies, two young puppies have been credited with keeping a lost Virginia three-year-old alive through a night when temperatures dropped to 17 degrees.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_worl ... in_fr.html

[Bob Juch]

My parents had to give away their cocker spaniel after it attacked me in my playpen.

OK.......


Resisting........


Resisting...........


Resisting..............


Resisting.................


I know I'm not he only one who thought this...........At what point did they realize their mistake?

Right then.

Advise to parents: Have the kid first. The dog they got after my sister was born a couple of years later would have died for us.

[DevilKitty100]

My parents had to give away their cocker spaniel after it attacked me in my playpen.

OK.......


Resisting........


Resisting...........


Resisting..............


Resisting.................


I know I'm not he only one who thought this...........At what point did they realize their mistake?

Right then.

quote]

So they really did intend to give you away and keep the dog?

[a1mamacat]

I certainly can attest to the emotions and sentiments of horses, after watching BigJ and Ursie. She really relates to him, and resents the Miniatures that wander by when he is around.

[Bob78164]

My parents had to give away their cocker spaniel after it attacked me in my playpen.

OK.......


Resisting........


Resisting...........


Resisting..............


Resisting.................


I know I'm not he only one who thought this...........At what point did they realize their mistake?

I really wish you'd put this in a spoiler. Do you know how long it took me to clean my screen? --Bob

[clem21]

OK.......


Resisting........


Resisting...........


Resisting..............


Resisting.................


I know I'm not he only one who thought this...........At what point did they realize their mistake?

Right then.
Advise to parents: Have the kid first. The dog they got after my sister was born a couple of years later would have died for us.

So they really did intend to give you away and keep the dog?

I feel like Rocky's trainer Mickey here.

Work the body, DK! Work the Body! Harder!

[Kazoo65]

I've seen this in my grandpa's dog. She's a poodle named Maggie. She spent her puppyhood in a cage (Grandpa's wife didn't believe in socializing dogs). After she died, Grandpa moved to Michigan from Florida. Maggie became HIS dog. She would sit on his lap for hours on end. She would go for rides in the car. He would let her wander around when she needed to go "out".

In the spring of 2003, Grandpa broke his hip and had to spend time in a rehab center near where he lived. Mom went to retrieve Maggie. She stayed with my mom until Grandpa could be released. He moved here from up North that summer. He and Maggie seemed to be fine. Then in 2005, Grandpa broke some verterbrae in his back and had to move to an assisted living center. Mom wound up inheiriting Maggie. She is extremely jealous of other dogs. My brother brought his new yellow Lab puppy down for Thanksgiving-Maggie just sat on the couch and BARKED at it.

I guess dogs are smarter than we give them credit for!

[AnnieCamaro]

I guess dogs are smarter than we give them credit for!

Please don't say "we." I've always had a high opinion of canine intelligence.

/ \

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Advise to parents: Have the kid first. The dog they got after my sister was born a couple of years later would have died for us.

We adopted Sebastian (a cat) two years before Maddie was born.

My mother thought that he might jump in her crib and steal her breath away. We put her crib up a couple months before she was born so that he could sleep in it if he wanted to, but he never did.

He used to wake up with me and Maddie in the middle of the night. He would often sit on the changing table with her. Once he even stuck his paw on her belly, it was right after Jeff let her roll off the changing table and didn't tell me.

[Evil Squirrel]

Animals have feelings too..... gee, who would have guessed?

I always knew Annie was harboring jealousy of all my superior attributes though. It's OK, I still like her enough to ping her with an apple when I need some stress relief.....

[MarleysGh0st]

Advise to parents: Have the kid first. The dog they got after my sister was born a couple of years later would have died for us.

We adopted Sebastian (a cat) two years before Maddie was born.

My mother thought that he might jump in her crib and steal her breath away. We put her crib up a couple months before she was born so that he could sleep in it if he wanted to, but he never did.

He used to wake up with me and Maddie in the middle of the night. He would often sit on the changing table with her. Once he even stuck his paw on her belly, it was right after Jeff let her roll off the changing table and didn't tell me.

That was very sweet of Sebastian--trying to be helpful and also sending you a message about what Jeff forgot to mention.

[BackInTex]

That was very sweet of Sebastian--trying to be helpful and also sending you a message about what Jeff forgot to mention.

Yeah, those darn tattle-tale cats.

Our younger cat, Ricochet, enjoys going into my son's room each night and listening to my wife read to him. My son is 9 but enjoys mom's reading each night. She usually reads 1/2 a chapter of Harry Potter or whatever book they are on. Anyway, one night she was away at Bunco or something and it was my duty to get the kids to bed. As the good dad with much other stuff to do, I tucked my son in, but no reading.

When my wife came home Ricochet followed her around constantly meowing and occaisionally going to my son's bedroom door and meowing, letting her know HE did not get read to.