Can Dog Sense Intense Love/resentment From Their Owners?

[Jed]

Bub

Its making me wonder if they can feel intense love or any resentment we have towards them.

What does everyone think? Do you think they know if we did everything right for them but didn’t like them ? Can they tell if we adore them incredibly?

I believe they can tell. Lots of dogs don't care much, provided we don't resent or dislike them enough to colour our treatment of them. However, we will never get the best from a dog unless we are either neutral or really like it.

However, some animals, including dogs, do respond extra well to strong caring vibes from the owner. There have been instances of animals changing homes with drastic changes in behaviour.

Corvus, if it is so complicated that it is incomprehensible, it's a complete waste of time reading it. Trust me, it's true.

[Vickie]

Its making me wonder if they can feel intense love or any resentment we have towards them.

What does everyone think? Do you think they know if we did everything right for them but didn’t like them ? Can they tell if we adore them incredibly?

I think they respond like this:

when we love training them, we tend to reward more enthusiastically & more often. They repay us for the superior rewards by repeating what we have rewarded with enthusiasm. This brings greater rewards which brings greater enthusiasm & so on...

when we are feeling frustration or resentment we tend to reward less enthusiastically & less often. They repay us by either trying other things or repeating substandard performance because that is all we have rewarded.

I do think they respond to sincerity, but it is for the reasons I have stated above.

Edited September 6, 2010 by Vickie

[persephone]

Hmm That article corvus posted some of made me think of the partnerships of some working dog pairs- Guide Dogs/ stock working dogs, in particular ,( these are two I know about:o) as these require long hours together, and some intelligent disobedience on the dog's part - and also a knowledge of the 'end result' for both parties .

It happens sometimes that there seems to be thought transferrence between dog and human.... kinda like twins finishing each others' sentences It is an amazing feeling - to work together , without commands, because you both know the task, and the dog can make decisions which help you both achieve it .

(or I could be entirely wrong )

[W Sibs]

You know after reading A LOT about drive... there is a thing called Pack Drive, where some dogs really does work for cuddles and pats for the person they really bond with. Very interesting stuff.

[aussielover]

Do you think dogs can tell when someone either hates them (but doesn't actually physically or verbally abuse them, more resents them, or doesn't enjoy being with them) or is indifferent to them?

[Jed]

Do you think dogs can tell when someone either hates them (but doesn't actually physically or verbally abuse them, more resents them, or doesn't enjoy being with them) or is indifferent to them?

Yes.

They do sense your feelings - eg an on leash dog going for other dogs, because the owner is frightened he will go for other dogs.

[W Sibs]

Do you think dogs can tell when someone either hates them (but doesn't actually physically or verbally abuse them, more resents them, or doesn't enjoy being with them) or is indifferent to them?

I think yes. My dogs won't go near a person if they know that person doesn't like them, and they won't acknowledge a person if they don't care them.

[Golden Rules]

Her general behaviour is the same, rules are rules and Bitty plays by the rules in her own madcap way.

But her training has just improved so much with me just generally being more “gaga” over her.

Last night I was teaching her to take a hat off my head and I could see she was thinking and just trying to work out what mummy wanted and concentrating so hard! Normal Bitty would have given it a go but this Bitty was REALLY focused.

Maybe whatever it is we have just works for us! ;)

Hey Bub, do you think she has maybe just matured a little bit more now and everything you have taught her (a LOT) has kind of just 'set' ? I don't know, but I do know your bond with her is enviable

[persephone]

Do you think dogs can tell when someone either hates them (but doesn't actually physically or verbally abuse them, more resents them, or doesn't enjoy being with them) or is indifferent to them?

yes... tho they do not see it as 'hate' .

I believe working partnerships are forged with trust ,confidence and guidance.Bub, I believe that the fact that Bitty is now more focussed could be explained by the fact she is now much more attuned to you. She is more used to what you want- and how you operate. She is more confident , and you perhaps have finally released any 'barriers' you had to a full working relationship with her ?

[poochiemama]

Bub,

I think your relationship with Bitty is beautiful. I know there is a whole move away from anthropomorphism and the trend now is to assume that dogs just respond to discipline, structure and order...There is some truth to that; but one is not mutually exclusive of the other: dogs DO respond to structure, discipline etc but I do believe they can sense love or resentment from people. We are animals just as they are, and I think it's human arrogance that leads us to believe that only we can sense these things.

They might not be able to intellectualise it eg 'My owner is angry with me today; it could be she had a bad day at work or maybe she is angry i dug up her garden today, maybe if i'm very good, she'll be happy again'.... I don't know if they can think through things that way, but I do believe they can FEEL those emotions.

I know when we got our lab puppy he was so destructive and I felt neutral towards him but I grew to love him, with all his naughtiness and his incredible exuberance and zest for life. It inspires me every day and I just sometimes look at him and just ADORE him. I think he knows it too because he is so much more comfortable and at ease at home and follows me everywhere. One way of looking at it is that he is more used to us now and feels safer, but i give them a bit more credit than that.

Mind you , if you have a treat on you, he doesn't care if you're looking at him with hate or love That's when he stops thinking or feeling and it's just complete obsession !

[corvus]

Hmm That article corvus posted some of made me think of the partnerships of some working dog pairs- Guide Dogs/ stock working dogs, in particular

Funny you should say that, as the study was conducted because the authors thought there must be some sort of subtle but complex exchange going on between guide dogs and their seeing impaired human for the parntership to be as successful as it typically is. It is in my understanding exactly what you described.

Incidentally, I had that with my hare until recently. It took about 18 months of living in the same room together, but eventually we finally kind of aligned and started to understand one another. We had some pretty magical moments. I wasn't going to have another dog until that happened. Weird to think!

[Tapferhund]

Love and resentment are human feelings, dogs do not understand those. They respond to good leadership, meeting their needs and affection..

ETA: I had a puppy that would turn himself inside out for me, but I was just going through the motions. The consistent approach to training, pack stability and leadership from me, meant that he was happy and well rounded, despite the fact that I felt nothing for him and there was no connection what so ever on my part

Sorry but after 35 years living and breathing dogs, I do not agree with you or others with similar views as yours. Yes dogs DO respond to good leadership,meeting of needs and affection, but dogs, some more than others ...DO have strong feelings of love and show this love when they have a special connection with their owner.

[Dory the Doted One]

How do you work and train with an animal you feel no connection with?

I've had one dog I had no connection with and only had on a trial. With the breeders help she was rehomed to someone who did feel a connection and she blossomed.

I remember feeling resentful towards her, she felt like such a burden. She was a good dog, tried to please, but try as I might she just didn't suit me at all. Just couldn't 'get' each other and we seemed out of synch. Even teaching her the simplest of things just felt like too much hard work.

[Bubitty]

So many interesting posts!

Vickie: I really do think your post may be applicable to us. I have always loved her but when she was a baby, I did feel that much of the training/work we did together was done so that she grow up to be a “good” puppy. I loved her but everything I did was in the hope that it would make her a “good” dog so that she wouldn’t wreak havoc on me.

These days we just do things because this is how we “hang out”. It’s fun! Instead of “oh it’s time for your training session so that you will be well stimulated” it is now “Hey Baby Girl!!! What shall we do together tonight? What does a Bitty want to do with Mummy????”