Do Dogs get Jealous too?

I came across an article written by Natural News that pokes at the idea of dogs having emotional responses. The article states that they agree dogs do in fact express emotions, such as jealousy. They say that “skeptics insist that animals are only driven by instincts, others disagree, pointing out that all mammals share the same neural apparatus and are therefore capable of experiencing similar emotions.” Natural News even explains that the amygdala is a part of our brain that dogs also have; it produces emotion responses. This article definitely supports the idea that dogs have emotions as well as humans, and they make some interesting points explaining why.

I agree with the points made in this article because even my dog shows signs of jealousy. My family and I just got a second dog, and she’s a puppy. While my older dog loves her, you can tell when we give her attention that he runs right over because he does not want to be left without affection. If we are playing with her, or petting her, he feels like he has to come join so he doesn’t miss out on any attention being given. Now that she has been around for a few months, she gets jealous as well when we are giving him the attention first.

Reading this article may help you better understand the way your dog (or any dog) thinks, and why they do the things they do. The article goes onto explain that you’re dog tearing up a couch cushion might simply be because they’re lonely or experiencing some kind of anxiety while at home without you. Natural News discusses a study that Christine Harris started; owners playing with a fake dog in front of their real one. This study discovered that one third of the dogs tried to get in between their owner and the fake dog, and one fourth of the dogs tried to snap at the fake dog. Harris said that, “They tried positive things like being more affectionate to regain their loved one’s attention, to try and gain their relationship back”. It was suggested that some of the dogs who didn’t react to the play date between the owner and fake dog might just not have a strong bond with their owner.

I would recommend looking at this article to anyone who owns a dog because it’s an interesting read and most dog lovers enjoy reading about other dogs. I think that this study may help people realize that their dogs have feelings too, and that it’s good to be aware of. Understanding your dog and how it feels is the best way to create a strong bond between you and your pet. Being in tune with your dog will also make both you and him happier because understanding your pet is key in this type of relationship.