Hounds Pine for Equality

08 Dec 08

The Sunday Times reported on a new scientific study that proves what many companions to the four-legged have known for dogs’ years: the green-eyed monster of jealousy can hound dogs as much as humans.

The research found that canines experience a whole range of complex emotions once thought to be the hallmark of the ‘human’, including jealousy, pride and envy.

The study found that dogs hate to see their two-legged companions offering affection to other creatures — especially other dogs! But they also are affected when their two-leggeds bring home new paramours….

“We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realised,” said Dr Paul Morris, a psychologist at the University of Portsmouth who studies animal emotions.

Until recently, psychologists believed most animals lacked the “sense of self” needed to experience so-called secondary emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment, empathy or guilt. These are more complex than feelings associated with instant reactions such as anger or joy.

The dog study is the latest into several species, including cows, horses, cats and sheep, which have shown that animals are far more self-aware than previously realised.

In another study Dr Friederike Range, of the University of Vienna’s neurobiology department documented that dogs feel intense jealously when they spot that they are unfairly treated compared with other dogs. Range’s results, described at a recent conference, are to be published today. According to Friederike, “Dogs show a strong aversion to inequity.”

Dr Morris goes further. In research surveying responses of dog companions (sometimes known as ‘dog owners’), he found almost all of them reported jealous behaviour by their pets.

SuperWoof to Science for finding evidence for the truths we all knew were true….

Awoof! Archie