DOGS: Do you know what’s behind a dog’s feelings?
That they express emotions and intelligence?
Mary Ann O’Toole Holley wrote, “They cuddle, they lick, they gaze knowingly. Most of all, they love unconditionally.” She was writing about SUPER DOGS: Amazing K-9s of St Charles County, Missouri. Mabel is a feisty 8-pound Pekinese who gurgles and grumbles and ignores most people. But when she visits ‘grandma’s house,’ Mabel is at her side, sitting in a chair or eating at a dinner table. Mabel has been non-committal for years, until Grandma’s health started to fail.”
Continues Patricia
Abel of St Peters: “Then, Mabel does not leave Grandma’s side. I always say Mabel is more
like an independent cat than a cuddly dog, but when it comes to Grandma, she’s
not going to let anybody do anything bad. Mabel isn’t even a trained service
dog!
Lori
Schmoll, a nurse with a hospice program, “Dogs have a unique bond with people.”
Two years ago, Lori started to integrate pet therapy into her work. Started
with one dog, now works with 15. The K-9
Crew: a group of furry animals which includes a 3-pound Chinese Imperial to
a 150-pound Mastiff. They visit patients at the end of their lives. Lori often
sees long-gone smiles return to typically stoic faces.
“I think dogs have a unique bond
with people. It’s scientifically proven that when dogs and humans interact, our bodies release the same pheromones
that a nursing mother has with
a new child. The bond can become strong between a canine and human. Research shows animal-assisted therapy
can lower blood pressure, lower
stress, enhance a patient’s ability to progress toward physical and psychological wellness. In recent years,
trained therapy animals have been engaged
to work with children to help overcome speech and emotional disorders.”
In PSYCHOLOGY
TODAY, Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of
British Columbia, asks Which Emotions Do Dogs
Actually Experience? “Dogs have the same hormones and
undergo the same chemical changes that humans
do during emotional states… … Not all people have the full range of all possible emotions. This data is important to
our understanding that the mind of a dog
is roughly equivalent to that of a human who is two to two-and-a-half years of age.
DOG BEHAVIOR: The Science of Canine Emotions. What’s Behind a Dog’s Feelings? “Laughter – Shame – Jealousy – Grief – Joy.” All are thoroughly described in “Cesar’s Way: Achieving Balance and Harmony through training.” Cesar Millan is a Mexican dog trainer, widely known for his television series Dog Whisperer. http://www.cesarsway.com
NOTE: I have just published a new book (7th), EDUCATE A HUMAN BEING. It happened when heavy publicity accompanied the Anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech 50 years ago. Dr. King would have been glad to see his dream hit home base. This was remembered in my book, EDUCATE A HUMAN BEING. For details about the contents of this book, write me: mamatmiller@gmail.com
