A short article about the relathionship between humans and dogs: Do people naturally love us dogs or do we dogs train people to love us?

Since I was aware of the relationship between us dogs with the human species, I tried to explain that special bond. Namely, I tried to explain the intense love that you people feel for us dogs and what you people interpret as love that is returned to you by us dogs. Ever since humans domesticated a subspecies of the Gray Wolf (a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora; Hayssen, n.d.), which is considered the ancestor of the domesticated dog and named it a "dog" centuries ago, scientists have been trying to explain this intense relationship. An ongoing discussion between scientists who explore the issue revolves around the question of whether people naturally love us dogs or do we dogs train you people to become attached to them. In his book "the domestic dog, its evolution, behavior and interactions with people" James Serpell (2002; section chief of behavior and human- animal interactions at the University of Pennsylvania, school of veterinary medicine) elaborates on why us dogs are so special to humans. According to Serpell, many of our "doggy" behaviors seem specially designed to elicit attachment with humans.

These behaviors include:

1. Display of affection-Charles Darwin (1873) described some of the specific behavior patterns that us dogs use to convey our affection. An example is lowering our head and the entire body while the tail is wagging from side to side or rubbing up against you people, attempting to lick your hands and faces which all indicate to you humans, that the dog is happy to see you. Serpell writes that dogs seek out people for mutual contact and provides what humans consider affection that is not contingent upon the human's appearance or success. This way, us dogs may provide humans with the feeling of unconditional acceptance while simultaneously increasing the human's attachment to us dogs. Serpell points out the idea that the unconditional nature of the dog's affection towards humans may also allow people to direct or redirect anger at us dogs with the important characteristic of not putting the entire relationship at risk.

2. Loyalty and devotion- Serpell explains that certain traits of us dogs make us ideally suited to be human companions. The main trait that is mentioned is our ability of us dogs to develop specific attachments to individuals. These attachments are expressed by us dogs remaining near or in physical contact with the individuals we are attached to as thought we are attached by an invisible cord. Another important dog trait is the fact that we dogs tend to be active during the hours in which you humans are active (daytime) and that with appropriate training, us dogs could defer to humans as our dominant social partners. Our extraordinary ability to signal our love for humans in a non- verbal way leads us to another important dog trait: our lack of power of speech (although as you can see, we can definitely write...). These facts make us dogs unable to offer advice or present judgment or criticism. Despite that, we dogs are empathic and affectionate and that is why (in combination with our other mentioned traits) our friendship is perceived by you humans, as trustworthy, sincere, genuine, and reliable while lacking many of the threats that accompany human friendships.

3. Human- dog play.

4. Human- dog interaction by physical touch.

In her article in BusinessWeek magazine (2007), Weitraub mentions another dog trait that could elicit attachment with you humans: our childlike charm. Various dog behaviors such as our ability to understand around 160 words and gestures, have led scientists to determine that an adult dog is mentally equivalent to a roughly 2 year- old toddler. Since humans are "designed" to nurture children, they automatically sense an affinity for us dogs. In addition, we canines don't grow up, and don't bring the hassles or heartbreaks that children possibly do, Weintraub says.

Although there is no agreement among scientists considering the debate on whether people naturally love us dogs or do us dogs train people to love us, there is widespread agreement that you humans project your feelings and emotions onto your dogs and other pets. A common example is when a brother dog damages property in the absence of people at the house and you people interpret it as separation anxiety.

But if us dogs train you people to love us, what is in it for us dogs? The answer is a substitute for our old packs as well as human care that includes feeding. As was mentioned above, we dogs are descended from wolves, a social animal that travels in packs. As Weintraube explains, even thought the domestic dog was removed from the wild, the dog retained the instinctive need to travel in packs and humans have become our (the domestic dog's) new pack.

My human companions would like to add that: "this debate among animal behaviorists and other scientists will continue on but the fact remains that we, the dog lovers, love our dogs regardless of the reasons for that".

As your doggy scientist for today, I hope you enjoyed reading this short article about the more scientific point of view of the relationship between humans and us gods. I also hope you will keep enjoying your dogs' and other pets' love and affection. Finally, I hope I haven't demystified the relationship with us dogs too much…

Till next time,

Sushoni

References:

1. Darwin, C. (1873). The expression of the emotions in man and animals. New York: D. Appleton and Company.
   
2. Hayssen, V. (n.d.) Cumulative Index for the Mammalian Species. Retrieved July, 10, 2009, from http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/default.htm
3. Serpell, J. (2002). The domestic dog: its evolution, behavior, and interactions with people. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
   
4. Weintraub, A. (2007). Why we spoil spot so: people naturally love dogs or do dogs train us to love them? BusinessWeek, 4045, 46.