Shih Tzu Information Center
Your Subtitle text
New Shih Tzu Information - Each month, a New Topic!
8-17-2008
Dogs Showing Emotions
Dogs Showing Emotions
Studies have concluded and owners have know forever, that dogs have and express many of the emotions that humans do. Dogs can feel and express:
The Shih Tzu can cry; this is proven clinically. A dog will cry under several circumstances such as:
- Sadness
- Being scared
- Feeling nervous
- Feeling confused
- Feeling inner happiness
- Being content
- Feeling love (at the very least in the form of extreme devotion, loyalty and bonding with their owner/s)
- irritation, feeling aggrivated
- boredom
The Shih Tzu can cry; this is proven clinically. A dog will cry under several circumstances such as:
- When feeling pain (dogs in labor often cry persistently)
- When injured
- When sad (from neglect or separation anxiety) One of the dog rescues we are associated with rescued a Shih Tzu who was ill and thrown into a garage for weeks. It was the dog's sobbing and crying that allowed neighbors to hear what was happening and they were able to alert police.
An owner must keep in mind that their Shih Tzu does and will feel these emotions. Shih Tzus should be treated as important members of the family. While an owner should not over-spoil their dog, care should be taken to keep their little one happy, just as a child would be taken care of.
This brings us to a very interesting question: Does a Shih Tzu smile? Is a Shih Tzu capable of smiling? And this brings us to a very interesting answer!
Charles Darwin who studies emotions of both human and canine came to a conclusion regarding this matter. After much research, he contended that dogs can smile. In doing so, they will retract their upper lip, which exposing the top canine teeth. This action is also done when a dog is growling; however the dog’s behavior did not point to a state of aggression and the environment did not provide one; therefore he concluded that a Shih Tzu, or other dog breed can and does indeed smile!
Patricia Simonet, a canine researcher from Nevada, USA studied smiles and even laughter in dogs. She and her team concluded that dogs do laugh; although differently than humans, of course.
Her studies showed that dogs will exhibit certain and particular breathy exhalations that are the equivalent to human laughter! Using high tech microphones, dogs were recorded during play. Careful examination of the dog’s sounds show that one certain frequency of breathing was displayed at certain time during play and was quite different that the heavier breathing done due to exercise. Research is still being done to make more discoveries about this.
Dogs, do however show joy in many ways, such as body language and barking. And the next time you think you see your Shih Tzu grinning at you or chuckling, you may just be right!
This brings us to a very interesting question: Does a Shih Tzu smile? Is a Shih Tzu capable of smiling? And this brings us to a very interesting answer!
Charles Darwin who studies emotions of both human and canine came to a conclusion regarding this matter. After much research, he contended that dogs can smile. In doing so, they will retract their upper lip, which exposing the top canine teeth. This action is also done when a dog is growling; however the dog’s behavior did not point to a state of aggression and the environment did not provide one; therefore he concluded that a Shih Tzu, or other dog breed can and does indeed smile!
Patricia Simonet, a canine researcher from Nevada, USA studied smiles and even laughter in dogs. She and her team concluded that dogs do laugh; although differently than humans, of course.
Her studies showed that dogs will exhibit certain and particular breathy exhalations that are the equivalent to human laughter! Using high tech microphones, dogs were recorded during play. Careful examination of the dog’s sounds show that one certain frequency of breathing was displayed at certain time during play and was quite different that the heavier breathing done due to exercise. Research is still being done to make more discoveries about this.
Dogs, do however show joy in many ways, such as body language and barking. And the next time you think you see your Shih Tzu grinning at you or chuckling, you may just be right!
Don't forget to become an AllShihTzu Member, so that you may receive reminders when we add a new topic here & also be able to suggest a subject for us to discuss.
