Never had a pet in 76 years BUT thats about to change big style.

[Slick]

Yes, dogs have feelings. They are always happy to see you back, no matter how long you are away for.

Apparently the only reason dogs can come up with for your absence is you are dead. I think its because as a pack animal, you would never go anywhere without the pack. I think that is why they are so delighted to see you again, no matter how long you have been away for.

Not sure how they know that though.

 

[Dave7]

Yes, dogs have feelings. They are always happy to see you back, no matter how long you are away for.

Yes, I get that. My daughters dog is so happy to see me even though it is a long time between visits BUT........when she goes away with your wife does she just switch off and forget you (probably no answer to that).

 

[gavroche]

Yes, I get that. My daughters dog is so happy to see me even though it is a long time between visits BUT........when she goes away with your wife does she just switch off and forget you (probably no answer to that).

We will never know but she knows who I am when she gets back.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Dogs have owners.

Cats have staff.

Always had pets, ranging from dogs, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, dogs, budgies, dogs, zebra finches, dogs, tropical fish, dogs.... all great, but, as you may have worked out, dogs quite easily the best IMHO.

Give so much, with several 10 of thousands of years of close interaction between humans and wolves/dogs. Unlocking exceptional synergy between the two pack type species.

Have had two cats over the years, both lovely animals, but for me, definitely silver medal, ahead of the other various mammals, fish and birds I've had, but way, way behind the dogs. Only, of course, my own, very humble, personal opinion.

Remember watching a programme years ago putting a selection of 5 pet animals through various tests, particularly intelligence.

5th unsurprisingly- Rabbits.
4th Cats
3rd Horses
2nd Parrots
1st Dogs

 

[Mike_P]

Also note a cat is the equivalent of a heat seeking missile; will find the warmest place in the house to kip

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Gavroche....... serious question here.....will the dog miss you?
Do they have such feelings?

At best, dogs have very limited emotional responses. Something like the chart below. It's worth Googling this sort of thing if you are going to have a dog in your life.

I'm a dog lover and once shared my life with a gorgeous Weimaraner but I was never under any illusion that he was a dog. He was not my child or baby as some people refer to their dog.

I really do not like the anthropomorphism that some owners apply to their dogs. It is sickly, misplaced and an insult to the basic nature of the animal.

To treat a dog well simply look after it with appropriate food, regular and prompt health checks & treatment, breed specific exercise levels & 'play' - plus no beatings or mis-treatment of course.

The number of poor 'babies' that are molly-coddled, over fed and under-exercised in the name of mis-placed human-like love is a sad reflection of owners who do not understand what it is that lives with them - and in some cases sleeps with them. The latter being beyond belief imo.

 

[Dave7]

Big day today......this pm I am taking the Lab for a walk. She will be on a tight lead.
She is old now so not so feisty.

 

[Reynard]

Always had pets, ranging from dogs, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, dogs, budgies, dogs, zebra finches, dogs, tropical fish, dogs.... all great, but, as you may have worked out, dogs quite easily the best IMHO.

Give so much, with several 10 of thousands of years of close interaction between humans and wolves/dogs. Unlocking exceptional synergy between the two pack type species.

Have had two cats over the years, both lovely animals, but for me, definitely silver medal, ahead of the other various mammals, fish and birds I've had, but way, way behind the dogs. Only, of course, my own, very humble, personal opinion.

Remember watching a programme years ago putting a selection of 5 pet animals through various tests, particularly intelligence.

5th unsurprisingly- Rabbits.
4th Cats
3rd Horses
2nd Parrots
1st Dogs

I definitely don't agree with this. Part of the issue is that cats will only do something if it is of benefit to THEM, because unlike dogs, who benefit from working as a group, whether this being with each other, or in partnership with a human, a cat is largely a solitary creature that works for itself.

The same is true of rabbits, horses and parrots - they are group / flock / herd animals and therefore interact more readily. Compared to cats, their brains are wired in a different way, and certainly horses and dogs have been domesticated for far longer than cats, so you do have to take that into account.

Cats DO have brains, especially the girls. They are fantastic problem solvers (opening doors, cupboards, bags and boxes), they know how to communicate what they're feeling / what they want etc, and the rodent control skills are seriously welcome. Madam Lexi (as did Madam Poppy) will also let me know if someone is at the door (I'm partially deaf, so that's very useful), and will come to tell me that it is food time if I get sidetracked. So yeah...

 

[Reynard]

Yes, dogs have feelings. They are always happy to see you back, no matter how long you are away for.

Cats too.

When I've been out for the day to do whatever, Madam Lexi spends the rest of the evening plonked on my lap. She's been known to bite me if she thinks I've been away for too long... Pushy and affectionate little diva!

 

[Toshiba Boy]

I definitely don't agree with this. Part of the issue is that cats will only do something if it is of benefit to THEM, because unlike dogs, who benefit from working as a group, whether this being with each other, or in partnership with a human, a cat is largely a solitary creature that works for itself.

The same is true of rabbits, horses and parrots - they are group / flock / herd animals and therefore interact more readily. Compared to cats, their brains are wired in a different way, and certainly horses and dogs have been domesticated for far longer than cats, so you do have to take that into account.

Cats DO have brains, especially the girls. They are fantastic problem solvers (opening doors, cupboards, bags and boxes), they know how to communicate what they're feeling / what they want etc, and the rodent control skills are seriously welcome. Madam Lexi (as did Madam Poppy) will also let me know if someone is at the door (I'm partially deaf, so that's very useful), and will come to tell me that it is food time if I get sidetracked. So yeah...

Fair enough, although I wonder whether you saw the programme, it tested the animals in individual and mutual advantageous scenarios. Of course cats are highly intelligent creatures.

I just always smile when I see ardent cat lovers (and I do like cats too) use the "dogs need a leader etc. whilst cats neeed servants"...... as if this somehow infers the superiority of the cat? Weird.

Interestingly, another study compared the hunting efficiency of alpha predators in Africa. The solitary leopard did have a better strike rate than the cheetah, who work in groups. The lion pack were the most efficient of the big cats at c40% strike rate, working superbly well together. I myself have seen 2 lionesses in Kenya brilliantly hunt down a zebra.

Hiwever, the humble wild dog, hunting in its pack, had a virtual 100% success rate, funnily enough, key part of the reason humans and wild dogs/wolves very intelligently utilised one another for a superb working group. Having said this, dogs have the superb ability to assist (using that pack instinct to work for mutual benefit) but individual highly evolved intelligence)in such scenarios as guide digs, police dogs, medical assistance dogs, search and rescue dogs, etc., etc......

As Spokey Donkey mentioned above, this relationship has been somewhat "corrupted" over more recent times by some dog owners, although, this is very much the humans fault.

 

[Reynard]

It's a completely different kind of intelligence though, so you're not really comparing like with like. So from a purely scientific perspective, it's not a fair test. And these TV documentaries rarely are - they're made for entertainment purposes.

Dogs are far more socially intelligent compared to cats ,which is where the interaction with humans come in, while cats, as largely solitary, don't bother with all that socialising malarkey.

Cats are equally as adept as solving things like puzzle feeders. And when you've sat and watched a cat unzip someone's handbag to get to a small catnip toy that's inside, or you've watched a cat work out how to open a closed door (which has a round knob as opposed to a handle) by hanging from the knob and swinging from side to side to rotate the mechanism, then you can't deny there's good and smart thought processes going on between those pointy ears.

 

[Dave7]

My new friend.



She was quite ignorant and didn't speak to me once on our walk.

 

[Slick]

Cats too.

When I've been out for the day to do whatever, Madam Lexi spends the rest of the evening plonked on my lap. She's been known to bite me if she thinks I've been away for too long... Pushy and affectionate little diva!

I sometimes stay away overnight as part of my job. I love coming home with both my boys running to meet me with their tails up like wee catdogs.

 

[Mike_P]

I have probably posted this before. A good few years back now a former neighbour asked to feed her cats whilst she was away a few days. One of them saw me as his best friend and as soon I got home he bounded into my house and I found him sat at the top of the stairs. "I was hoping you were next door, I have to feed you" I said. Head cocked slightly he pondered what I had said and walked outside and sat on the shed looking at the back door to his official home. Proof of there ever was cats can understand what is said to them. Just they normally choose to ignore.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

It's a completely different kind of intelligence though, so you're not really comparing like with like. So from a purely scientific perspective, it's not a fair test. And these TV documentaries rarely are - they're made for entertainment purposes.

Dogs are far more socially intelligent compared to cats ,which is where the interaction with humans come in, while cats, as largely solitary, don't bother with all that socialising malarkey.

Cats are equally as adept as solving things like puzzle feeders. And when you've sat and watched a cat unzip someone's handbag to get to a small catnip toy that's inside, or you've watched a cat work out how to open a closed door (which has a round knob as opposed to a handle) by hanging from the knob and swinging from side to side to rotate the mechanism, then you can't deny there's good and smart thought processes going on between those pointy ears.

Fair enough once again.

How lucky for us though, that dogs combine incredible intelligence with their superb strength when it comes to, quote, "...all that socialising malarkey".