Love animals more than people: it’s normal? Many dog owners love their pets more than most humans.
A recent study on the Society & Animals Journal showed that humans are able to show a greater level of empathy towards dogs, than they are towards human adults.
The findings may not come as a surprise to dog owners, as many people who share their life with a canine companion describe the deep bond they have with their pet.
Why do I feel so connected to my dog?
While historically animal facial expressions have been thought of as involuntary and inflexible emotional states, a current study suggests that dogs actually produce far more facial expressions when their human is attentive to them, which in turn helps us form a strong connection.
Dogs are very sensitive to their owner’s emotional state, actively attempting to communicate on a regular basis. This level of connectedness is so rare that it’s not even seen in species like the wolf.
Why do I love my dog so much?
The love we can feel for cats and dogs can be a life changing experience. Our four-legged friends offer unconditional love, without judgment or criticism.
We humans also feel a remarkable level of empathy and compassion towards dogs. In a recent experimentparticipants were presented with a pretended situation of an attack on humans and dogs.
Reactions were found to be determined by the age of the victim and not the species, with more empathy towards a year-old, puppies and adult dogs than adult humans.
Comparable levels of empathy toward a human puppy and an adult dog, compared to human adults, lead researchers to conclude that we actually love our dogs as much as we do people.
Loving animals more than people: why does this happen?
Feeling that you love your dog more than anything is nothing to be ashamed of. Instead, it should be celebrated, as a beautiful tribute to the bond you share.
Let’s look at some of the reasons behind this emotion.
The love you feel is not conditional
In a world filled with complex human emotions and behaviors, the love you have for your dog is unconditional. Whether you chew on your favorite pillow or wake up at five in the morning, your faithful friend relies and depends on you.
As owners, we are the central point of our pet’s life, which creates a unique bond of loyalty and devotion. In turn, our dog offers us his company without judging or criticizing, but only by accepting our way of being.
Living with a pet releases oxytocin
Human-like modes of communication are understood by very few species in the animal world. Dogs are among the most closely related animals in the world, with some of the most fascinating behaviors imaginable.
The link with human beings is often achieved through the direct gaze, which is actually avoided by many non-human animals. Dogs, on the other hand, are known to make and maintain eye contact, which releases oxytocin, the same hormone produced during contact with a partner or infant. Social attachment is therefore formed more easily, creating a deep bond and feelings of love for our dogs.
Living with a dog can improve our physical and mental well-being
It will come as no surprise to pet owners that there are numerous health benefits to living with a dog.
Dog owners are believed to have a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokesand the daily routine of walking your four-legged friend can help keep fit. Children exposed to pets in the home are also known to have a stronger immune system,
Dogs are not only beneficial for our physical well-being, they are also known to improve our mental health, reducing loneliness and anxiety.
What happens when you love your dog too much?
Some dog owners report that they love their dog more than their parents or partners — and while these family members may have some insight into that — feeling that they love animals more than people is not nothing to be ashamed of.
Just be sure to balance the level of attention and interaction with healthy time apart. This will prevent you from developing long-term separation anxiety.
Quality interactions through exercise, play, training, and lots of love will help create a beautiful bond for years to come.
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Article written for todocat.co.uk and Greta Inglisdog behavior consultant.