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Rich Riddle
03-23-2014, 8:34 PM
Some research indicates that pets don't "love" us but rather simply form an attachment to us and can easily replace us. Do you folks think our pets have the capacity to love us or simply attach to us? Or something else entirely different. My dog certainly knows when she doesn't get enough time together even if others are in the house.

Scott Shepherd
03-23-2014, 8:40 PM
My vote is they do love us. In fact, I think you can learn more about love from a pet than a lot of people. That's what unconditional love looks like, something many humans aren't capable of.

Rich Riddle
03-23-2014, 8:43 PM
Scott,

I am likely the only one here who prefers pets to most people encountered on a daily basis. They're more transparent in their "feelings" toward you.

Erik Loza
03-23-2014, 8:49 PM
My answer? Without a doubt.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

Greg Peterson
03-23-2014, 9:15 PM
I'm perfectly content to believe they posses human emotions. If wagging tails, dancing and hopping around and licking my face isn't love, then perhaps love is not an adequate enough descriptor.

Curt Fuller
03-23-2014, 11:18 PM
I believe it depends on whether or not we love our pets. Around our house we get a little carried away with affection for our critters and I think they respond in kind.

Phil Thien
03-23-2014, 11:56 PM
Seems like semantics to me.

Whether you call it an attachment or bond or whatever, it all seems like at least some degree of love.

Mike Henderson
03-24-2014, 12:00 AM
It's generally true that a domestic animal will form a bond with a new person (or pack) if the previous owner disappears (dies, gives the pet up for adoption, or the pet strays and isn't found). Whether the original bond is love is questionable and depends a lot on how you define "love". My own belief is that animals do not "love" but simply have an attachment that benefits them.

Mike

John Coloccia
03-24-2014, 12:18 AM
I've had the opportunity to have had to give up pets. When I went to California for business, my cats ended up staying with my parents. It was supposed to be a short, 2 week arrangement, but one thing led to another and I was out there longer than 2 weeks. They became very attached to the cats, I thought it would be traumatic to transport them cross country, and however attached I was to them I was happy that they provided companionship to my parents, which they desperately needed. So bottom line, I never ended up taking them back.

I can tell you, though, that any time I visited the cats always where incredibly affectionate. It was like a little reunion every time I showed up. It was a little heart breaking, actually, because I really did miss them, but I didn't have the heart to take them away from my parents.

I don't know what emotions they're actually feeling, but there's no doubt in my mind that there is some sort of built up trust and affection that they feel. Is it "love". I doubt it...not in the human sense. They're not human, though so why would anyone expect that? I think part of the joy of pets is the uncomplicated relationship we have with them. Human emotions are complex nuanced...sometimes clouded and fickle. Pet relationships are simple and animal like, and that's really the point, isn't it?

Phil Thien
03-24-2014, 12:37 AM
It's generally true that a domestic animal will form a bond with a new person (or pack) if the previous owner disappears (dies, gives the pet up for adoption, or the pet strays and isn't found).

As do humans.

I mean, if I die, my wife would surely miss me but her life would go on, she'd meet someone else and (hopefully) find someone with which to share her life.

That doesn't mean she didn't love me but was merely attached to me, does it?

Bill ThompsonNM
03-24-2014, 1:15 AM
Generally true? As a vet I know of numerous instances when a other pet or owner passes away, a et will clearly undergo grieving, sometimes to the point they never recover. So, ues pets are capable of love and grief. Another owner is no more substitute then another wife or mother.

Curt Harms
03-24-2014, 7:59 AM
Scott,

I am likely the only one here who prefers pets to most people encountered on a daily basis. They're more transparent in their "feelings" toward you.

No you're not. SWMBO feels the same.

David Weaver
03-24-2014, 8:03 AM
I think it depends on how you think of the word love. If you extend it to what the cat, dog or whatever else is capable of and not the same way people think, sure. I'd call it a bond more, though, companionship. I don't have any pets now (neatnik wife), but grew up with gobs of animals. Like John said, I had one angry cat who thought the world of me and separated herself from everyone else - she had a 3 foot radius, and she'd allow my parents to pet her, but she didn't really go to them (despite living with them). Anything else, cat or dog, that got in the radius, got an offensive volley that left them with no question about what would happen if they didn't move out.

But every time I went home, even if I hadn't been there for 6 months, she'd follow me around and show up when I went to bed (for pet time) and arrive again in the morning. So whatever it is that a cat feels (maybe bubbles knows), bond or whatever, it was permanent. I'll take it for whatever it is, and if kitties could think people think, she'd have said the same, I guess. It doesn't need to be equivalent to some kind of person to person thing.

Paul McGaha
03-24-2014, 8:20 AM
My only experience with pets are dogs for the most part. Yes, I think they love us.

Just watching my dog wait at the front door about the time my wife comes home from work. The absolute joy the dog has when she see's her. The body language and the little sounds she makes. Oh yes, I'd say that was love. I don't know if she does the same for me but I kind of hope she does.

PHM

Ole Anderson
03-24-2014, 9:16 AM
Define love and you will have your answer.

Here is my favorite YouTube video which addresses the issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H17edn_RZoY

Chuck Wintle
03-24-2014, 9:29 AM
Some research indicates that pets don't "love" us but rather simply form an attachment to us and can easily replace us. Do you folks think our pets have the capacity to love us or simply attach to us? Or something else entirely different. My dog certainly knows when she doesn't get enough time together even if others are in the house.

I would have to agree that a pet cannot experience love or at least what we understand to be love. I think what you see is a conditioned response of the animal to a stimulus, the human in this case. This was the life work of B.F. Skinner who researched operant conditioning extensively.

Mel Fulks
03-24-2014, 9:34 AM
I don't think they go into fires and other dangerous situations to save people just because they can't work a can opener.

Kevin Bourque
03-24-2014, 9:35 AM
I don't know if I'd call it love, but there is some type of emotional bond that exists.

Chuck Wintle
03-24-2014, 9:53 AM
I don't know if I'd call it love, but there is some type of emotional bond that exists.

i agree with you.

Rich Riddle
03-24-2014, 9:55 AM
I would have to agree that a pet cannot experience love or at least what we understand to be love. I think what you see is a conditioned response of the animal to a stimulus, the human in this case. This was the life work of B.F. Skinner who researched operant conditioning extensively.As a licensed psychologist, I understand Skinner's work. Quite a slippery slope exists with Skinner in that we could say the same "associations" exist in all human relationships; that's one of the flaws in the theory. Recently researchers began discussing if Skinner's theory applies to animals and love. A century ago a theory existed that animals did not feel pain. Researchers believing this theory conducted many painful experiments on animals and dismissed the cries of pain as something else. Seems bizarre in today's understanding even though currently one person believes and professes this belief or a similar one that indicates animals remain unaware of their pain (William Lane Craig). Psychology evolves and some are pondering if the century old concept that indicated animals cannot feel emotions humans attribute to them (anthropomorphism) proves as inaccurate of phrenology.

Rich Riddle
03-24-2014, 10:12 AM
Generally true? As a vet I know of numerous instances when a other pet or owner passes away, a et will clearly undergo grieving, sometimes to the point they never recover. So, ues pets are capable of love and grief. Another owner is no more substitute then another wife or mother.Scientific America published an article in July 2013 (When Animals Mourn) specifically addressing the issue you raise. The University of Chicago also published a text in 2013 entitled "How Animals Grieve" authored by Barbara King addressing the issue. Both proved interesting reading.

Mel Fulks
03-24-2014, 10:22 AM
My phrend ,people who say phrenology is not accurate are looking for bumps in all the wrong places.

Erik Loza
03-24-2014, 10:32 AM
Scientific America published an article in July 2013 (When Animals Mourn) specifically addressing the issue you raise. The University of Chicago also published a text in 2013 entitled "How Animals Grieve" authored by Barbara King addressing the issue. Both proved interesting reading.

We unfortunately had to put down our Shepherd last November. His best friend (aside from my wife...) was our female tabby cat. Perhaps it was my imagination but I could definitely tell that she "noticed" his absence and appeared especially clingy to us in the days after he was gone. To this day, she still seeks out and lays in the spot on the living room rug where he would always lay.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

285584285585

paul cottingham
03-24-2014, 1:43 PM
We had two cats that lived about 19 years. They would pine for us when we were away, in fact we had to arrange pet sitters to stay with them when we were away, or they would get really neurotic. Our male cat only lived for three months after his sister, and constant companion, died. In fact, he spent the whole three months looking all over the house for her.
The upshot is that I believe pets form deeply emotional attachments.

Phil Thien
03-24-2014, 4:04 PM
My own belief is that animals do not "love" but simply have an attachment that benefits them.


There are quite a few members here that would say the same thing about their ex-wives.

Rim shot please?

Ba dum dum.

Chuck Wintle
03-24-2014, 5:39 PM
We unfortunately had to put down our Shepherd last November. His best friend (aside from my wife...) was our female tabby cat. Perhaps it was my imagination but I could definitely tell that she "noticed" his absence and appeared especially clingy to us in the days after he was gone. To this day, she still seeks out and lays in the spot on the living room rug where he would always lay.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

285584285585

they were best friends by the looks of it.

Rich Engelhardt
03-24-2014, 5:45 PM
Do Our Pets Love Us?Who cares...
I love my goof balls whether it's returned or not.

Now my wife, that's a different story.

Our pair of goof balls worship her.

Phil Thien
03-24-2014, 5:53 PM
Who cares...
I love my goof balls whether it's returned or not.

Now my wife, that's a different story.

Our pair of goof balls worship her.

I've noticed our pets seem to demonstrate the greatest love towards the person that feeds them the most.

Come to think of it, that is a major reason I love my wife so much, too.

I think I've cracked the love code.

Rich Engelhardt
03-24-2014, 5:59 PM
They do say the best way to a man's heart is.... ;).
LOL!

Now, my wife OTOH, she was just bragging tonight about her cooking skills.
She tossed some frozen Salisbury steaks in the microwave, made some instant mashed potatoes and nuked a bag of corn in the other microwave.

:D:D

Then she and the hounds climbed on the couch and split a bag of cheese puffs!

Shawn Pixley
03-24-2014, 6:44 PM
Scientific America published an article in July 2013 (When Animals Mourn) specifically addressing the issue you raise. The University of Chicago also published a text in 2013 entitled "How Animals Grieve" authored by Barbara King addressing the issue. Both proved interesting reading.

I don't know whether it is "love", but there is a bond and real loss if separated. Our dog grieves and sulks when I travel. He is even more distraught when LOML is not home. This is not simply based upon food but extends to the walks, play and other interactions between man and animal.

I think we as humans have a certain arrogance to the extent that we feel, and therefore others cannot. By extension, we denied that animals could feel pain, that invertebrates are incapable of learning (tell that to the octopi), or that grieving or love is possible.

John Goodin
03-25-2014, 12:54 AM
The story of Hachiko is interesting. He is the dog that used to greet his "owner" at the train station. His owner died one day and never returned. Hachiko visited the train station everyday for the next nine years and waited for him to return. Not sure what you want to call it but their companionship should be revered.

My 7 year old daughter is a elephant lover and I have shown her some of the you tube videos from the elephant sanctuary outside Nashville. While not your typical pets, elephants have more complex and developed social and emotional relationships than most people think.

Jim Matthews
03-25-2014, 7:16 AM
I can't tell the difference.

Where animals treat humans as other animals, we join their pack.
The trouble starts when we treat animals as part of our family.

Only one group is right.

george wilson
03-25-2014, 6:37 PM
My wife feeds both her dog and mine. Plus,my dog sleeps in her bed(small dog). The dog hurts my back if I let her sleep with me. She jams up against me so I can't change positions easily. Yet,my little dog wants to be on my lap all day as much as possible(I'm retired),and is extremely affectionate to me. My wife says she can tell I'm on the way home fully 8 minutes before I arrive. She perks up and starts acting excited. That means she can hear my van 10 miles away on a busy highway!! She sets up an incredible yipping noise when I come into the drive way.

Who feeds the pets has no bearing on who they love in our house.

Certainly your pets love you. Dogs are extremely emotional and loving. They are ALL emotions. My cat also loves me,in a more conservative,cat like way. She sleeps on my bed every night,and arrives as soon as I go to bed. Even though she stays in a back room most of the time(where it is quieter. She is old.),she can always tell when I go to bed,and is right there.

Mel Fulks
03-25-2014, 7:17 PM
I think dogs tend to gravitate toward men regardless of who fed them.

Moses Yoder
03-25-2014, 7:56 PM
We keep a nice pack of dogs around, 7 currently, 2 cats, 2 fish, a hedgehog, and a miniature pony. I can't think of any reason why it would matter if they loved us or not.

Chris Padilla
03-26-2014, 3:01 PM
Personification. I personally believe we humans impart our own emotions onto our pets' behaviors. Concepts like "love" are uniquely human (for the most part) I believe. Since we cannot fully communicate with our pets like we can with each other, it is difficult to know why they react the way they do to us. I don't think it is obvious all the time.

Larry Frank
03-26-2014, 8:14 PM
If I had any idea how to define love, I might answer the question. There are so many different ways with respect to your wife, kids, family...all of them different and not really possible to define.

I include my dog as one of these. I maybe completely nuts but my dog loves me.

Lee Reep
03-26-2014, 8:53 PM
I've noticed our pets seem to demonstrate the greatest love towards the person that feeds them the most.

Come to think of it, that is a major reason I love my wife so much, too.

I think I've cracked the love code.

Best keep that finding to yourself, and not share it with your wife ... at least if you want to keep enjoying those homecooked meals. :D

Jason Roehl
03-27-2014, 10:33 AM
I think the word 'love' has been cheapened in many ways. Applying it to pets is, IMHO, one of those ways, but certainly far from the most offensive. People will tell someone they love them, then turn around and say they love pizza. I love my wife, but I also love my brother and my close friends. They're all different in terms of internal feeling and outward expression, but with some overlap.

From a scientific standpoint, I don't think we can say for certain that pets love us in terms of a deeply held feeling, but that is a convenient word for their bond to us and their outward expression of that bond. For the record, I have two cats. One is definitely "closer" to me than the other.

Lee Reep
03-27-2014, 11:00 AM
I am convinced our pets love us. Why? I have a quaker parrot, and he tells me "I love you!" all the time. If he gets a little crazy while playing, he is known to bite. I yell at him, telling him how mad I am, and his reply is "You're so smart!" and "You're so cute!".

I would also add that I think he has impeccable taste ...

Chris Padilla
03-27-2014, 11:32 AM
Mmmmmmmm...pizza. I do LOVE pizza!!!! ;)

Greg Muller
03-28-2014, 11:52 PM
I can't remember who the comedian was who said it, but his response to "Do pets love their owners?" was, "Test your theory... Open the door."

Mike Henderson
03-29-2014, 12:43 AM
I think the word 'love' has been cheapened in many ways.
The word that I think has been cheapened is "hero". These days, everyone is a hero - people who have done nothing heroic.

Mike

Jason Roehl
03-29-2014, 9:33 AM
The word that I think has been cheapened is "hero". These days, everyone is a hero - people who have done nothing heroic.

Mike

That one is definitely on the list, too. And, in my book (and Somebody Else's), a true hero will show true love...

paul cottingham
03-29-2014, 10:55 AM
My father had a cat that he basically tamed from ferrel. That cat was attached at the hip to my dad. She would "guard" him when he worked in the garden, and followed him everywhere.
When Pop had a heart attack and almost died, she was completely inconsolable. She cried for him and looked everywhere for him for the entire time he was in the hospital, and was as close to joyful as an ancient cat could be when he came home.
is it anthropomorphizing to say that that old cat loved my dad? Maybe. But I am not so sure.