There was always that one scene in the movie “Marley & Me,” when Jennifer Aniston’s character learns that she suffered a miscarriage early on in her first attempt to get pregnant. She was very upset and so overcome with emotion, as she sat down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. In this moment, her dog Marley, who was normally very crazy and outgoing, quietly walked on over to her, sat straight up, and gently placed his head on her legs while she cried. Upon witnessing this it begged the question, can dogs sense human emotion? Yes, they’re dogs, but do they understand when us humans are feeling very upset and in need of some comfort?

According to one source, dogs have a sixth sense when it comes to understanding the way their owners work. Dogs and humans are considered to have very similar “social systems.” In this “social system,” we both live in families that are there to protect one another. We both have a language of facial expressions and certain body posture. It’s been understood that dogs have learned to “decode” our body language and expressions so they can get their desired needs, like food for example. Scientists see it as a strategic move from the dog’s standpoint to monitor human emotions because a happy mood could mean more advantages, like a treat or a walk. According to Patricia McConnell, an author and behavioral scientist, “your dog is probably a far better observer than you are.” As humans, we mostly pay attention to what people have to say, and never really take time to observe our surroundings and the way people work. Out of our five senses, we rely so heavily on our sight that we kind of brush our other senses to the side. Smell, touch, and hearing are less than a priority for us, but heightened in the life of a dog.

When a dog notices that you’re sad and not your usual lively self, they’ll immediately become aware of this. They may become quieter and more mundane, and lose interest in something that they might have been playing with a second ago. According to this source, typically, your dog will quietly observe you from the corner of the room and then eventually come and lie down near your feet or rest their hand in your lap. “A dog’s master is the center of his entire world, so sensing your feelings of sadness will have an effect on him too.” I liked that quote. In a study done in the journal “Animal Cognition,” researchers noticed that dogs are more likely to come up to a person who is crying, instead of one who is laughing and having fun, regardless if they’re their owner or not. So, it seems like dogs are genetically programed to want to lessen the pain of a person who is upset. Another reason why dogs are the best house pets out there 😉 Scientists came to a false positive in their conclusion with this study because they noticed that although this study does not definitively prove that dogs experience empathy, it certainly helps to support the claim that dogs can pinpoint sadness as an emotion.

Dogs also begin to catch on to your intentions. If you come at them with a towel and some soap, they may fidget around and jerk away because they know you want to give them a bath. However, according to this source, “if the owner is close by to offer some reassuring words and gentle encouragement” the dog should submit to anything. In a 2011a study published in “Learning & Behavior,” found that domestic dogs are on the same brain functionality as that of a 2 year old human. Interestingly enough, they can understand about 165 different words as well. They also use eye contact and gaze at a person’s facial features to figure out what it is they are thinking.

Dog owners should not underestimate the abilities of their animals. Dogs are quite able to pick up on every emotion we demonstrate on our faces or through our body language. So, we should be thankful that having a dog around is like having another companion, but without the nagging conversation.

quite possibly the best picture i’ve seen in my entire life.