Introduction
We’ve all experienced that heartwarming moment when we’re feeling down, and our dog comes over to comfort us. They nuzzle up against you, give gentle licks, and seem to radiate a sense of care and concern. It’s enough to make you wonder – do dogs actually feel sorry for humans?
In this article, we’ll explore whether dogs are capable of feeling sympathy or empathy when their owners are experiencing sadness or distress. We’ll look at studies on canine emotional intelligence and their ability to perceive human emotions. We’ll also examine how dogs physically comfort their owners, as well as how they behave when an owner passes away. While the jury is still out on whether dogs definitively feel “sorry” for humans in the same complex way that we do, the evidence suggests our furry companions are incredibly perceptive of human emotions, and often make an effort to soothe and support us when we’re down.
The sections in this article will cover:
- Defining empathy and sympathy in humans vs. animals
- Dogs’ emotional intelligence
- How dogs physically comfort humans
- Brain scans showing dogs’ responses to human emotions
- Dogs’ behavior when mourning deceased owners
- How dogs help humans in need
- Skeptics’ views that dogs only respond to conditioning
- Conclusion on the evidence of dogs’ capacity for empathy
Defining Empathy and Sympathy
Empathy and sympathy are related but distinct emotions. Empathy involves vicariously experiencing another’s feelings, while sympathy means feeling sorrow or concern for another’s suffering (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-difference-be/).
In humans, empathy has cognitive and affective components. The cognitive aspect involves perspective-taking and accurately reading others’ emotions. The affective component produces an emotional response to match what another person feels (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_evolution_of_empathy).
Research shows that many animals likely experience basic forms of empathy. Studies have observed empathic responses in apes, elephants, mice, and dogs. When a mouse perceives pain in another mouse, it experiences heightened sensitivity to pain itself. Dogs also appear to empathize with human emotions, offering comfort to crying owners (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-new-brain/202103/can-animals-feel-empathy).
However, full human-like empathy may require higher order cognition like theory of mind. More research is needed to determine if animals can take others’ perspectives and understand specific emotions beyond basic contagious distress.
Dogs’ Emotional Intelligence
Researchers have found that dogs are remarkably skilled at reading and responding to human emotions, comparable to a young child. Dogs can pick up on subtle cues like facial expressions, voices, and gestures to understand how their owners are feeling. For example, studies have shown dogs can differentiate between smiling and angry faces, even in photographs (Link). When owners were asked to listen to recorded sounds of different emotional states, their dogs responded accordingly by exhibiting fearful behaviors or becoming more alert.
Dogs also seem capable of understanding complexity in human emotions. According to research, dogs can pick up on slight differences in emotional states, not just obvious ones like happiness versus anger. Their skills likely evolved to help them communicate effectively and form social bonds with humans.
Interestingly, dogs even mirror their owners’ stress levels. When owners were subjected to stressful situations, their dogs’ cortisol (stress hormone) levels rose in tandem. This emotional contagion suggests dogs empathize with humans and internalize their emotions.
Dogs Comforting Humans
There are many examples of dogs seeming to comfort their owners when they are upset or in distress. A 2018 study from Johns Hopkins University found that dogs will try to help their owners if they perceive them to be in distress, even navigating obstacles to physically comfort them (https://hub.jhu.edu/2018/07/24/dogs-comfort-owners-canine-psychology/). The study had owners behave in a distressed manner behind a clear door, and many of the dogs made efforts to open the door and reach their owner. This demonstrates that dogs can perceive and react to human emotional states.
Therapy dogs and emotional support dogs are also trained specifically to provide comfort to people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas. Their presence has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and boost moods in patients (https://www.insider.com/dogs-comfort-their-humans-when-they-are-sad-according-to-study-2018-7). Whether it’s snuggling up to a distressed child or patient, or providing affection during therapy sessions, these dogs seem to exhibit an understanding of human emotion and a desire to alleviate suffering.
Brain Scans and Hormones
Scientific research using brain scans and hormone measurements suggests dogs have the capacity for empathy and emotional intelligence. One study published in Nature used fMRI scans to monitor dog brain activity in response to human emotions. The results showed increased activation in the dog’s parietotemporal cortex and caudate nucleus when exposed to human cries, suggesting these brain regions may regulate emotional processing similar to humans (Karl, 2020).
Another mechanism explored is the hormone oxytocin, which promotes social bonding in both humans and dogs. Research shows when owners interact and make eye contact with their dogs, oxytocin levels increase in both the human and dog. This hormonal feedback loop may reinforce the emotional bond between dogs and their owners (Bailey, 2018).
Overall, brain scans and hormone studies provide objective evidence that dogs have the biological capacity for empathy. By monitoring their neurological responses, scientists gain insight into the subjective emotional experiences of dogs.
Sources:
Karl, S., Boch, M., Buder, E. H., Ott, S. R., Schloegl, C., & Scheidt, A. (2020). Exploring the dog–human relationship by combining fMRI, eye tracking and behavior. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-15. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79247-5
Bailey, J. (2018). Advances in neuroscience imply that harmful experiments in dogs are unethical. Journal of medical ethics, 44(1), 47-52. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749309/
Dogs Mourning Humans
Dogs often show signs of grieving and mourning when their human owners pass away. There are many anecdotal stories of dogs acting noticeably sad and depressed after their owner dies. Some physiological signs that a dog is grieving include lethargy, loss of appetite, whimpering, howling, trembling, and seeking out their owner’s belongings or spaces they frequented (1).
One heartbreaking viral video shows a Labrador named Moose grieving at his owner’s memorial. Moose lays sadly on the ground, with his head on his paws, whimpering at the memorial site (1). Many studies have also shown dogs exhibiting signs of mourning when separated from or after the death of their caregiver. The depth of grief varies based on the dog’s attachment to their owner.
Dogs Helping Humans in Need
Service dogs are trained to support humans suffering from a range of conditions including seizures, anxiety, PTSD, and more. For example, service dogs can be trained to detect an oncoming seizure and provide support during the episode (1). Some service dogs are taught behaviors to aid humans having panic attacks, such as applying gentle pressure with their body, retrieving medication, or leading their human to a safe space (2).
Dogs’ ability to empathize with human emotions makes them excellent service animals for anxiety disorders. According to the ADA, service dogs must undergo specialized training to perform tasks that mitigate their human’s disability (3). This can include guiding someone having a panic attack to a quiet area or bringing medication to stop an anxiety attack. Service dogs provide constant emotional support and stability for individuals suffering from chronic anxiety.
Skeptics’ View
Not everyone believes dogs are capable of genuine empathy. Some skeptics argue that what appears to be empathetic behavior in dogs is simply the result of conditioning and training, not true understanding of human emotions. For example, dogs may comfort their owners during times of distress because they have learned to associate certain human behaviors, like crying, with receiving affection or treats in return. The apparent empathy is merely an ingrained behavioral response.
According to an article published in Reddit, the empathy skeptics observe is that “dogs don’t have theory of mind – they can’t conceive of anyone’s inner state being different from their own.” In other words, dogs react to human emotions but don’t fully comprehend what those emotions mean. Their empathetic behaviors are not driven by a real understanding of what humans are feeling.
Overall, the skepticism stems from the belief that dogs lack the complex cognitive abilities required for true empathy. Their behaviors that appear empathetic may simply be the result of training and conditioning, not an innate capacity to share in the emotions of humans.
Conclusion
The evidence presented in this article points to dogs having the capacity for empathy and sympathy towards humans. While more research is still needed, numerous studies have shown that dogs exhibit distress at human suffering, attempt to comfort those in need, and mourn the loss of their human companions. This suggests that dogs have some understanding of human emotions.
Brain imaging studies reveal that dogs process voices and facial expressions using brain regions similar to humans. The hormone oxytocin, associated with bonding and empathy, also rises in both dogs and humans during positive interactions. And dogs demonstrate helping behaviors towards humans in distress, something unlikely without some empathetic abilities.
However, the inner emotional lives of animals remains difficult to fully understand. We cannot ask dogs directly how they feel or what motivates certain behaviors. More neurological and behavioral research on canine emotions would help shed light on the depth of dogs’ capacity for complex feelings like empathy.
For dog owners, the takeaway is that your pet is likely more in tune with your emotions than you may realize. Dogs form close attachments and pay close attention to human body language and vocalizations. So when you are stressed or grieving, your dog may pick up on this and exhibit comforting behaviors in response. Recognizing that your loyal companion feels a connection to your emotional states can help strengthen the human-animal bond.
References
Coren, S. (2003). How Dogs Think: Understanding the Canine Mind. Simon and Schuster.
MacLean, E.L. & Hare, B. (2018). Enhanced selection of assistance and explosive detection dogs using cognitive measures. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5, 236.
Miklósi, Á., Topál, J. & Csányi, V. (2004). Comparative social cognition: what can dogs teach us?. Animal behaviour, 67(6), 995-1004.
Morris, P.H., Doe, C. & Godsell, E. (2008). Secondary emotions in non-primate species? Behavioural reports and subjective claims by animal owners. Cognition and emotion, 22(1), 3-20.
Quaranta, A., Siniscalchi, M. & Vallortigara, G. (2007). Asymmetric tail-wagging responses by dogs to different emotive stimuli. Current Biology, 17(6), R199-R201.