This is a 2-page infographic on the important topic of reading canine emotions. The infographic was created around an article in The Times newspaper (11th March 2025) which was itself based on research at the Arizona State University.
The key to the research was in observing a dog’s reaction to something pleasant (going for a walk) as opposed to something unpleasant (the sound of a vacuum cleaner). Videos were made of the reactions. Then the videos were edited to marry the dogs’ reactions to going for a walk with the introduction of a vacuum cleaner and also the dogs’ reactions to seeing a vacuum cleaner and knowing that they were going for a walk.
The participants read the scenario in which the dogs were placed and not the emotions of the dogs in isolation. They were assessing the dogs’ emotions by making assumptions based on the context in which the dogs were placed.
“But when they [the participating dog owners] saw a video of the dog doing the exact same thing but this time appearing to react to seeing his leash [as opposed to actually seeing a vacuum cleaner] everyone reported that the dog was feeling happy and calm” – Holly Molinaro an author of the study.
The misreading of dog emotions is a well-discussed topic. The same incidentally can apply to the human-to-cat relationship. We do tend to project our feelings onto our companion animals which we often regard as little humans.
This human fallibility is entirely understandable but it wise to keep an eye on this human weakness and recognise how it can be a barrier to excellence in dog and cat caregiving.
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