live_tv
Livestream Starting Soon
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
Up next in 10
Dogs are interesting creatures that have been our companions for thousands of years, but do they understand death?
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
dogs are known for their loyalty
0:02
intelligence and emotional
0:05
sensitivity but do these remarkable
0:07
animals truly understand the concept of
0:10
death this question has intrigued pet
0:13
owners animal behaviorists and
0:14
scientists alike for years while we
0:17
cannot directly ask dogs about their
0:19
understanding of death researchers have
0:20
studied their behaviors and reactions to
0:23
loss scientific evidence suggests that
0:26
dogs do experience grief and can react
0:28
to the absence of their human companions
0:30
or animal
0:31
housemates when a familiar human or
0:33
animal companion dies dogs often display
0:36
changes in behavior these may include
0:39
decreased appetite lethargy whining or
0:42
searching for the missing
0:44
individual some dogs may even refuse to
0:46
leave the side of a deceased companion
0:49
these behaviors indicate that dogs are
0:50
aware of the absence and are affected by
0:53
it however it is important to note that
0:55
a dog's understanding of death is likely
0:57
different from Human comprehension
1:00
dogs live in the present and may not
1:02
grasp the permanence of death in the
1:03
same way humans do their reactions are
1:06
more likely based on the sudden absence
1:08
of a familiar presence and the changes
1:10
in their daily
1:12
routines Studies have shown that dogs
1:14
can pick up on human emotions including
1:16
sadness and grief this means that when
1:18
an owner is mourning their dog may react
1:21
to the owner's emotional state rather
1:23
than directly to the concept of death
1:25
itself some researchers argue that dogs
1:28
may have a basic awareness of death
1:29
death as a form of permanent sleep this
1:32
is supported by observations of wild
1:34
canines such as wolves which sometimes
1:36
display mourning like behaviors when a
1:38
pack member dies while we cannot
1:41
definitively say that dogs understand
1:43
death in the same way humans do it is
1:45
clear that they experience loss and
1:47
grief in their own
1:48
way dogs form strong emotional bonds and
1:51
are affected by the absence of their
1:53
companions whether human or animal power
1:57
understanding of canine cognition
1:58
continues to evolve and future research
2:00
May provide more insights into how dogs
2:02
perceive death and
2:04
loss for now we can appreciate the depth
2:07
of the human dog Bond and recognize that
2:10
our faithful companions do indeed feel
2:12
the impact of losing those they care
2:14
about even if their understanding
2:16
differs from our own
#Pets & Animals
#Pets & Animals
#Pets
#Dogs
#Death & Tragedy