Does Your Dog Love You?

[@poorplayer9249]

My dogs and I have a relationship based upon caring and mutual agreement. I feed them, spend time with them, and care for their health needs. And they stay up all night long, barking at every noise so I don't have to.

[@Joy4everM0RE]

Karl Kiefer lmao 🤣

[@MsSwitchblade13]

That last bit killed me 😂😂

[@unalteredcapture]

😂😂

[@Goldenheart_345]

Short answer: Yes Long answer: Yes, very much so

[@0xBADFECE5]

So the takeaway is actually "Does anyone *actually* love you?"

[@regan3873]

r77xxl My takeaway is “what is love, actually?”

[@DakotaofRaptors]

@@regan3873 "baby don't hurt me NO MOE!"

[@YoutubeLover-np9lu]

The answer is no

[@MarkThePage]

I can definitely vouch for the "base of support" test! My dog will explore and socialize out of the house, but if I'm not by her side she'll immediately become anxious and panic until she finds me. My anxiety dog needs an anxiety dog.

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

Love is for the weak. Me and my dogs are together to conquer the world.

[@zebedeelps]

For the weak? Do you even read Harry Potter bro?

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

Merlyn Reynolds Harry Potter is for the weak. We read Dante's Inferno.

[@motheraiya]

Acceptable.

[@TommoCarroll]

Haha how's that going so far?

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

Aspect Science Yeah, yeah... Keep laughing! Until we knock at your door! 😂

[@654pedro123]

So the answer:" We don't even know if what we feel for our children and partners is love, how do you want us to say if dogs feel it?"

[@Carlos-ln8fd]

It is with incredible fear and trepidation that I click on this video

[@microbuilder]

why?

[@Carlos-ln8fd]

microbuilder the idea that my dog might not love me makes me sad

[@microbuilder]

Would you believe a youtube video over your own experiences with your dog?

[@WarpScanner]

I would believe a KZbin video with the backing of scientific research over my own anecdotal experiences, yes. With that said, I was remaining fairly doubtful because "love" isn't defined super well. I'd go so far to say that love and attachment aren't necessarily distinct, but that love is merely a collection of different emotions and types of relationships.

[@microbuilder]

I dont think animals feel 'love' the way we do. Attachment/bonding, for sure, but probably not love in the same sense as we use it.

[@TommoCarroll]

That was such an interesting little tid bit of information - they use similar studies used to study babies due to their lack of ability to verbally communicate! Loved it! Great video as always!

[@Reltihliehlla]

Omg, I just came back from the vet, with the saddest news... My beloved Rocko will have to be put to sleep tomorrow morning, and I just can't help but feel this is fate (yes, yes, I'm aware of what I'm saying in a science channel, but still), you know, the fact that you put this video up today... Thanks +SciShow Psych , you always find a way to convey my emotions with my thoughts, and make sense of it all (as far as we humans can make sense of it all, of course), or at least that's how I feel... I'll always feel as the leader of his pack... He'll always be my beloved friend and companion... And whatever "Love" is... Rocko will always be in my heart (eternity included).

[@hollymarie2577]

So sorry to hear about anyone going through this grief. It is never an easy experience. I heard a psychologist (on YT) say once "there is a certain kind of love that can only be expressed through sadness," and being there with and for a pet and giving them a gentle end is the example that immediately comes to mind. I always have felt it was an honor to bear the sadness of their short lives, as a small price for everything they add to our longer ones. Bless. ❤️

[@Andresfin]

I know my dogs love me! They are always there when I need them and when I have been gone for a long time (they live with my parents) they are always so freaking excited to see me! It's wonderful.

[@Master_Therion]

Yes! When their human isn't around... Collies become melancholy, Pointers think life is pointless, Great Danes don't feel so great, Rottweilers feel rotten, Terriers feel terrible, and Bulldogs say "this is bulls*!t"

[@bulldogmadhav5762]

Master Therion and pugs say “ ug”

[@TommoCarroll]

Those bulldogs with their potty mouths!

[@johnclavis]

Master Therion I won't even say what Shih Tzus do!

[@bloodking73]

Clever bastard

[@TommoCarroll]

Party Bot please describe with extreme detail for those that might not understand ahaaa

[@NewMessage]

Mine just purses his lips, shakes his head slowly, and puts a paw on the keyboard with that 'Stop.. this has to stop...' Look. But then I say 'bath' and he's under the bed for a good hour.

[@billyma6]

New Message my mood tho

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

One of my dogs (all retired greyhounds) knew I was pregnant before I did - my first time round - she stopped urging me to play until he was born. Then she gave me her lead to swing her around when I gave her my first walk with her after he was born. She also looked out for my eldest (I think that one was enough for her!), she actually spanked him for landing on her injured leg, and would nuzzle me if I was down. We had a really close bond - I still miss her nearly 24 years later :(

[@kari7403]

Mandy B I always tend to think animals just function primarily for food and don't love or understand love they way we do. But then, there's always something that happens like your talking about. Those very special and intuitive dogs. It really makes me realize how obvious it is that at least some if not all animals are capable of love and even care and compassion.

[@AdamSmith-vj5uk]

She'd be a good voice actress

[@1stupidfatginger]

My dog loves me god damn it! He tells me every day with his eyes when he looks at me as I'm leaving, like I'm going to leave him home forever and ever. And then when I come back it's like I've been gone for 10 years. Whether its "love" in a human sense or not, their loyalty knows no bounds. Man, shitty people don't deserve such awesome companions.

[@brenantube5802]

We have had a couple litters of golden retriever puppies and when I see them even after a year since they were adopted they get so excited to see me... they whine and cry and climb on my lap wanting me to hold them every time.

[@angelic8632002]

Instead of trying to see this from a human perspective I think it would be more productive to look at it from where they come from. Evolution, their ancestors and so on. Looking at it like that, I think its safe to say they feel affection for us, and we probably substitute the usual pack their instincts still tell them should be the center of their life. That is, we provide the food and security they need, and therefore we are the alpha. They look up to us, and help out as they would in a pack, with protection, caring, etc.

[@Reltihliehlla]

Thank you.

[@shoulders-of-giants]

Using the concept/word _instinct_ is really looked down upon by zoologists, behavioral biologists etc.

[@angelic8632002]

+Shoulders of Giants Why?

[@angelic8632002]

+Daniel Hughes Im not talking about humans...

[@nicolaiveliki1409]

+Simone 'new' studies of wolf packs have shown that the concept of alpha wolf is wrong. Watch Adam Ruins Everything for the references

[@dvklaveren]

The real question is; What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me No more What is love? Yeah I don't know why you're not fair I give you my love, but you don't care So what is right and what is wrong? Gimme a sign What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more Oh, I don't know, what can I do? What else can I say, it's up to you I know we're one, just me and you I can't go on What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more What is love? What is love? What is love? Baby don't hurt me Don't hurt me No more Don't hurt me Don't hurt me I want no other, no other lover This is our life, our time We are together I need you forever Is it…

[@raspberrytaegi]

The Pretender I was waiting

[@kathi501]

I don't know if my dog loves me, but his excitement when I get home is good enough for me

[@TheFvpss]

Imo if it looks like love, feels like love and has all physiological components of love for both parts, it is love. At the end of the day, we are the ones to decide what love is :)

[@ramiebashir7260]

Amazing video! Extremely well executed ... thanks! ❤

[@Jesus.loves.you.123]

Love is abstract and sometimes is mistaken. I measured how much my dog's loved me by their behavior, and that I have come to a conclusion that, among 4 dogs I have owned, a little 6 pound male Yorkshire Terrier and a 5 pound female Maltese loved me the most. My little Yorkshire Terrier didn't care for food, and he only want to sit next to me. My little Maltese refused to eat, drink or sleep when I was away for 24 hours. Even though my 2 sisters lived with me, my dog did not accept their cares while I was away. She looked at the door 24 hours and refused to eat, drink and sleep.

[@hollymarie2577]

Mutual attachment, loyalty, and concern for wellbeing is absolutely good enough for me. Who would want love to be more quantifiable than that? And isn't part of real unconditional love that we choose it regardless of the other's feelings toward us? My life is better with my dog in it, and I'm pretty confident that if she could talk she would say the same about her humans (my kids and me). What more could any of us ask for, really?

[@akeepers02]

When you love someone you greet them with passion, when you love someone you can sense what they are feeling but aren't sure why, when you love it's unconditional. Take all things and stuff away from any species. That's when we will learn that love really is just an unspoken bond to understand and help one another in any way possible. Even if it is just sitting at your feet to keep you company so you don't have to feel alone. That is what love is. And if you ask me any living thing can feel it.

[@zombiegaby]

I now my doggo loves me. No need for science.

[@trafalgarlaw8373]

Sounds naive

[@bibarel4665]

Your dog cant love you because its a dog. Love is a human emotion, and your dog isn’t capable of this. If your dog looks happy to see you it dosent mean it loves you, it means its just excited. I know this because I owned several dogs.

[@KheglenAnn]

@@bibarel4665 Soo ? I live with 9 dogs, each of them very different and definitely YES, animals are capable of love. Don't you think you are being quite a specist by pretending that humans are the only beings capable of love ? You know, Descarte's times are over...

[@GasGearsGames]

I honestly think my dog loves me so much, she would give her life for me. I'm sure most dogs would do the same for the humans they care about.

[@fromscratchauntybindy9743]

Snuggling with my 8mth old puppy as I watch this... the love bond is real and special and sometimes science or any analysis is not really an absolute necessity. Interesting vid tho, and still adore Brits haircut 😊

[@Kryzmatic1]

Humans are not even sure what love really is, so how are we going to determine if a dog knows...

[@654pedro123]

By this video it seems that humans don't even know if they feel love themselves.

[@manictiger]

Love is a chain of chemical reactions that eventually carves habitual familiarity and association-based reactions (like how a girl might orgasm better in bondage because she's associated the two together). Congrats, you're a machine.

[@prod.arcsyne2990]

WHAT IS LOOOVE?

[@kingjames4886]

BABY DON'T HURT MEEE!!

[@ashleydah27]

Oooh I love your hair! ❤

[@chimpanzee243]

"They connect with us in a way we find meaningful." - That's all I need ^_^

[@gyohza]

Yes, 'love hormone' is a major simplification of oxytocin. For one thing, it can be extracted from voles to make love potions, but you should avoid using those during flu season. Also, mantises are not the opposite of voles.

[@jmanj3917]

3:08 And both babies and puppies have a tendency to hide behind your leg, peeking out to see what's going on from time to time, when you're meeting someone who is a stranger to the young creature.

[@IdahoTricia]

I watched this with my dog curled up next to me. ❤️ 🐶

[@Cat-nf9bh]

We can find meaning in relationships with any animal if you interact with him/her enough and get to know him/her.

[@rhyslogan6490]

I don't know if dogs can love but I do know that I love this channel

[@brankeane2830]

This bumps up against the ultimate question in this area: What is love? (Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more…)

[@Red-in-Green]

In my opinion, love is about the human need to bond with others. Dogs also need to bond to be happy and healthy. Therefore dogs feel love.

[@loor4753]

I’ve never believed dogs could love you, but this is actually enough evidence for me that they can.

[@kennethmoses4900]

Didn’t need science to tell me that my dog loves me, but I’m happy for the confirmation.

[@Thoran666]

Great information that confirms my suspicion working with pubs and small children. They are so similar. They are so cute and yet need to be taught the basic rules. It hurts to be good sometimes

[@OttoRolloff]

@SciShow Psych, great video as always! An idea: I would like to see a similar video, but about cats :) and a comparison between dog "love" and cat "love" too.

[@mooselove]

What is love? Baby don’t hurt me... don’t hurt me.. no more.

[@elyasafaloni8925]

You can't talk about love without defining "love"... Define love.

[@MyPisceanNature]

My girl kitty tells me precisely how much I love her. She would know. She is all-knowing. Just ask her, she will tell you.

[@iiiCupCakeiii1]

Love the curls

[@rohanshinde4327]

Love is quantifiable. It says so in interstellar.

[@typograf62]

But if I drop dead, a dog's interest in me would change to the macabre. So a dog's affection is somewhat pragmatic. Btw. the smell of someone being very sad is quite pungent.

[@OG_Wonder_Woman]

typograf62 You're suggesting a dog would eat your dead body, but that's not true, as a rule. Usually, dogs do not eat a dead human they were close to. A dog will not usually eat a dog, cat or other animal that the dog was close to. Instead, they mourn (howling, crying, pacing, refusing to eat). They often refuse to leave the body, and will sometimes try to bite anyone who tries to remove the body. A dog will sometimes eat it's dead owner if it is trapped somewhere and the body is all the dog has to eat...but humans will eat our dead if we have to, to survive, as well. Like has happened with plane or boat crash survivors eating the dead, etc. So, they don't stop seeing your body as 'you' after you die...much like humans. Your dog definitely does not think of you as food. In any case, even if dogs DID usually eat their owner after death, that wouldn't prove anything about whether they love them while alive. Many human cultures have involved eating at least part of the corpse of a dead loved one, after all.

[@typograf62]

There are a lot of cases of dogs eating their loved owner after he or she has died. It can happen within a day. And it is not a popular thing to mention. The Danish forensic pathologist Geertinger attracted a lot of flak when he wrote about the phenomenon. But you are right: It does not disprove of their love for us. I do not doubt that dogs and cats and quite a lot of other animals like or love their human friends and family.

[@metaphorebbelaar6944]

Love is not an emotion... LOVE IS A PROMISE

[@cabbagemontage6999]

I can trust a dog more than I can trust whatever love a person might give. With a dog, I know they'll be there to the death. With people... Ah, chemicals come, chemicals go. Dogs stay. Human love, is a business... You need to constantly keep a show going, ells it's over. Dogs, are friends. They'll be there.

[@lunafoxfire]

I'd like to see a similar study but with cats. Cats are social, but are generally much more subtle about it than humans or dogs.

[@loganwolv3393]

Well since we know that we humans can love...yeah i'm nearly 100% sure that they love us too even if it's slightly different it's still that love and affection vibe.

[@cup_check_official]

but the real question is does my cat love me? Also, hows cameo? :D

[@bob1234881]

Software Man no!

[@sebastianelytron8450]

Braced myself for a hilarious joke when I clicked Read more Disappointed :(

[@Digiflower5]

Yea your cat does love you. :)

[@brandin7294]

Cats love nothing.

[@Pedro-tm6ue]

F**k cats! They're pointless.

[@jazb6299]

If attachment, care and affection aren’t love maybe you guys should do a video on what love is .

[@futureaests2170]

love the hair

[@ryanbranigan231]

WHAT IS LOVE? BABY DONT HURT ME DONT HURT ME NO MORE

[@fluffycommander]

But... Can love bloom on the battlefield? Asking for a friend.

[@Zeldon567]

♫What is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Baby, don't hurt me. No more.♫

[@johnclavis]

I know my old dog loved me, because he said so! Sure, it came out "IRUHROOH", but that's close enough!

[@JaytleBee]

please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes THEY SAID YES*!!!! That's good enough!

[@ben-s]

I took a dog from a dog shelter, a year ago. He was lost in the streets. He sees me now as a savior and is willing to do anything I would say to, and he's following me on every step I go no matter what, even if he has a food next to him. I wonder what would happen if this dog would find his previous "master". Anyone had this outcome?

Yes he does. Oh yes, he does doesn't he? Yes you do, you good boy.

[@jangambler9998]

0:20 You see, that's the misconception about most traits that you can find in animals. It's most probably not just a trait that dogs had from the start but more of a combination of traits that made dogs better as a companion than say, an alligator. Over generations humans have evolved to find certain things dogs do lovable (for me it's definitely their eyebrows and their head tilting) but so did dogs evolve to appreciate the creatures sheltering them and giving them food. Coevolution.

[@drizzlingrose]

smell emotions? SO THEY CAN SMELL MY FEAR!?

[@maxsalmon4980]

Why do dogs love you? Because sci...CROSS PROMOTION! (^_^)

[@greenbarrel3886]

Sapience is required for complex emotions. Dogs and other animals that appear to bond with humans do so as a survival strategy--they mimic behaviors that humans will respond to positively (such as a cat's meow) in order to use a human as a source for food and territory. The more a particular human provides the animal quarter, the more the animal will associate that particular human's scent as a source of low-effort food. When the human is gone, the scent starts to fade, causing stress in the animal as it determines it may need to find a new source of food in the near future. The stress relaxes when the human returns, since they know their next meal is secure. Who the human is is irrelevant--the more they associate a particular human with feeding or comfort, the more they will appear to harbor affection toward that human. In reality, they display the behaviors those particular humans like in order to secure their food supply. Human brains are wired to see patterns even where there are none as their own survival strategy. In antiquity, the cost of a false positive of recognizing a pattern was far less costly than failing to recognize a real threat or opportunity. Thus, any cues we pick up that are even remotely related to a phenomenon are usually mistaken for that phenomenon, provided another more likely phenomenon doesn't match those cues more closely. Thus, when we see animals mimicking behaviors that we respond well to, we anthropomorphize the animals and assign our own motivations to the animals based on what we would think or feel if we were in their position. In effect, the love we feel is our overactive empathy and pattern analysis leading us to believe that the animal "feels" anything at all, much like how people will often assign motive or emotion to inanimate objects such as cars, toys, technology or most anything we humans interact with. Does your dog love you? No. But since perception is our reality, and we convince ourselves deeply enough that it does, we feel the love just as strongly as a child feels loved by their favorite plushie. The real question is whether or not the fact that this love is wholly a product of our overactive imaginations is meaningful in any way--we get what we want, and the animal gets what they want.

[@kari7403]

Green Barrel I tend to agree with you quite a bit on that. I think most people are dog lovers and most dog lovers don't want to believe it. But that's okay, really. Its not hurting anyone or anything. But what i be wondered is, Why are certain dogs or certain breeds of dogs more inclined to assign themselves one person. Usually the person that first takes them home or first shows any positive attention. Like, chihuahuas or shizues. What makes those little breeds so undividedly loyal to that one individual and such a nasty little critter to anyone else? Even if other people feed the animal more than the original "person". Even if the other person gives them treats daily. Those little monsters will take it, growl at the person and prance back to their person of choice. Is that a food survival thing? Or a pack thing? or what?

[@jdmj707]

Do you have one of these about cats? I don’t wanna translate this video onto my cat and misinterpret her

[@poochwell]

I know my dog loves me! And I love him too... :-))

[@raychumon]

My dog used to wait for me to sit on the floor, and then she'd sit next to me and put her head on my chest, and sometimes one of her paws on my belly. She'd just close her eyes and sit there like that, and she loved it when I wrapped my arm around her and hugged her and kissed her head. I don't need a scientist to run tests to try and tell me if she loved me. I KNOW she did.

[@Paldasan]

What is love? Doggy don't' bite me, don't bite me, No more. Whoa ooh ooh ahh ah ha ha whoa ooh ahh ah ha ha

[@ioan_jivan]

I love u, DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG!

[@ginkgo823]

Can we please get an episode on the Science of star signs? Also, love the channel 💖

[@jessicaevans7847]

I love my baby brindle and she loves me.... period.

[@oscarfellows5226]

I sure hope that dogs care for me, because nobody else does

[@km1dash6]

I think that scolience can't answer every question, nor should it. Some other perspectives, like phenomenology, might be able to answer is question by asking whether you feel or experience love from your dog. If you answer yes, then yes, your dog loves you.

[@ShadaOfAllThings]

My dog definitely gets separation anxiety

[@abedall11]

My puppy loves me so much 🥰🥰🥰

[@greyareaRK1]

What is love? (Baby, don't hurt me.)

[@VitePapa]

I want to know what love is... I want you to show me...

[@thisismyname8621]

“It doesn’t mean you love your dog” wibba I love my two dogs ok

[@p-mtc3900]

Can you do an episode why do people tatoo?

[@ZoggFromBetelgeuse]

Next episode: "Does your cat hate you?"

[@MaxArceus]

Your hair looks great.

[@chikiwiki64]

You know, Spongebob once said "Robots can't love." Then, we got the movie Wall-E. You can't tell me dogs can't love in the same way.

[@bibarel4665]

It cant because its not a human duh!!

[@arjunratnadev]

I donno bout love but, ahh they sure are always hungry

[@lemon2612]

Short answer: yes. Long answer: definitely yes.

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

Translation to casual talk: "As far as we can tell, actually yes. (And that's kinda interesting.)"

[@papinkelman7695]

I am a cat person. But dogs are great too. Some what...

[@nathania9710]

this is making me miss my dog so badly

[@MindlessLittlePony]

Hi, very informative and interesting video! Where can I find a T-shirt like that?

[@DragonFruitXVI]

Whats the difference, actions matter more. I don't care what their brain is doing as long as they do what a loving pet would do there is no difference that trully matters.

[@Sean-ll5cm]

I'm pretty sure my parrot loves me.. They bond is even stronger than a dog's imo

[@aprildawnsunshine4326]

Sorry, off topic but I need that shirt! My 13yo says that daily! I tried looking on dftba.com but I couldn't find it :(

[@arksine]

Okay did you answer the question? Hahaha

[@HatsuneMiku-ky3cp]

next question how do i stop crying

[@IceMetalPunk]

I've never liked the idea of mind-body dualism. It doesn't seem to be based in any objective evidence. If they have the same brain activity as we do when we love someone, and they have the same chemical changes, and they have the same behaviors... then they DO love you. Because that's all love is: brain activity mediated by chemicals to alter behavior. Like anything any animal ever does, including humans :)

[@RialuCaos]

I do not think they were suggesting that the mind is separate from the body, but merely that we do not understand all of the physiological aspects of emotions yet.

[@Nagby3]

not about the content of the video, but this struck me : that's a marvelous haircut

[@alexandruplescan912]

Audio was a bit lagging behind on this episode, other than that great! at least i know my pupper's attatched to me

[@theyhaveitcannedbread1988]

Wholesome

[@seanpeery7780]

But.. *I wanna know what love is!*

[@Jebbtube]

One thing I know for sure; cats do not love you, they just consider you convenient.