Animal emotions - II

External Since: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 20

Animals do not feel "disappointment". They don't have
an emotional state of "hopefulness", so they can't
experience "disappointment". If a mountain lion
doesn't catch the deer, it doesn't mope or do
*anything* that would indicate "disappointment". It
just starts hunting again.

If you tell your dog you're going to take it out for a
walk, and actually get the leash out and the dog gets
excited, but then you sit down and drink a beer and
watch the ballgame instead, the dog is not
"disappointed". It may appear a little confused,
because the usual outcome (of actually going for the
walk) did not follow the auditory signal "walk" or the
visual/auditory signal of "pick up leash", but it
doesn't feel "sad" or "disappointed". In a matter of
seconds, it has forgotten all about the walk. If
instead, a few minutes later, you engage the dog with
some other enjoyable behavior, the dog will participate
with exactly the same enthusiasm as it would have done
if this secondary activity had been the initial
stimulus instead of "walk".

Animals do not experience "disappointment". It is a
complex thought outside their mental world.

External Since: May 11, 2006 Posts: 3

>
> Yes. I've had lots of pets. I've observed that lots of unsophisticated
> pet owners mistakenly believe their animals have all sorts of capabilities
> the animals don't really have.

Bullshit!I've read lot's of BS about this topic.If dogs aren't aware why do
some bark at other dogs on the television?Mine does,many times he has raised
hell when he see's another dog on tv.When the scene changes and no more dog
on tv he stops barking at the tv.I do have a 62" tv so it makes it easier
for my dog to see the other dog,but none the less he is barking at another
dog as far as he's concerned.And I'll never believe that he's not!