Do Dogs Fall in Love Like in the Movies?

By Tamara McRill

Remember that romantic kiss scene in Lady and the Tramp? You know the one…where they are eating a big plate of spaghetti and unknowingly slurping away at the same noodle, until their snouts meet in a smooch. Then Tramp noses the last meatball across the plate to Lady.

Aww. So adorable, right? Not to kill the cuteness factor, but have you ever wondered whether dogs can really fall head-over-paws in love like that?

Doggy love is a hard topic to find solid research on, maybe because it’s hard to qualify the emotion separate from simple affection. A lot of scientists seem to just flat out not believe in it.

Anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Social Lives of Dogs, believes that dogs can fall in love. In her book, she tells the story of Sundog and Bean, two dogs that met each other by chance and only had the pleasure of each other’s company for a brief period of time. Bean’s owner was a builder and they were off as soon as the job was finished.

Sundog would still faithfully wait to hear the sound of the vehicle Bean’s owner drove, but to no avail. He stopped eating and slept more often. Even bringing in another female dog didn’t interest him. As for Bean, her owner believed she was yearning for Sundog, even to the extent that she would run away, looking for him.

Sundog and Bean’s doggie “romance” may not be quite like it is in the movies, since their story lacked a happy ending, but their love seems real enough to me. Even a little reminiscent of Ben and Jade’s touching story, “Ties that Bind: What One Dog Did for Love.” Except that Ben and Jade did have a happy ending where, after trials and tribulations, they found each other again…much like Beethoven and Missy in the movie Beethoven’s 2nd.

I’ve only had two dogs that I ever considered “in a relationship.” Bo and Daisy were malamute and husky mixes that were bonded from birth. They played together and had puppies together.

Daisy passed away first and although Bo was sad, he seemed to recover fairly quickly. I’m sure this had much to do with his incredible bond with my mother. So were Bo and Daisy two dogs in love? It’s not like they were separated long enough to search each other out like Ben and Jade did and dramatically prove their devotion, but who am I to judge? I think it’s entirely possible they were “in love.”

So yes, it seems to me that dogs can fall in love with other dogs, just like Perdita had her Pongo in 101 Dalmatians and Marmaduke had both his Jezebel and, ultimately, his Mazie. Maybe one of these days I’ll get to witness my Wuppy nosing his CANIDAE Pure Heaven treats over to the love of his doggy life. We’re not just talking about fleeting puppy love here, but a long-lasting, deep emotional bond. Surely that’s favorite treat share-worthy!

Has your dog ever fallen in love with another dog?

Top photo by Michael Gil
Bottom photo by Droid Gingerbread

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Ties That Bind: What One Dog Did For Love

By Linda Cole

Two stray dogs living on the streets of Terre Haute, Indiana met and “fell in love,” or so the story goes. Life took an abrupt turn, however, when the two became separated. But one of the dogs wasn't going to let anything stop him from being reunited with his best four legged friend.

Four and a half year old Ben, a mixed breed, and one year old Jade, a German Shepherd mix, were well known strays that called the streets of Terre Haute home. How they met is anyone's guess, but over time an incredible bond grew between them. The dogs were looked after by locals in the community, but the pair remained skittish of humans. When Jade became pregnant, the Terre Haute Humane Society (THHS) decided it was time to rescue both dogs.

Since they were comfortable with each other, the shelter kenneled them together until Jade gave birth to six healthy puppies. It was decided that they would be better in a foster home environment until the pups were weaned, and were moved to the home of Kali Skinner, one of the THHS adoption counselors. According to Skinner, “Jade was timid, but a very caring mother.” When the pups were old enough, they were put up for adoption and all quickly found forever homes.

Ben was overjoyed to see Jade when she returned to the shelter, and life was good until a young couple stopped in looking for a dog to adopt. Courtney and Jason Lawler fell in love with Ben, but they didn't want two dogs. The couple's three year old son, Peyton, and one dog would be all they could handle – or so they thought. Ben was led away from the shelter and his best friend, and Jade was left alone in the kennel. This might have been the end to this sad story of two friends saying goodbye, but Ben had other ideas and wasn't about to be separated from his love.

Ben was adopted about three weeks before Christmas 2012. Three days after Christmas, Jason was talking on his cell phone as he took the garbage out. While Jason was distracted, Ben raced out the door and started running, never once stopping to look back. All Jason could do was yell his frustration as Ben ignored him and disappeared from sight.

The couple began to search their neighborhood. What they didn’t know, however, was that Ben had set off to find Jade at the shelter, which was ten miles away. He arrived there the next night, and when the shelter called the Lawlers, they were shocked to learn Ben was able to go that far in such a short time. (Never underestimate the power of a close bond or the determination of a street wise canine!). The couple was aware the two dogs had been rescued together, but had no idea how closely bonded they were.

Jade was inside a fence when Ben got to the shelter. He gave her a kiss through the fence but refused to go inside, as if he detected danger. It also seemed like Jade was trying to warn him to stay away. Workers from the shelter tried to capture him, but he was too quick and used his street smarts to stay one step ahead of them. It took a couple of hours before they were able to corral him. By then, the Lawlers had arrived at the shelter to pick up Ben. They took him inside to see Jade before leaving, and that's when they realized how close the two dogs were. Ben would never be completely happy without Jade, so they did what any compassionate pet owners would, and adopted Jade, too!

The ties that bind can't be fully explained, and when a bond is strong it can't be broken by time or distance. On the streets, Ben and Jade shared a bond that grew deeper day by day. They looked out for each other, depended on each other, and gave comfort and companionship to one another. Isn't that what love is all about? To this day, Ben and Jade are inseparable, and both have formed a close bond with the Lawler's son. The two strays finally found their forever home – together.

Photos by Courtney Lawler

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Still Looking for Love, Bruin Appears on The Bachelor

By Bruin, canine guest blogger

I just wanted to let all my friends out there know that, so far, my on-line dating adventure has not scored for me.  I did have an offer to appear on The Bachelor TV show though, and wanted to share my experience.  For those who don’t mind sitting in the hair and makeup room at 5:00 a.m., it might be just right for you.  As I’ve previously mentioned, hygiene is very important to me and I expect good grooming in others but even more so in myself.  Would you believe that they wanted to powder my snout and rough up my ridge to give me what they considered a more fashionable punk style?

There were six lovely lady dogs on stage from which I was to choose.  They didn’t give us much time to converse, so I had to decide based on grooming, breeding and which one gave more rise to my hackles.  Ultimately, I flipped a coin to decide if it would be head or tail.  The producers were somewhat perturbed when I bounded out of script and gave the lady I selected a CANIDAE dog treat instead of the usual corny, thorny rose.  She very graciously and not so genteelly jumped up and grabbed for it immediately.  Who knows, maybe this time I would get lucky!  We made arrangements to meet and have dinner the following evening at a very fine establishment.

Since the place was somewhat formal, I arrived dressed in a top hat and, of course, my tail(s).  The barking lot was full so I had to use the valet for my Range Rover but I wanted to get there early to have an opportunity to discuss whether red or white “whine” would go best with our CANIDAE and Chateaubriand.  The sommelier patted me on the head and said he would take care of everything.

A few moments later, Poochilla Presley walked into the restaurant and all heads turned as her lovely nostrils flared seeking me out.  There she was wearing a beautiful fur coat.  Relax now…her fur was a fake.  Yes, I said Presley, a distant member of the litter that produced the singer of my favorite song “You Ain’t Nothing But a Hounddog.” As we sat gazing longingly into each other’s eyes, they started to play “Puppy Love” and she suggested we dance.  I had to beg off though, explaining that I was sorry but I had four left feet.

We chatted and found we shared several commonalities. Our favorite movies are Turner and Hooch, Reservoir Dogs and Dog Day Afternoon.  We both love to watch TV, with Doggie Houser and Starsky and Pooch among our favorites.  We also both enjoy Tailor Swift and Snoop Dog, and we both hate hot dogs.  She didn’t have much of an interest in sports, but her ears did perk up when I told her I always rooted for the UCLA Bruins.  When she thought that the team had been named after me, I didn’t exactly lie but I did fail to correct her assumption.

When she excused herself briefly to go powder her snout, I reached into my collar and retrieved my cash to pay the check.  I only left a 15% gratuity, however, because we had to ask that our water bowl be refilled several times and they should have noticed when it was empty.

Since we were enjoying our conversation, we didn’t finish our meal and both wound up leaving the restaurant with doggie bags.  We parted company with me promising to howl in the next few days and her giving me a very sweet lick on the neck.  I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again.

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Is It OK to Love One Pet More?

By Julia Williams

Parents of human children rarely admit to others that they have a favorite. In my opinion, it’s probably not because they don’t feel a deeper bond with one of their kids. Every human being is a unique individual. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, to feel different things for different people.

One might say there are as many “shades of love” as there are stars in the night sky. So it’s a perfectly natural, human thing to have a favorite child, but most parents won’t admit it because the backlash can be brutal. Recently, one dad blogger received the internet equivalent of being burned at the stake after he confessed to having a favorite child. Society says we’re not supposed to play favorites with our kids. And that goes for our pets, too.

The reality is that some kids and pets are closer to our hearts than others. We may not understand why, but we know it’s true. It is what it is. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t create feelings of guilt. We think we should be able to love them all exactly the same, and we feel bad because we don’t. We can’t change what we feel, though, no matter how much we might want to.

I admit that I feel guilty for having stronger feelings for one of my cats than the other two. I positively adore Mickey and Rocky and would be a hot mess if anything happened to either one of them, but my spirit would be shattered if I lost my sweet Annabelle. I don’t know how (or even if) I could ever get over that loss, because this little cat has touched my heart in a way that I didn’t even know was possible, until one day … there it was. Annabelle is my heart cat. There will never be a cat that I love as much or more than Annabelle. As sure as I know my own name, I know this to be true.

Loving one child or pet more doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to treat them all as equals, but we all know it’s easier said than done. Little things slip out. Seemingly insignificant actions do not go unnoticed. I know without a doubt which child is my mother’s favorite, and it’s not me. I am not foolish enough to think that my own cats don’t also know which “fur kid” is my favorite. They do. Oh, I make sure to give them all the same number of those TidNips treats they’re crazy for. I pet them, brush them and speak lovingly to them as equally as possible. Yet I am certain they know what’s in my heart. How could they not?

My three "fur kids"

There is something unexplainable about emotions, something mysterious (spiritual perhaps?) about the bonds we have with others whether they have two legs or four. Mickey and Rocky probably don’t like not being the favorite child any more than I do, but that does not alter reality.

Is it okay to love one pet more? Well…I feel what I feel, so it has to be okay. I take good care of them and do everything possible to keep them safe and happy. I love them all as much as anyone can love another, and that’s what matters most of all.

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Millionaires Prefer Dogs to Cats; Should They Reconsider?

By Tamara McRill

As it turns out, the pet most likely to be shedding fur in the lap of luxury may not fit very well on a human lap at all. A recent survey done by the Spectrem Group shows that millionaires overwhelmingly pick dogs as their pet of choice: 58% own dogs, while only 37% are cat owners.

That's a big difference in pet ownership from the rest of the country. Humane Society statistics show that 39 percent of U.S. households own dogs, while 33 percent own cats. But those households actually own more cats total than dogs: 8.2 million more cats, to be exact. This is because feline households are more likely to have two cats, while canine households are more likely to have only one dog.

So why do millionaires prefer dogs over cats? Are they missing out on something the rest of the country gets about cats?

Looking for Love and Loyalty

One of the theories floating around is that millionaires might prefer the unconditional love and loyalty dogs give them. A love that is unattached to their ginormous bank balance. That is something you'll certainly get in spades from most dogs.

But here's a secret most cat owners could tell these millionaires: cats love deeply and faithfully too. Now I don't know if it takes longer for a cat to become deeply attached to its human, since I have always been a very hands-on pet owner. I do know, from having many cats in my youth, that kitties can love just as fiercely as dogs. Maybe it does come down to having the time to play and bond.

What about Time?

Having owned both cats and dogs, I would say that dog ownership takes far more time out of your day. Larger breeds can't get the type of exercise indoors that most cats can manage, and all dogs need to be walked. They also need to be taken out to potty.

Some wealthy people may choose to hire someone to handle those dog details, but I'm assuming they could just as easily hire someone to change the litter pan.

Travel Companions

Perhaps it comes down to being able to take their pets with them. Assuming that many wealthy pet owners travel frequently, they may choose dogs as their four legged companions because they can go more places with them. Although both cats and dogs can certainly travel, dogs are more accepted in hotels and other locations.

Of the other factors I could think of, dogs and cats came out even. Having a high-powered job is stressful, but petting either animal is a proven stress reducer. It's certainly just as fun to hand out a FELIDAE cat treat to a purring pal as it is to toss a CANIDAE dog treat to a drooling buddy.

Top photo by Puppies are Prozac
Bottom photo by Suzi Duke

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What Brings Your Pet Joy?

By Julia Williams

One of the things I find most interesting about human beings is our uniqueness. We each have a distinct set of things we like, and things we don’t like. No matter how many humans you compared side by side, you’d never find two whose preferences matched. It’s the same with our pets. While some people think animals are a less complicated species than humans, in terms of their preferences each pet is unlike any other. However, without the ability to speak our language, pets generally have a harder time making those preferences known. They have to rely on body language and their own “animal speak” to get their point across. They also need an owner who is tuned in and takes the time to discover what floats their boat.

Understanding what brings your pet joy and then doing what you can to provide that for them is a wonderful way to deepen your bond. We humans appreciate it when others make a point of knowing what we love and what we don’t, so why should it be any different for our pets? It’s really not, but because of the language barrier we typically don’t learn all of our pet’s likes and dislikes as quickly as we do with humans. It can take many months, sometimes even years, of observation and trial-and-error to figure out what makes them tick. The reward – a beautiful, close-knit relationship – is well worth it, though.

Discovering what your pet loves is important, but what is also crucial is making sure that others know these things, too. When I wrote Have You Made Arrangements for Your Pet, I neglected to mention this, but I should have. It’s an essential arrangement for every family with pets but especially those who are single. I was reminded of this while reading Gwen Cooper’s novel, Love Saves the Day. The cat protagonist lived with a single woman who passed away. Even though the cat’s new family was the woman’s daughter, she was thrust into a home where they knew nothing about what she loved and what she didn’t. Many pets are surrendered to shelters without this critical information as well.

Change is hard enough for any pet. Imagine suddenly being in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers, unable to tell them that the food they offered wasn’t appealing to your palate, or that you wanted a lighter touch of the brush when they groomed you, or that what you really wanted someone to do, more than anything, was scratch your belly. It would be frustrating, to say the least. A pet’s quality of life would surely be diminished if they weren’t being provided with what they love most.

Now that my own cats are 14 and 11, I have a good grasp of their individual likes and dislikes. I know that Belle absolutely, positively loves to cuddle, Rocky tolerates a hug now and then (I like to think it’s because he loves me) and Mickey would rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick than be held and cuddled. I know Mickey well enough to know that if I dare to pick him up and cuddle him, I have about 30 seconds (a minute tops!) before I’ll get my face bitten off. Some might say this means Mickey is unfriendly and not a nice cat, but they’d be wrong. He doesn’t love being cuddled, but he’s a very affectionate cat as long as it’s on his terms – he loves to sit on my lap while I read or watch TV, and loves to be petted and brushed while he relaxes by the heater.

I also know that shaking a pouch of FELIDAE TidNips cat treats will turn my lazy/sleeping kitties into wide awake, prancing, meowing, deliriously happy felines. A cat treat might seem like such a small, simple thing to a human, but to these three it’s the highlight of their day. My cats are all different and unique beings, but their love of these treats is the one thing they can all agree upon. Who am I to deny them what they love more than anything? I would not dare. For I know that if I did, it would only be a matter of time before my bare foot found their strategically placed hairball!

Top photo by Meredith Leigh Collins
Bottom photo by Per Ola Wiberg

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How Do Dogs Show Their Love?

By Linda Cole

Dogs show us affection in many different ways. Most pet owners recognize their own pet's love in his body language, and some dogs have unique ways of showing us how important we are to them. One way my Border Collie mix, Keikei, shows her affection is by holding her paw up so we can “hold hands.” There are, however, some common ways dogs show their love.

Doggy Kisses

Some canines give kisses more readily than others, and licking is a common way for them to show their love. Your dog may lick your legs, feet, hands, arms or face. If you have a dog that shows affection by licking your hands, make sure to wash them before preparing or eating food. Don't allow your pet to lick open wounds you may have. A doggy kiss is fine, but his tongue can transmit bacteria to your hands or an open sore.

The Pied Piper Effect

One sure sign of love is wanting to keep you in sight at all times. Sure, your dog may follow you to the kitchen just in case there's something in it for him, but he's more likely following you because he cares. Dogs have an innate protective nature when it comes to pack members, and to our canine friends we are a member of their pack. His natural desire is to follow you and wherever you lead – he will follow. But tagging along because he wants to be near you can also be a sign of separation anxiety. If you notice increased levels of stress before you leave and when he's home alone, talk to your vet for advice on how to help ease his anxiety. A checkup can rule out any medical issues that could be causing him stress.

Leaning on You

There are different reasons why dogs like to lean on us. One reason is because we make them feel safe and secure, and they lean against us to return the feeling. Some dogs lean on your legs when you're sitting or standing. Some like to climb up in your lap or sit beside you on the couch to snuggle as close as they can get. My dogs rest their head on my knee or foot, nudge my hand with their nose, or rub against my legs like a cat. These are all signs of affection. Touching is as important to canines as it is to us. A dog who rests his head on your knee or nudges your hand wants to be petted. It's his way of asking politely for attention. On the other hand, slapping at you with his paw is a demand for attention and should be ignored.

Exposing Their Tummy

One sign of submission is when a dog rolls over and exposes his belly. This says he trusts you completely and feels comfortable around you. Reward his sign of affection and trust with some tummy rubs.

Smiling

Jeffrey Mogil is a psychologist and neuroscientist at McGill University in Montreal. Based on research he did on mice on their facial reaction to pain, he believes that dogs do have the ability to smile. Our pets likely show emotions in similar ways we do and can use their facial muscles to form a smile. I know from watching my own dogs that there are times I see a smile on their face.

Wanting to Play

One way dogs bond with each other is through play. Barking, nipping and jumping around is a natural way they make friends, and they play with the ones they like. When your dog gives you a play bow, he's trying to get you to play with him because he sees you as his friend and it's a sign of his love.

A Wagging Tail

We know it's important to understand what a dog is trying to say with his wagging tail. It doesn't always indicate a happy or friendly dog, but you can't misinterpret your dog's excited tail wagging when he sees someone he cares about. New research on deciphering a wagging tail has found a subtle difference in how a dog wags his tail when he sees his owner, a stranger or an unfamiliar dog. We give our pets a positive feeling and they reflect it in how they wag their tail by pulling it a little bit to the right as they wag it. If their tail is pulled to the left side, that indicates negative feelings.

Most of the time, all you have to do is look into your dog's eyes to see how much he adores you. When he shows affection, he's saying you have his trust, respect and unconditional love. And that is priceless.

Top photo by SashaW
Bottom photo by Aine D

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