20. Dogs Make Friends Easily
Have you ever seen a picture of a dog and a cat -one of the most iconic pair of enemies- cuddle together as if they were best friends? Or have you ever came across a story of a dog that befriended a tiger cub or an elephant? How is this possible why Dogs seems to be friends with everyone? Click through this slideshow to discover why dogs absolutely love their animal friends and how can they become best pals with wild animals! Don’t miss #12 & #6!
The internet is filled with pictures of dogs being best friends and hanging out with a variety of animals, including kittens , ducklings or even exotic animals like baby elephants . We know that puppies are extremely friendly and playful and never hesitate to make new friends but why they befriend almost everyone on the spot? Is this nature and biology doing their job or is it just pups being pups? Click through the slideshow to learn about this fascinating fact!
19. Every Shape and Color
Dogs are extremely social animals and lack of social interaction can really be hard for them. They tend to get along well with each other (though some breeds may not) but sometimes this isn’t enough. Friendship doesn’t know of shapes and colors and dogs prove this. But why this happens?
18. Why This Happens?
Is it just pups or just nature after all? Psychologist Dr. Stanley Coren aims to give us a clear answer. It basically appears to be a mix of biological and environmental factors that shape this behavior and dogs seems to enjoy it a lot. But not everyone is accepted. Click next to see why!
17. Young Mammals
Dr Stanley Coren states that it all stems from the fact that dogs are mammals and they’re more keen to befriend a young mammal as they feel that they’re helping one of their kind. “All mammals have certain pheromones—simply biological scents—they give off, and they have a certain communication value,” Dr. Coren explains.
16. Foster Moms
15. A Special Bond
Dr.Coren also says that female dogs are more likely to befriend and adopt a young mammal. They consider the new animal a member of their family and they seem not to discern between species. They essentially become foster moms! Pheromones indicate if an animal is young and often we find female dogs respond to that and start to mother these animals very much as if they were their own pups.”, Dr.Coren, says.
14. Young And Fuzzy
By the time a dog shows some interest and adopts or becomes friend or with an other animal the pair has to establish a special bond that usually takes some time to develop. This bond can become stronger with mutual exploration, play and walks, though just cuddling together seem to do the job. There are cases that bonding couldn’t be established but they’re rare as pups tend to love everyone!
13. Why Other Animals
“It starts with a female dog who decides to mother something that is young and fuzzy,” Dr. Coren comments. But why do dogs choose other animals and not other dogs? After all dogs should have been the most obvious choice, right?
12. Like A Teddy Bear
As stated before, dogs being extraordinarily social beings need human company more often than we think and they will bond with everyone that they will keep them company. Also as dogs are bred by human, they learnt that other species aren’t usually a threat, at least those that people tend to be comfortable around.
11.Under The Right Conditions
Sometimes dogs seem to find great psychological support and compassion into other animals like a human could find into a teddy bear or a toy. Dr. Coren states: “I think that’s the way the bonding occurs between a dog and a cat; the other animal becomes their support object as their personal plush toy.”
10. Can’t Stand Isolation
Bonding though can’t always be successful. It has to happen under the right conditions as the animal has to feel secure and trust the environment in which his new friend will be introduced.
9. Is It Empathy?
It also appears that dogs can’t stand isolation and as Dr.Coren puts it: “Dogs feel very uncomfortable when they’re isolated, so they would much prefer to be with other dogs, but they’ll settle. It’s a companionship kind of a thing.”
8. Emotional Intelligence
There are multiple reasons why people choose, adopt and welcome an animal into their lives but how does this happens in dogs? Do they find them cute? Do they feel empathy or is it again biology? Dr.Coren again enlights us by stating that : “It depends on how you define empathy. Dogs do respond to stress in the animals, but it depends.”
7. One Of Their Pack
Dr.Coren also says that dogs can feel and express basic emotions like a two or three year old human child would be able to do. Basic emotions like happiness, anger, sadness, nothing too complex. It becomes obvious that as they can feel these emotions it means that they understand them and most likely recognize them in other animals.
6. Wild Animals
By the time they realize that an other animal would benefit from their existence dogs tend to do everything in order to help an other animal in need. They feel the need to help, a really primitive need as Dr.Coren says. They feel like one member of their pack needs help!
5. How Does This happen?
How could you explain though, that dogs decide to be friends with wild animals like tigers, lions and wild roars that they would absolutely be terrified of in the wild? It all has to do with the age that the two animals are introduced to each other.
4. Adopting Process
You’re probably wondering about pray-hunter relationship right now but it all makes sense. Dr.Coren says that those bonds aren’t common but they can surely happen as we see. If a wild animal – also a dangerous one- is introduced into a dog at the right age they’ll have developed a healthy friendship and the danger is eliminated.
3. Friends!
“If a miniature poodle simply walks up to a cheetah, the cheetah is going to look at it and think, ‘Meals on Wheels!’” Dr. Coren says. “If you’re dealing with a power differential, the trick is the adopting process.” Dr.Coren Says
2. A Company
You don’t harm your friend right? Even if you’re a predator you wouldn’t harm those that you consider your best pals. That’s the mindset that the adoption process aims for.
1. Lovely Animals
Humans also tend to be busy sometimes and as much as we don’t want to neglect our pets, it seems that sometimes it is inevitable. That’s why having an animal pal seems to be perfect.
We can conclude that dogs are such adorable creatures that crave for social interaction, human or non-human and they’re capable of doing everything to find it. Even if they find it in an other rather “weird” animal for them, they never hesitate and embrace the opportunity to make a great friend!
