Animals: You may disagree, but...

[lspencer534]

Some people have a hard time dealing with the fact that animals are not here solely for us. It is not their duty to suffer and die for our benefit. We often underestimate how deeply they can value life, how deeply they appreciate freedom and loyalty.

They also can have their hearts broken, and they also can feel happy, yet we so often dismiss their feelings. Bandit, the bull, had spent his entire life chained in narrow stables, but he never got used to it! It’s not something they can get used to, they are just forced to endure it.

Look at how happy he was when he was finally allowed to move freely!

YouTube (Short URL)

[MrPeabody]

My dogs have more human-like emotions and feelings than some of the humans I know.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

My dogs have more human-like emotions and feelings than some of the humans I know.

And they gladly put their life before yours,

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

And they gladly put their life before yours,

Nah, they'd sell me out for a rawhide chew. That's what makes them so human.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

Nah, they'd sell me out for a rawhide chew. That's what makes them so human.

True....

[99 pewtercoupe]

I’m pretty certain that a couple of our cats have lied to me on occasion

[marrepka]

Originally Posted by 99 pewtercoupe

I’m pretty very certain that a couple of our cats have lied to me on occasion

My oldest owes me money... little bastard

[OddBall]

Mammals have emotions, but they are innately selfish. Just like children. Children feel almost everything that adults do, but they are selfish. They have to be, first order of survival. And they will remain selfish until taught not to be and their emotions have time to mature.
It is very difficult to teach an animal not to be selfish, especially one that is by nature non-social. And even then, it has to be an animal with the capacity to reason. This is why your dog doesn't feel guilt. What ever they do, they meant to do it. There is a refreshing honesty in that. If you have trained them not to do something; then they are not doing that out of a sense of duty or guilt, it's because of the negative reinforcement for the act and alternative conduct provided with positive reinforcement. (a scolding when he craps on the rug, Praise when learns to paw at the door to go out.)
They have a limited capacity in what they can feel, they just don't have the mental mass to have any more than they do. They will never have a human's capacity and they will never feel on the level that adult humans feel. At best it will be the same as a child's. But what they do have is enough for us to connect and communicate on. We know when they are pissed or happy, and they know when we are pissed or happy. My horse gives me hugs and my dog gives me licks, and that's enough for me.

[snide]

Originally Posted by OddBall

My horse gives me hugs and my dog gives me licks, and that's enough for me.

True Animal Love -- h3h3 reaction video - YouTube

[OddBall]

Originally Posted by snide

True Animal Love -- h3h3 reaction video - YouTube

Needs two buckets for his wife!

[Defib1961]

Guilty dogs. Yeah, they are smarter than most people give them credit for.

YouTube

[syf350]

If this doesn't bring a tear to your eyes you must have a heart made of stone. "In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Louisiana State University .

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same ****ing elephant.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by OddBall

Mammals have emotions, but they are innately selfish. Just like children. Children feel almost everything that adults do, but they are selfish. They have to be, first order of survival. And they will remain selfish until taught not to be and their emotions have time to mature.
It is very difficult to teach an animal not to be selfish, especially one that is by nature non-social. And even then, it has to be an animal with the capacity to reason. This is why your dog doesn't feel guilt. What ever they do, they meant to do it. There is a refreshing honesty in that. If you have trained them not to do something; then they are not doing that out of a sense of duty or guilt, it's because of the negative reinforcement for the act and alternative conduct provided with positive reinforcement. (a scolding when he craps on the rug, Praise when learns to paw at the door to go out.)
They have a limited capacity in what they can feel, they just don't have the mental mass to have any more than they do. They will never have a human's capacity and they will never feel on the level that adult humans feel. At best it will be the same as a child's. But what they do have is enough for us to connect and communicate on. We know when they are pissed or happy, and they know when we are pissed or happy. My horse gives me hugs and my dog gives me licks, and that's enough for me.

Substitute the word Politicians for Mammals at the beginning of this post and you are spot on.

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by syf350

If this doesn't bring a tear to your eyes you must have a heart made of stone. "In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Louisiana State University .

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same ****ing elephant.