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Do Dogs Know When You’re Sad? Vet-Approved Facts

Grant Piper

By Grant Piper

dog staring its male owner

Vet approved

Dr. Ashley Darby Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Ashley Darby

Veterinarian, BVSc

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Many people will say that their dogs can read their emotions. In fact, some people claim to love dogs so much because of this emotional intuition. Dogs can read people better than other people can. Or at least, that is what people feel. But is that actually true? Can dogs tell when you’re sad? Or are people simply imagining and projecting such emotional intelligence onto their favorite pets? If you’ve ever wondered about this, you are not alone. There have been multiple studies on the topic with results that may or may not surprise you. We dove into some of the most interesting and relevant studies to determine whether dogs really know when you’re sad or not.

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Can Dogs Tell When You’re Sad?

Multiple studies have confirmed that dogs can indeed tell when a person is sad. Dogs have been shown to be able to detect multiple human emotions and properly identify them, including sadness. That means you are not imagining it when you think that your dog is acting differently or seems to be trying to comfort you when you are sad.

dog leaning on its owner
Image By: MT-R, Shutterstock

How Dogs Tell That You Are Sad

Visual Cues

One way dogs can tell if you are sad or not is by your facial expression and body language. Dogs are highly in tune with body language. Body language is a big way that dogs communicate with one another (through posturing, tail position, etc.). When you are sad or mopey, you will likely be slouchier, or you might frown. Your dogs will pick up on these cues and start to interpret that you are sad.

Audio Cues

Another huge way that dogs can identify sadness in their owners is through audio cues. A study conducted by the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bari Aldo Moro (Italy) examined whether or not dogs could identify emotions through sound alone. And the results supported the idea that dogs are able to determine whether people were experiencing positive or negative emotions through sound alone. That means if you cry, just finished crying, or have a quiver in your voice due to sorrow, your dog is probably going to pick up on it. Dogs can tell when you are afraid or scared in the same way.

Behavioral Cues

Lastly, dogs can tell something is up if you are acting differently than normal. Dogs are big on routine, and when you start acting outside of your normal routine, it is going to get your dog’s attention. For example, if you normally go to work or are usually up and about during the day, and instead you are laying on the couch cuddling a throw pillow, your dog is going to know something is not right. Your dog might come and nudge you or get close to you when you are acting differently because they know that something has disrupted your regular routine.

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Dogs Will Try to Help If You Are Sad

If you feel like your dog is trying to cheer you up when you are sad, you aren’t crazy. Many people feel this way. A study published in the Journal of Learning and Behavior (July 2018) determined that when a dog has identified that their owner is sad or in distress, they attempt to get to their side. In the study, people who acted sad by crying would attract their dog faster and more often than if they were acting normally or happy. The study had a glass door separating the person and their dog so the dog could see and hear their owner. When the person acted upset, the dog would go through the door to the person 40 seconds faster on average. That means that dogs can a) identify when a person is upset, and b) try to get close to them when they are upset.

This study supports what many people already feel – that their dogs are trying to comfort them when they are sad.

wheaten terrier dog with his owner
Image By: katamount, Shutterstock

What Emotions Can Dogs Consistently Identify in Humans?

According to multiple studies, dogs can confidently recognize happiness, sadness, and fear in humans. These three emotions can be identified by sight, behavior, or sound. A study from the University of Lincoln, UK (2016) proved that dogs can match up facial expressions and audio cues for emotions. In the study, dogs were shown images of facial expressions and then played a sound. For example, a person smiling and a person screaming or a person smiling and the sound of a person laughing. When the images matched the audio, the dogs would pay closer attention and focus on the image longer, which shows recognition and identification.

So far, studies have proved that dogs can differentiate between positive and negative emotional states, which is a great tool for them as they have evolved to live in such close proximity to humans.

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Conclusion

The science is in, and the verdict is clear. Dogs do know when you are sad. In fact, not only can they identify sadness in various ways, but they will also move to act when they feel like their person is upset. Dogs will try to get close to their people and help them when they feel like they are in distress. That means you are not imagining things when your dog comes and lays next to you when you are moping on the couch. Dogs might not know that you got dumped, but they will know that something has upset you, and they will do their best to comfort you as only man’s best friend can. This fact has been proven through multiple studies conducted by prestigious universities and published in legitimate scientific journals, so don’t let anyone tell you that you are just imagining things.


Featured Image Credit: StockSnap, Pixabay

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