Dogs Go Viral For Showing Utmost Concern For Human Friend In Video

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THERE is a strong reason why dogs are called man’s best friend. Discounting the many centuries of good services to humanity, a trending video on the cyberspace revealed yet again why dogs are deserving of such a title.
In the video, a caretaker could be seen tripping over one of her four legged friends. Immediately, all the other dogs in the video came over to assist her, their concern so clearly captured on tape. 

“Empathy doesn’t require words. Just presence,” said @impavan17 in the comment section. Interestingly, a good number of netizens also expressed concern towards the dog she tripped on, instead of her.


But some others believe it was inaccurate to think that the dogs were expressing concern. “Worried? Those dogs are having the time of their lives while humans panic over nothing,” said a sceptical @ask_himaksh while @geojey05 theorised that they were merely looking for treats that fell from her pocket.
Away from the netizens and their feedback, do dogs really feel concerned for their human friends?
“Dogs can definitely pick up on a wide range of human emotions as well as respond to them. In fact, dogs are highly attuned to our emotional states and can recognize and respond to our body language, smell, tone of voice, and facial expressions,” said the website TheVets.
According to TheVets, dogs are remarkably skilled at interpreting human body language. They notice even the slightest shifts in posture, facial expression, or movement. 
Something as subtle as a furrowed brow or tightened muscles can alert them that their human friend is feeling anxious or upset.
Beyond body language, dogs are highly attuned to vocal cues. They can distinguish variations in tone of voice, allowing them to gauge whether people are calm, cheerful, or distressed.
Their powerful sense of smell also plays a role. Dogs can detect changes in body odor linked to emotional states such as fear, excitement, or stress.
Although TheVets mentioned that it was not possible to state with certainty that dogs experience human emotions, their ability to recognise them is deeply rooted in evolution and centuries of companionship with people. 
The website cited scientific studies that dogs share similar brain structures involved in emotion and even produce oxytocin just like humans. That said, are our four legged friends in the video rushing over the care taker just because they are looking for a treat? That is for you to decide. — Focus Malaysia

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