By J1 Reporters Maggie Morris and Grace Diers

Dogs are some of the most common household pets. A 2022 study revealed that more than 69 million households in
the US have at least one dog for a pet. Many people have pets for affection, responsibility, emotional support/service/therapy or to keep them from being lonely. These lovable creatures go beyond just their purpose of providing comfort to their owners.

In reality, dogs are deeply emotional creatures. Their brains contain the same emotion-producing structures as human brains. This causes them to have similar emotions to humans, as well as being able to read their owners’ emotions and behaviors. This trait enables them to be easily lovable and appealing as pets. Their ability to relate to humans and empathize with their emotions allows them to provide great deals of comfort and companionship.

We have noticed our dogs show many emotions similar to the feelings of humans. They appear excited whenever people come home, sad whenever they leave, happy when people give them attention and even angry when people cross their boundaries. One dog can even exhibit jealousy when the other dog is getting more attention.

Since they feel some human-like emotions, it would make sense for dogs to exhibit weird behaviors and mannerisms. Many people have noticed their dogs doing strange, out-of-the-ordinary behaviors.

A common feeling in many dogs is separation anxiety from their owners. This emotion can be easily related to the dogs of Marian girls. Sophomore Aja Smith says that due to separation anxiety, whenever her mom leaves, her “dog will hide in her closet and cry until she comes back.”

For freshman Rowan Hamm, separation anxiety causes her dog to eat her mom’s clothes whenever she is gone.

Fear is another normal human emotion that is exhibited in dogs’ mannerisms from time to time. Freshman Jasmine Carranza describes how any time there is a loud noise, her “dog will burrow in blankets” and try to hide.

Sophomore Hailey Eriksen notices that her dog “gets scared during storms.”

Dogs are sweet, affectionate, attention-loving creatures. But they also have a complex structure of their brain, causing them to be more similar to humans than we realize.