Why do some people love dogs more than people? They are more devastated by a pet's death than a humans?

Answer 1

While there are certainly people out there who value their dogs more than they value other humans, they are the exception rather than the rule. For those of us who are playing with all our marbles, I think you may misunderstand the grief we experience when we lose a pet.

In our relationships with people, we have more direct and complete methods of communication than we do with our pets. Particularly in cases where someone we love is terminally ill, we often have the opportunity to express what we're feeling, to tell them as well as show them how much we love them. The person who is ill also understands what is happening to them and often has the opportunity to relive the pleasures of this life and heal some old wounds as their death approaches.

It is different with dogs. We cannot communicate as directly. Our sharing of our love and affection is an incomplete one, as we do not have the gifts of language or conscious understanding between us. As communicating beings, it hurts deeply not to be able to express your love as fully and directly as you feel it. In addition, we are painfully aware that our dog cannot comprehend what is happening to him. Throughout his life, when he has been hurt he has known that he could come to you and you could fix it. Now he hurts and comes to you, and there is nothing you can do...and he doesn't understand why. On top of that, our dogs live an unfairly short life. We know that under normal circumstances our children will outlive us, and there is a rightness and proportion to that. On the other hand, we know that our pets will probably not outlive us, and that truly offends our sense of cosmic order.

To paraphrase an incident in the old British TV series "All Creatures Great and Small", Dr. Herriott, the vet, is talking to a young girl about to adopt a puppy. He says to her, "Do you know how you feel when you are able to go to church and talk to God and know that somehow, God will take care of you?" The little girls nods at him. Dr. Herriott says, "Well, that's how your puppy will feel when he looks at you."

We are mortals who are viewed by our pets as Gods. When we find ourselves incapable of fulfilling the role for them, it is intensely devastating.

Answer 2

I think it's because pets are the most prime examples of demonstrating truly unconditional love. There's that one joke that goes like, "Lock your dog and your wife in the trunk of your car. Let them out an hour later and notice which one is happier to see you." Even though this is a bit extreme, it illustrates a good point. Pets are almost always going to love you. Some so much they want to be near you all of the time. They can sense when you are stressed and are great at comforting you. I also believe it has a great deal to do with taking care of the pet from a young age.

Answer 3

Dogs except you for who/what you are and what you represent. They need a pack leader, if you are their pack leader, they will respect you, but not necessarily love you. Maybe in their own way the energy they show when greeting you after you come home from work is being thought of as "love" to us. That's ok. We as humans have a tendency to attach ourselves to our fur-kids more so than people at times because of this "love" they give us, and they only ask for food and a warm home to live in. Well not just a home and food, they need to be walked every day for 30 mins and played with etc. But, you get the idea. Maybe some people just give up on wanting to be involved so deeply with other people because of demands etc. That's a very deep question, and I believe can have many, many answers.

Answer 4

I can touch on this. I lost my dog a couple of months ago, I lost my father one year ago, I have lost acquaintances in between these times.
My dog, a German bred Rottweiller who was my faithful companion for 3 yrs, was also my guardian in ways you probably would never understand. To lose her was devastating to me. I felt much of the same grief of when my father passed.
My father was (and still is) my hero in many ways, we were close, and honestly I don't know how to explain me getting through that ordeal.
The aquaintances, I felt loss and suffering, but not like the above two.
Harley, my Rott was the 3rd dog that I had owned (1 more that was my granddaughter's) as life mates (I take animal ownership seriously and they are usually with me for life), Bonnie Sue, a Doberman Pinscher was with me for 13 yrs, Samantha, a German Sheppherd spent most all of her 14 yrs with me, Bell, my granddaughter's Doberman Pinscher, who I nursed from death (parvo) was a mere 2 yrs when tragedy struck.
When I accept a animal friend, I develop a DEEP bond with that animal and grieve immensely over the loss.
They are a part of my family, they are like my children.
I was raised as a only child and my parents were fond of animals, so I had pets and I grew up with them as my siblings.
Honestly at times I can relate to them better than humans.
I have never had a pet try to stab me in the back or try to take my boyfriend or even make me feel less than adequate.
The humans that I feel connected to receive the same or more grief at their passing.

Answer 5

As my minister said to me just last week, (which I find this question fits what he said perfectly): "People are more often upset at a animals passing than of a human. I find this is because we find animals to be without sin. The don't judge you and will stay loyal even after you have raised a hand to them. We all know that there is a little evil in everyone of us. Who hasn't though about hurting someone in a fit of anger and rage, but an animal is pure of heart. People should look at their pets and think, my pet is loyal, kind and doesn't judge me for what I do, am I worthy of such devotion?"
As said by my minister

Answer 6

Because dogs treat you better than most people do. They are also more honest, loving and best of all they dont pretend to love you if they dont. Also just because I know that every dog is selfless and would give its life to save someone they love or dont even know, how many people do the same? In a world where an old man gets hit on the road and people just drive around him and dont get out to help, how can you not love dogs more? Check out the purina hall of fame maybe it will help you to understand..... http://www.purina.ca/halloffame/?year=2003

Answer 7

Cause a dog is the most devoted creature a person could ask for. Even after a few years, they're still happy to see you. Try and say that about some people you know. So when we loose our furry companions we loose the one very true happiness of our own lives, as well as the very true companion. And we wish that would never go away.

This is truely a very good question....Best Regards

Answer 8

People have so many "agendas" in their relationships. Once you get older, you find out how hard it is to get along with other people, so you end up seeking companionship with a pet, like a dog. Pets don't lie, they don't demand things from you, aren't unreasonable in their expectations. I can understand loving a pet more than a person! I'm not there yet, but give it time.....

Answer 9

Because dogs are better than most people. Dogs give unconditional love. Dogs don't lie. Dogs aren't hypocrites. You always know where you stand with dogs. Dogs don't play emotional games. You always know when a dog is content or angry. I can't say that about most people. Most people have a "what's in it for me?" attitude. Most people will lie to your face without batting an eye. Most people tell you one thing and do another. Most people tend to hide their true feelings rather than be honest and direct. So that's why I love dogs more than most people!

Answer 10

i dont know about more devastated. i probably seemed more devastated when i heard my mom's blood curtling screams after she found our beautiful dog behind the neighbors fence dead in a plastic bag because their dogs broke our fence and ripped my dog through and they had neither the decency nor care to tell us nicely, than when my dad passed away from pancreatic cancer. i guess you could say i knew my dad was not going to make it because it was a terminal illness and so we knew from the get go how much the end was going to suck. i was also 14 when that happened. 17 when my dog was killed and 19 now. its an on-going process and not a day goes by when i think about how much losing both my dad and my dog that my aunt bought us to try to fill the void of my dad being gone completely sucks.