In their daily lives, our dogs experience many emotions. Just this morning, my own dog Pepper experienced joy at getting into the car, which I am pretty sure was tempered when the car turned in the direction that meant we were going to the vet; some degree of stress at the vet, but also some joy over the nice treats he got to eat there; and hopefully some comfort when he practically leaped into my arms at the end of the exam. And he wasn’t too stressed, because after leaving and having a little wander in the car park, he wanted to go back into the reception before going home. (Yes, he got treats for that too).

What does it mean to recognize the fact that dogs experience emotions? These days, this is not something that is up for debate; it’s a given. In the new, revised edition of The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy—And Why They Matter, Marc Bekoff writes,

“It is no longer radical to recognize, respect, and want to protect the emotional lives of animals.”

This has such important implications for how we think about and care for our pet dogs. Here are just a few of the ways we can take account of it in our everyday lives with our canine best friends.

It’s important for dogs to........

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