Does a dog view an abusive owner differently from a kind one?
Dogs look up to their owners for approval, comfort, and affection. To betray that trust is an unspeakable crime. However, dogs don’t have the same range of emotions as humans, so they don’t comprehend the abuse the same way we do.
Don’t understand me wrong. Mistreated dogs suffer greatly. They feel depressed, hurt, and terrified. But they don’t feel shame or guilt as humans would in such circumstances. They don’t blame their owner for their mistreatment.
In fact, an abused dog might still protect its owner and act aggressively towards strangers with good intentions because the owner is the pack leader and the pack leader is never wrong. If the dog has never known kindness in his life, he wouldn’t even know that he is poorly treated, which is heart-breaking.
When Fluffy gets rescued, he will realize that his new owner is acting differently, but probably won’t understand why.
In the beginning, your attitude would seem strange, even unsettling to your newly-rescued pet and in his eyes, you might seem even more terrifying than his previous owner. The devil we know is the better than the devil we don’t, right?
But with time and rehabilitation, an abused dog can grow to trust and look up to you. Your love and attention will show him that his present life is better than the one he had before.
So, do not allow doubts to enter your mind. Your dog knows that you’re treating him differently, even if Fluffy doesn’t comprehend that what has happened to him was wrong.
What is tragic is that children who grow up in homes in which their pets are abused will repress their feelings of kindness toward the animals and may later become, themselves, abusive toward animals. The efforts of humane societies, law enforcement and the larger communities protecting the rights of animals, children, and persons living in violence are critical in providing education, protection and hope for the future.
While we do not know exactly what your dog recalls from his abuse, we do see evidence of those memories in the dogs maladaptive behaviors. These mistreated animals are showing responses to the abuse that are conditioned. The conditioning of these erratic and dysfunctional behavior patterns is what endures and what we identify as their memories of the abuse.
Animal-Cruelty Syndrome is a form of conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder in which a person abuses animals and people. The abuse of animals often begins in persons with the conduct disorder at the age of eight, when they impose cruelties on pets and animals. Studies have established that persons who are cruel to animals are also inclined to demonstrate criminal behaviors.
Signs of your dog remembering abuse may occur when you do something simple, like raise your hand or use a tone of a former owner and find your dog growling or attacking you. Dogs that were neglected as puppies will have separation anxiety and will demonstrate behavior problems when you leave. You may have dog that is fearful, easily startled and unpredictable. You may find that your dog does not trust people and it is difficult to have your dog groomed or to introduce your dog to new people.
The effects of physical abuse have become more apparent and are studied more than the effects of neglect and psychological abuse. Your dog cannot tell you what he remembers. His memories are different than human memories. Dogs do not have episodic memories. They do not remember specific events. This trait makes them pretty special when they are eager to see you when you just saw them ten minutes earlier.
Volunteers at shelters see this every day and know the signs so well. Dogs arrive looking worse for wear, displaying the psychological scars of their former life. They are frightened and depressed with little trust for humans. They may cry a lot and shrink into the corner of their pen, avoiding contact with people trying to help. This is the sad sight and plight of too many gorgeous dogs that deserve to be treated kindly and with respect.
There was a time when animal cruelty went unpunished, until the advent of laws and organizations dedicated to protecting those who had no voice. The first signs of change were seen in the early 1800’s with the UKs Cruelty to Animals Act, followed by Germany and India. It wasn’t until 1966 the animal welfare act was signed into law in the US.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was founded in the 1800s and inspired others to lead the charge in protecting pets, horses, and livestock. Since then, shelters and rescue organizations have put up their hand to support the fight against animal cruelty. They rescue abandoned or lost pets and re-home them where possible. Most are non-profit groups who rely solely on the kind-hearted souls of planet Earth to lend a pawsome hand.
Some pups turn the other cheek and become aggressive as a result of abuse. This style of dog is not so easy to rehabilitate, as they can snap and attack at any time. These poor pups get bad press, but that’s hardly fair when they’ve been made to endure the frustrations of a lesser soul.
This “bad boy, mutt will snarl when approached, barring their teeth, as if to say “back off!” Although, surprisingly, this scary stance is likely to be fear based. This terrified pup will be in flight mode with a rigid body, ears back and hackles up. They’ll stare you out and dare you to hurt them again. It could be that they were tied up when the abuse took place and felt helpless.
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Dogs are known to be ‘man’s best friend’ because of their boundless loyalty and willingness to protect their masters. We hear numerous stories of pooches that give their lives to save their owner without a second thought. Why are dogs so fiercely protective of their masters and why do they display such loyalty?
A dog will consider you to be part of his family as much as you consider him to be part of yours. They grow up knowing you and get used to having you around. Dogs do not take too kindly to those who seemingly pose a threat to their family for this reason. Protectiveness comes from a dog’s wolf ancestors and centuries of breeding, which means that dogs instinctively know when a human child is in need of care.
Dogs are extremely clever and are fully aware that their master takes good care of them. It is only natural for a dog that is treated well to repay the favor by ensuring his master comes to no harm. Although dogs are extremely loyal, part of that loyalty comes from a self-preservation instinct, as they know that if their owner is hurt, their food and shelter arrangements are at risk.
If you own a dog that comes from an abusive background, you may notice that he is extra protective. As we mentioned above, dogs are smart and are fully aware of the horrible treatment they were subjected to in the past. When a dog arrives in new surroundings with a new owner that feeds him properly, pets him, and is generally nice to the pet, the dog will obviously look to reciprocate this kindness.
It is also possible for an owner to encourage this protective behavior by approving of it. You need to be careful not to make your pet overly protective, so do not allow your canine companion to snap at everything that moves without reprimanding him. If your dog snaps at a stranger on the street when you are walking him, for example, and you do nothing to discipline him, the dog will take this as approval and will continue on this path. If you allow your dog to become too aggressive and protective, you are making him think that you are weak and in need of protection; this ensures you are not seen as the pack leader. Therefore, you need to stop this aggressive behavior before it gets out of hand.
A well treated dog will always come to the aid of his owner, so be grateful that your four-legged friend values you so highly. However, you must ensure that your dog does not become overprotective as this can lead to problems in the future.