Why Are Dogs Loyal? Here Are the Top 5 Reasons
Why are dogs loyal? This is one question many people keep asking over time. If you don’t believe dogs are the most loyal pets you can have, then you are just among a few people who hold on to that belief. It is believed that dogs and humans began sharing their lives between 10,000 and 30,000 years ago. Your dog’s loyalty is always an overwhelming and humbling trait, and this has often been cited as an example of what humans should learn from dogs.
Although some schools of thought believe that it’s just because we give them food and shelter, some dog lovers know there’s more to it than that. Only a handful of relationships in life are as true and uncomplicated as the ones we experience with our dogs.
Are dogs truly loyal?
Pooches cry when we leave the house, and jump for joy when we come home. Some dogs wait endlessly for their owners or who are overjoyed to greet them years later are not made up. This is also evident when you see your dog delighted when you return home from work and greets you as if they haven’t seen you in weeks. These all are pointers to the fact that dogs are quite loyal.
Why are dogs loyal
But why are dogs so loyal to humans? Is it environmental, genetic, or even our influence over them and how much do nature and nurture influence their behaviour? There are quite a number of reasons that are backed by science and researched thoroughly by behaviourists why there is such a level of loyalty with dogs.
Dogs see humans as Family
Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not see humans as a pack. Dogs rather see humans as more of a family. Dogs see us as a family just wolves do, with each wolf relying on the others. We normally have a sense of loyalty to one another, just like people and their family members.
You could be arguing with your brother, but if someone else hurts them, your devotion will swiftly shift to them. This is identical to what happens with dogs. Day-in and day-out, ties have been developed through time, and trust has been formed through repeated displays of affection and love. This has turned into loyalty.
They believe your link is mutual, and just as you protect them from the fearsome postman or viscous pyrotechnics, they will defend you from the delivery man. Jokes aside, kids intend to do the same for you because of the attention you show them. They demonstrate their devotion in their own unique way through affection, protection, and empathy. Dogs develop loyalty towards you and other members of your home just by being with them and loving them.
Sustenance
Your dog is quite aware that you do not only provide the basic needs (Food and Shelter) but also, some other necessities that enrich their lives like;
- Offering them treats
- Going on adventures with them
- Playing and sleeping together, etc.
We literally act as providers for our dogs in almost every area. This is because, unlike undomesticated dogs, domesticated dogs rely on us and cannot provide for themselves in the same way their ancestors – the gray wolves, can.
Dogs will be devoted to us in to keep them in our good graces. They do so to ensure that the benefits and enrichment we provide them are not withdrawn. Additionally, dogs may show loyalty to us in order to persuade us to give them these necessities, even if they are increased. We’ve all heard of a dog expressing ‘cupboard love,’ which is affection used to encourage the giving of food. This is the same strategy, but applied over a longer duration of time. Strangers may give our dogs treats, but we have consistently fed them for years, so their allegiance is with us.
Dependency
This is not so far from the already highlighted point above. Dogs have grown to rely on us for assistance in surviving and solving problems as a result of domestication. The article “A Review of Domestic Dogs’ (Canis Familiaris) Human-Like Behaviors: Or Why Behavior Analysts Should Stop Worrying and Love Their Dogs” by Udell and Wynne (2008) was published. According to this study, dogs frequently ask their owners for help when presented with a situation that can be solved. This reliance reveals a feeling of confidence. Dogs develop a sense of loyalty from the knowledge that we will care for them and assist them when they are in need.
In addition, this person discovered that dogs can react to conscious or unconscious human cues as early as puppyhood.
This implies that when dealing with issues or meeting new obstacles, domesticated dogs may display some naturally occurring behaviors to seek out human assistance.
We have developed unconscious tendencies to trust in and profit from one another as a result of these creatures working alongside us for many years. Therefore, loyalty is ingrained in all people from birth, even though it can grow stronger over time and among different people. They no longer fear us as a species, and their innate hunting instincts have also diminished, so they no longer rely on us for support.
Shared History
Selective breeding started when we evolved from being enemies to being allies with dogs. In order to get quick food, we emulated the behavior of dogs scavenging in the neighbourhood of the regions where we have hunted and vice versa. Dogs and humans both hunted prey and did it in ways that were somewhat comparable to one another as predators. We are both hunters of depletion, focusing on prey and employing group tactics to isolate and bring that prey to exhaustion.
Aggression and attack are combined with this. We soon started hunting together, which helped us both by making it easier to attack each other and providing more food to share. As a result, wolves and humans eventually coexisted and developed connections.
Humans promoted interbreeding between particular sorts of people and contributed to the development of breeds that offered various advantages to humans.
This lengthy history demonstrates how our species evolved together. We have developed friendships among ourselves in addition to a symbiotic interaction between species. Our dogs’ innate sense of loyalty toward us is a result of historical influences and years of relationships between our species. This combined with deliberate breeding and characteristics intended to produce the ideal domestic pet results in our devoted puppies.
Genetics
The domesticated fox was used as a model in a 2009 study by Trut et al. that examined how domestic fox behavior differs from that of wild fox behavior. This is comparable to how the genetics of domestic dog has changed throughout time. They come to the conclusion that the domestic dog’s behavior and genetic makeup have changed as a result of this forced evolution, making it better suited to interacting with humans. They came to the conclusion that the foxes had been carefully selected for tameness, but dogs had also undergone years of comparable selective breeding, so we may draw a good analogy.
The study’s conclusion is that “the similar patterns of behavioral and morphological and physiological transformation in foxes, dogs, and other domesticates are suggested to be the result of selection for tameability.”
The researchers have discovered evidence that domesticated animals are genetically affected to be tamer, to condense and summarize the study’s conclusions. This indicates that many domesticated animals are friendlier, more trusting, and more prepared to build relationships with people. Thus, their genetic makeup affects their loyalty, and we have a big hand in shaping this behavior and trait.
Which Are the Most Loyal Dog Breeds?
Researchers are quick to stress that behaviors aren’t solely dictated by breed, even though there are undoubtedly some dog breeds that exhibit more loyal tendencies (based on our impressions).
“Each and every dog is unique. Selecting a canine companion based on the breed will only go you so far in terms of loyalty (or any other characteristic), “Bloom argues. “I’ve encountered hostile Labrador retrievers and couch potato border collies. Instead of assuming something about dogs based solely on their breed, it’s crucial to meet them where they are.”
Therefore, once more, your dog may project the traits that characterize loyalty to you. For instance, according to Bloom, herding dogs could be regarded as the most loyal dog breeds if loyalty is defined as recognizing cues from humans and seeking out social engagement. On the other hand, certain Asian dog breeds can suit this description if a loyal dog to you is a canine who favors one person.