For most pet-owners, the internal monologue of their furry friends remains a great mystery: What do pets think? Do they think? How can we know if they’re happy or sad, anxious or angry?
According to veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman, animals are “living, breathing creatures with circulations and brains,” which enable them to feel a whole spectrum of emotions. Dr. Dodman joined Margery Eagan and guest host Jared Bowen on Boston Public Radio to discuss his latest book, Pets on the Couch: Neurotic Dogs, Compulsive Cats, Anxious Birds, and the New Science of Animal Psychiatry. “In the book I go through the discovery of canine autism, Tourette’s disease in horses, post-traumatic stress disorder in dogs, and compulsive cats, and so on,” Dodman said.
Dodman uses the new science of One Medicine, the theory that humans and animals share the same neurochemistry and mental patterns. According to Dodman, this theory can be used as a gateway for humans to connect with their pets. “I think a lot of pet owners are already on the right page, in the sense that they believe that their animals are thinking, intelligent creatures who have emotions and react according to circumstance, and sometimes worry or sometimes get angry,” he said. “In science, to have those kinds of thoughts, you’d have to get your mouth washed out with soap. You’re not supposed to think like that.”
Yet Dodman dares to explore our mental and physical ties to the animal kingdom, leading to a greater understanding of the psychology of pets.
Click on the audio link above to listen to the full interview.
