Sympathy

Do dogs seek sympathy? Dogs don't know what sympanthy is; so I don't think so but they sure seek attention. And what they learn is the association between an injury and attention. What happens when Luke turns his ankle for the 100th time, I kiss and hug him and he knows that. Immediately when he hurts his leg he comes to me to kiss it better. This is completely the result of my own behavior, I did this because I baby him. Yes I have a very strong paternal drive and now that my children are almost all adults I need someone to take care of.

Luke is the baby at the moment until a younger dog appears. So when a dog injures herself and allows you to fix whatever has happened why is that? Trust. Trust is the most important factor in anything with dogs. Does your dog know that you would never and have never hurt her? This is essential if a dog is injured. Sometimes you have to do weird things that would make any dog nervous so they must have complete trust in you.

Luke is an emotional guy and when he has an injury is very off. He does not keep on ticking like the girls do, he curls up into a ball and babies and doesn't speak to anyone. All dogs show some signs so that we can know they are hurt but some are very difficult to read. Like my girl Tilley, she is tough as nails and goes on like nothing is wrong when she is injured.

Just like people they are all different; boys seem to need a few more hugs and kisses than the girls.