Animal Emotions

Do animals think and feel?

Marc Bekoff is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. See full bio

June 29, 2009

Hidden tales of yellow snow: What a dog's nose knows - Making sense of scents

Dogs spend lots of time with their well-endowed nostrils stubbornly vacuuming the ground or pinned blissfully to the hind end of other dogs. They have about 25 times the area of nasal olfactory epithelium (which carry receptor cells) and have many thousands more cells in the large olfactory region of their brain (mean area of 7000 mm2) than humans (500 mm2). Dogs can differentiate dilutions of 1 part per billion, distinguish T-shirts worn by identical twins, follow odor trails, and are 10,000 times more sensitive than humans to certain odors. The hidden tales of yellow snow are quite revealing about the artistry of how dogs make sense of scents.

June 29, 2009

Dog Trust: Some Lessons From Our Companions

We often hear that the companion animal beings with whom we share our lives have unqualified trust in us that they believe we will always have their best interests in mind, that they love us unconditionally and would do anything for us. And, indeed, they often do taking care of us in a seemingly selfless manner. Read More

June 24, 2009

Expanding Our Compassion Footprint: Minding Animals As We Redecorate Nature

Our relationships with nonhuman animals (animals) are complicated,
frustrating, ambiguous, paradoxical, and range all over the place.
When people tell me that they love animals and then harm or kill them
I tell them I'm glad they don't love me. We can always add more compassion to the world. So,whenever you try to reduce carbon at the same time try to expand compassion. Read More

June 24, 2009

Anthropomorphic Double-Talk: Can Animals Be Happy But Not Unhappy? No!

Over the years I’ve noticed a curious phenomena. If a scientist says that an animal is happy, no one questions it, but if a scientist says that an animal is unhappy, then charges of anthropomorphism are immediately raised. This "anthropomorphic double-talk" seems mostly aimed at letting humans feel better about themselves. It is very misleading. Read More

June 24, 2009

Letting A Friend Go: We Usually Know When It's Time To Say Good-bye

Dogs trust us almost unconditionally. It's great to be trusted and loved, and no one does it better than dogs. Jethro was no exception. But along with trust and love come many serious responsibilities and difficult moral choices. I find it easiest to think about dog trust in terms of what they expect from us. They have great faith in us; they expect we'll always have their best interests in mind, that we'll care for them and make them as happy as we can. Indeed, we welcome them into our homes as family members who bring us much joy and deep friendship.

June 24, 2009

The White House Dog: The World According to Bo

Bo is a Portuguese water dog. He resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D. C. (AKA the White House) with a group of four well-known humans who follow him around as he sniffs out his new home anointing it here and there. Given the enormous amount of press Bo has received you'd think he's an extraordinary being. He is, but not any more exceptional than other dogs and he surely shouldn't be treated better than his canine cousins who live elsewhere. Read More

June 19, 2009

Wild Justice and Moral Intelligence in Animals

Do animals have a sense of morality? Do they know right from wrong? In our forthcoming book, Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals, philosopher Jessica Pierce and I argue that the answer to both of these questions is a resounding "yes." "Ought" and "should" regarding what's right and what's wrong play important roles in the social interactions of animals, just as they do in ours. Read More

Books by Marc Bekoff

Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals

The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy - and Why They Matter

Animals Matter: A Biologist Explains Why We Should Treat Animals with Compassion and Respect

Animals at Play: Rules of the Game

Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships: A Global Exploration of Our Connections with Animals, Volume 1: A-Con

Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (3 Vol. Set)

Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare

The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons for Expanding Our Compassion Footprint

Animal Behavior Basics

Pets are among life's greatest joys; they can also be our greatest teachers. The study of animal behavior is a cornerstone of experimental psychology, shedding light on complex human emotions. And pets have a unique therapaeutic hold over humans, especially people who are socially isolated or who are coping with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum.

Go to the Animal Behavior Basics page for more on Animal Behavior including:

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