Dog lovers have no hesitation is saying dogs love their people. Dogs’ obvious attachment to their owners is shown in their following them around, their approaching them for attention and
affection, and the ecstatic greeting they give their person when they return home. Without an emotional bond, there would be few dogs joining a household.

Until recently, we had to deduce their emotions only from their behavior. Gregory Berns of Emory University, a physician who had conducted MRI studies for 25 years of humans, conducted groundbreaking MRI studies of two dogs’ brains. He, and his staff are huge dog people, and they were curious how dog brains worked. Dr. Berns trained his dog, a shelter dog, and an acquaintance trained her border collie, to lie perfectly still in the MRI machine. This was the first time MRI studies had been done on conscious and unrestrained dogs. He wanted to humanely capture their brain functions, and capture their brains functioning as closely to their natural state as possible. Continue reading “Does Your Dog Love You?” →