Do You Think Dogs Have Feelings?
By Ann LeFlore
@poehere (15123)
French Polynesia
October 12, 2015 3:35pm CST
When our first dog died my second dog was so sad. Bandit was my first dog's name and he only had 3 legs. He was hit by a car and we saved his life. We had no choice but to cut off his leg because it was so badly damaged. Well anyhow after Bandit died I noticed a major change in Naya. She would go to the side of our yard where bandit was in the ground and lay there all day looking at the place. I swore I could see tears in her eyes. Naya wasn't the same for a long time and she stopped to eat. I know that dog have feeling for their friends.
So one day I decided to help Naya say good-bye to her 3 legged friend. This is the poem I wrote for Naya and we sat on the ground near Bandit's final place of rest and read the poem to Bandit. I know Naya when I said Bandit's name she would lay her head on me and just look up at me with sad eyes. Here is Naya's final good-bye to her friend.
Farewell My Three Legged Friend
When I came to your space
You kept me in my place
You showed me who was boss
But today I am at a loss
You were there all the time
Life with you was all so fine
Chasing coconuts in the lagoon
Watching you bark at the moon
I was a small bundle of fur
You looked at me with a big gurr
Why did they bring you here
It was hell for you to endure
I grew up so fast and so tall
I was no longer afraid to chase the ball
When we swam in the ocean
I caused such a commotion
When dinner was served at night
You always left me your last bites
When it rained you had your space
But you were always willing to share your place
Now today I am so alone
I walk around to sit on your thrown
I go by your place where you are now
I duck my head and give you a bow
Farewell my three legged friend
I will always remember you till the end
I was your Queen and you my King
Until the end I will always wear your ring
I missed him too and I guess this was one way for Naya and me to say our final good byes. He was a great dog and I don't care he only had 3 legs or not. He was my dog and I cared for him and loved to see him running in our yard.
16 people like this
14 responses
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
13 Oct 15
Yes, I believe they have feelings and grieve.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Oct 15
Yes, I think dogs have feelings. Our one cat knows when I am not feeling well and will come into my room and wander around looking at me. My experience is mostly with cats now days. I know how dogs respond when they are reprimanded is much like a child's. They are very loving and caring animals. A best friend to many.
2 people like this
@wetnosedogs (1533)
• United States
14 Oct 15
A very pretty poem. I do believe dogs have feelings. So sorry you lost your 3 legged friend.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
14 Oct 15
I am too. But you know what is strange. 3 years ago in November my BF showed up at home with a small white dog he had found at his friends house. Their dog had puppies and he brought this one home. When I first saw the dog it looked just like my dog I had lost. My BF told me when he saw this dog it looked so much like Bandit he had to have it. So I guess my BF took it really hard when we lost Bandit and he replaced his loss with another dog that looks just like Bandit did.
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
13 Oct 15
I think all animals have feelings if they can think independently and have access to the 5 senses. Even my guinea pig used to get depressed from time to time. And the horses would play jokes on the dogs and start laughing (a horse laugh is soundless yawning). Depicting a feeling in another animal isn't projection of our own on them, they have their own expressions as well.
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
13 Oct 15
@poehere I'm not sure why people feel they must be alone in having feelings, seeing color, and all that other stuff.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
@OneOfMany Your right. But I'm not sure dogs see color. I could be wrong but I did read a long time back that dogs can't see color. They can see I guess what we might think of as heat images or something like that. I read this over 10 years ago. I might check into this one again and see if it's changed or not.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
12 Oct 15
I think they do have feelings... and i'm sure he misses his little friend.... that's a lovely poem... and a nice way for you both to say good bye....
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
12 Oct 15
It was first written in Tahitian as a prayer to say good bye to the dog. Then I decided one day to translate it to English. I see there is a lot of people who loves animals here and there is a lot of talk relating to animals. So I decided to share this with other.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
12 Oct 15
@poehere yes there re a lot of animal lovers on here....
here is a photo of our 1 year old puppy... always a good topic...
I'm sure many people will be very touched by the poem...
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
12 Oct 15
@poehere he looks lovely.... and will probably enjoy having a friend ....
They are unusual names...but I like them.... sorry to hear about your other dog naya... you must miss her.... we lost our dog last year, he was 19 he had a stroke so we had to have him put to sleep too.... heartbreaking.... this is a picture of him....
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Oct 15
oh yes I inow dogs have feelings when we lost our little daughter I did a lot of crying my dog came sat beside me and whimpered so I would stop crying. dogs have feelings and they love and hate too
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
19 Oct 15
Yes I saw this. My friend rescued a pit bull that was abused by her owner. Now when a women comes around the pit bull loves her and is so nice to her. But if any man comes around the pit bull will bite him and really be aggressive to them.
@pgntwo (22405)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
13 Oct 15
@poehere So sad. You were able to make the most of her last months, that was good advice. Our dog is getting stiff joints, and no longer likes to get into the car, so walks are short and around the village where we live. He is on natural medication now, which seems to be loosening him a bit, although he still won't consider getting into the car.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
@pgntwo Spend as much time with him as possible. Maybe consider making some of his favorite foods to eat. I buy meat scraps from the store here and cook them up for my dog. Maybe your dog would love this. Try it he will always remember you for this.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
I have lost 4 dogs over the years. My first dog was a small Pekingese that traveled with me and my daughter for my work. It was so hard to bury that dog. It took me years to get a second dog. I only had this dog 10 years and had to bury him. My third dog was given to me as a birthday present. I didn't really want another dog because I already had one. But once I saw her I had to keep her. I lost her to Hoskins last year. Now my 4th dog is only a baby and not yet 2 years old. I know that smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs. I guess that's why now I want to go back to a smaller dog. It is hard to lose your dog. I feel for you and you know the older they get the short your time is with them. I guess my best advice to you is this. When my big dog was getting up in age the vet told us to profit all we can with her. Take her swimming at the beach, take her places, and spend as much time with her now as you can. She was starting to get sick then but Hoskins wasn't that bad yet. She had a few small tumors and they knew it would get worse. The day before she went blind we spent the afternoon at the beach with her throwing coconut in the lagoon and having her chase them. This was her last good memories when she got so sick with Hoskins and lost her eye sight and we put her to sleep two weeks later.
1 person likes this
@shshiju (10342)
• Cochin, India
13 Oct 15
Of course dog had feelings. But BEWARE If your dog bites anybody there feeling and mood may change quicker than dog.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
Humm not sure on that one. I never had a dog that bites. I think dogs that bite are abused and they turn mean.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
Thank you so much. It is funny they can be gone one day or 5 years and you still miss them the same. I think once they touch our lives they never leave our lives even though their time is gone. That's what makes it so hard to have animals. when they are here they are so much a part of our lives and we sort of live our life around them now. But when they are gone a part of your life is left empty and it is hard to fill their place again.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
13 Oct 15
Thank you so much. I know they have feeling because I saw how it was for my dog when the first one passed away. It took her a few months to be active again and not always look sad and lay around the garden. At first she wouldn't eat at all. This one worried me. But after time she came around and was fine.
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
3 Nov 17
That is very nice that you did that for bandit and for Naya to help her say goodbye to her friend and also for you by writing the poem. Yes animals feel. When my dog got sick my cat that I had at the time was angry because she was sick. It wasn't my dog's fault. I see in Sophie's face that when I am too tired to pet her that she has a hurt look. They do express it in their own ways.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
6 Nov 17
@Hannihar Yesterday Kiko went in the yard and pick up a piece of coconut husk and wanted to bring it in my house. I looked at him and told him no. He stopped and looked t me and tried again. I told him no. So he left it outside and came in without it. He knew what I was saying and he tried hard to get it in the house. But in the end I won and didn't need to throw it back outside again.
1 person likes this
