Drowning dog

[crystalgirl Hatchling Find all posts View Profile Close crystalgirl]

hi

My Afghan and I used to go for a walk with another dogwalker and her dog Milton,we used to go around the lakes,Milton liked jumping in,Red wasnot at all interested. On the Lake there were floating platforms of vegetation,Milton used to use them to travel across the Lake.On this particular day the platforms were all bunched up at the other end of the lake and not floating free, we then realised that Milton was having problems,My friend was just going to jump in,when we saw Red,in the lake where the platforms were nudging them,some of them became free,he then went to Milton,who was really struggling and had gone under a couple of times,next thing we knew, he had pushed Milton to the freed platform,but Milton was still having problems,so the next thing Red did was go under Milton and push him up,he eventually managed to use the platform and got to the bank and everyone rushed to his aid.Red got out of the lake,shook himself and strolled off home (I never saw my Red swim again).

I have always wondered if he was aware of the danger to his doggy friend,or was he reacting to the excitement generated by the people on the bank who were all shouting and trying to get Milton in the right direction, but I do know that Red didnt swim again,and was'nt keen on water full stop crystalgirl

[bhawk Cub Find all posts View Profile Close bhawk]

Re: Drowning dog

Our understanding of animal empathy and alutristic behaviour is an exciting part of science which is starting to show some amazing things.
So far, scientists can not yet show any "human" trait that is not shown in nature. We are exactly the same as our counterparts, and vice versa.
One experiment that sticks in mind is where rats were given the knowledge of how to open traps, then they were placed into a room with an unknown rat in a trap, the rat nearly always released the stranger. Later on the experiment was done with the option of food or releasing a stranger, nearly every time the rats would release the stranger before then going for the food. Animals can empathise and sympathise as humans do....well at least some can, which animals can is the question, and also "why"?
Another was where dolphins were making themselves into a buoy to lift an injured friend to the air, preventing the injured from drowning... unfortunately the injured dolphin did die, but the others were seen to be probing and prodding it until after some time they seemed content that there was no life at which point they allowed the carcass to sink.
I personally do believe the dog understood exactly what it was doing and was doing so for the other animals sake.

[LPC Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close LPC]

Re: Drowning dog

Our understanding of animal empathy and alutristic behaviour is an exciting part of science which is starting to show some amazing things.
So far, scientists can not yet show any "human" trait that is not shown in nature. We are exactly the same as our counterparts, and vice versa....I personally do believe the dog understood exactly what it was doing and was doing so for the other animals sake.

I totally agree! Very good answer! We are only beginning to understand the empathy and spirituality of animals. We have much to learn.

BTW, there have been lots of cases of dolphins saving drowning humans, so their concern goes beyond saving only their own species.