'Othering' the animal kingdom

[aries_jordan]

Took my dogs to the dog park at Harry Griffin Park yesterday.  Very crowded, lots of small dogs to romp with  my small dogs.  (They're both half-poodle; Diego is half cocker spaniel, and I have no idea what River's other half is.)  They had fun and Diego, who's prone to snapping when he feels threatened, behaved himself very well

Comments

[lordgloria]

This is bad dog ownership. You should have been apologized to. Profusely. Spats happen between dogs, but it's up to the owner to control their animal. What if River had been Autumn instead?!

His buddy, though insensitive, is sort of correct. But he said it wrong, implying that dogs might not feel pain at all. What I suspect he meant to say is that most dogs have a higher tolerance for pain than most humans.

Except Spike. Spike's a big wussy baby. Either way -- Poor River!

[aries_jordan]

Why shouldn't they feel pain just like we do? The basic equipment is just the same.

[lordgloria]

The coping mechanisms are different. We tend to be more constantly aware of our pain, obsess about it if it's bad enough, but animals don't have that luxury. It's much easier put aside until they have to deal with it again (move wrong, put weight on something, etc.) They forget about a hurt a lot faster than we do, which makes it less intense an ordeal.

That said, I point out that the initial infliction of pain is just as intense a shock, and would never advocate hurting any animal just because they "get over it" quicker than we do.