It doesn’t end with their herd, either. They can be highly responsive to their owners. You start showing any signs of tension, they will put themselves between you and whatever is bothering you.
Well I can’t get one because the fucker would try to wedge itself between my brain and the bottom of my skull
That’s a trick many/most breeds of dog can pull off. It’s amazing how well a wet nose, and a slobbery smile shoved in your face can break a bad cycle.
There’s a reason they are used as emotional support animals so often. They can guard us from ourselves almost as well as this dog did the sheep from coyotes.
My dog is usually a chaos demon but if you’re feeling particularly down she will grab one of her toys and keep pushing it into your hands until you play with her as a distraction. Dogs are incredibly emotionally sensitive and empathetic and sometimes that wet snuffling nose is the only thing that gets me out of bed
Unless you just gave birth apparently. I guess its common for new mothers to get extremely agitated by their beloved dogs for any noise or sound they make
Hell, just giving birth in and of itself is enough to kick off survival instincts of “Scare everything the fuck off before it can even try me right now”. It’s incredibly taxing on the body, both in energy used and physical damage.
Then you’re just kinda thrown into keeping this screaming sack of potatoes that was just violently removed from your body alive quite quickly.
It’s often one way or the other. “Get away from me!”, or “more babies!” Pregnancy hormones do a complete number on the mother. That’s before having a parasite attached to you near 24/7, demanding your attention, day or night!
Interestingly, her pheromones can do a similar job on any males around her (both human and dog). That was an interesting surprise.
Well, do I have a fun fact for you then: Cheetahs are such anxious and easily stressed animals that zoos consistently failed to set up breeding programs until somebody had a bright idea and paired up a cheetah cub with a golden retriever puppy to be raised together.
Growing up with a lifelong friend in such a chill and loving dog breed allows them to live a lot less anxiously, and has been so successful with keeping cheetahs happy and healthy that the practice has been adopted all over the place.
Dogs are full of love and want to help, even if that’s by simply existing in the same space as you.
Cheetahs are so weird largely because they’re actually not apex predators and are surrounded by so many bigger predators! From lions and leopards to packs of wild dogs or hyenas, there are plenty of animals that can take down a cheetah pretty easily. Especially because they’re so overbuilt for that burst of speed that that’s basically the one trick that they have. They’re super easily bullied out of their meals by other animals, including scavengers. I think this is why they’re so chill with people, though. Because if we’re not running at them or away from them, then we’re not predator or prey, and must be some secret third thing - friend shaped! Kinda like how we’re the only other bipedal animal in the Antarctic besides penguins, so penguins largely see us as just weird-looking penguins and will hop into boats with people and stuff.
Well I can’t get one because the fucker would try to wedge itself between my brain and the bottom of my skull
That’s a trick many/most breeds of dog can pull off. It’s amazing how well a wet nose, and a slobbery smile shoved in your face can break a bad cycle.
There’s a reason they are used as emotional support animals so often. They can guard us from ourselves almost as well as this dog did the sheep from coyotes.
My dog is usually a chaos demon but if you’re feeling particularly down she will grab one of her toys and keep pushing it into your hands until you play with her as a distraction. Dogs are incredibly emotionally sensitive and empathetic and sometimes that wet snuffling nose is the only thing that gets me out of bed
Unless you just gave birth apparently. I guess its common for new mothers to get extremely agitated by their beloved dogs for any noise or sound they make
…It’s common for new mothers to get extremely agitated at… Everything
You would be too, caring for a new born is fucking exhausting.
Hell, just giving birth in and of itself is enough to kick off survival instincts of “Scare everything the fuck off before it can even try me right now”. It’s incredibly taxing on the body, both in energy used and physical damage.
Then you’re just kinda thrown into keeping this screaming sack of potatoes that was just violently removed from your body alive quite quickly.
Ohh yeah been there, done that.
My first definitely had a “Wait. I can just leave? Who’s going to help me take care of it”.
It’s often one way or the other. “Get away from me!”, or “more babies!” Pregnancy hormones do a complete number on the mother. That’s before having a parasite attached to you near 24/7, demanding your attention, day or night!
Interestingly, her pheromones can do a similar job on any males around her (both human and dog). That was an interesting surprise.
Well, do I have a fun fact for you then: Cheetahs are such anxious and easily stressed animals that zoos consistently failed to set up breeding programs until somebody had a bright idea and paired up a cheetah cub with a golden retriever puppy to be raised together.
Growing up with a lifelong friend in such a chill and loving dog breed allows them to live a lot less anxiously, and has been so successful with keeping cheetahs happy and healthy that the practice has been adopted all over the place.
Dogs are full of love and want to help, even if that’s by simply existing in the same space as you.
Cheetahs are just so wonderfully weird. Basically big housecats that are also rocket powered apex predators.
Also, I love The Cheetah Whisperer.
Cheetahs are so weird largely because they’re actually not apex predators and are surrounded by so many bigger predators! From lions and leopards to packs of wild dogs or hyenas, there are plenty of animals that can take down a cheetah pretty easily. Especially because they’re so overbuilt for that burst of speed that that’s basically the one trick that they have. They’re super easily bullied out of their meals by other animals, including scavengers. I think this is why they’re so chill with people, though. Because if we’re not running at them or away from them, then we’re not predator or prey, and must be some secret third thing - friend shaped! Kinda like how we’re the only other bipedal animal in the Antarctic besides penguins, so penguins largely see us as just weird-looking penguins and will hop into boats with people and stuff.