animals

[Jacob9480]

Do dogs have to true feelings a conscience and a sole. If yes please tell me. If they don’t then why does it wag his tale run up to his master cry and has emotion tell me thank you

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Jacob9480:

Do dogs have to true feelings a conscience and a sole. If yes please tell me. If they don’t then why does it wag his tale run up to his master cry and has emotion tell me thank you

Animals don’t have emotions like humans do. A dog does not wag it’s tail because it loves you. It wags it’s tail because you are the person who feeds it or pets it. Dogs don’t have conscience they have conditioned responses. All living things have souls. Only humans according to St. Thomas have Eternal souls because we are the only beings made in the image and likeness of God.

 

[Cherub]

I believe that animals do have emotions. I have always had several pets at a time, usually more than two. When one of them dies, the others mourn the one who has died. They act depressed for several days following the death, cry, go looking for the dead one, etc… There is no instinctive behavior that I know of to explain that. I would call these feelings, or emotions.

As far a soul goes, yes, animals have souls.

As far as a conscience, who can really say? How responsible is an animal for its choices and actions when they are mostly guided by instinct, their own natural instructions from God? I believe a conscience implies responsibility, so I think perhaps animals do not have that.

 

[kramerbaby]

I do not believe animals have souls. I have always thought that they live and die. I was taught that they don’t go anywhere after deat (heaven or hell). I do believe that they have emotions, as my dog shows all the time. Hope this helps!

 

[PioMagnus]

Cherub,

I was surprised to hear that your pets “mourn” (I believe is the word you used) because I heard somewhere that the only species that mourn death are man and elephant.

Learn something new everyday, I suppose.

-Pio Magnus

 

[vern_humphrey]

PioMagnus:

I was surprised to hear that your pets “mourn” (I believe is the word you used) because I heard somewhere that the only species that mourn death are man and elephant.

I used to live in Tidewater Virginia, almost on an island. There were ducks all over the place.

One time, my wife was driving, and THUMP!

“What was that?”

“You hit a duck.”

“I didn’t hit a duck! Don’t tell me I hit a duck!”

This went on for a while. On the way home, she was watching closely to see if the carcass was lying in the road. She was watching SO closely, she wandered onto the shoulder of the road, and a flock of ducks flew up.

“What was THAT?”

"You ran over the funeral procession."http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon10.gif

 

[Ghosty]

Animals certainly have emotions, at least according to every external study we can perform. From an objective view point they can exhibit every trait of emotion that humans do. We accept that other humans have emotions based on the same evidence that we can accept that animals have emotions.

That doesn’t mean they have an immortal soul, however, simply that their mortal soul expresses emotions.

 

[RobedWithLight]

Jacob9480:

Do dogs have to true feelings a conscience and a sole. If yes please tell me. If they don’t then why does it wag his tale run up to his master cry and has emotion tell me thank you

I fully agree with Bro. Rich here. Conditioned reflexes and instincts should not be confused with true human emotions. They “love” their master because it is the hand that feeds them, nothing more.

Dogs like all animals have souls, but their souls, unlike human souls, are not immortal, meaning, their souls perish as soon as their physical bodies do.

Gerry

 

[mayra_hart]

Home > My Pets > Dog Prayers

Dear God…

…How come people love to smell flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another? Where are their priorities?

…When we get to Heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it the same old story?

…Excuse me, but why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not one named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We dogs love a nice ride! I know every breed cannot have its own model, but it would be easy to rename the Chrysler Eagle the Chrysler Beagle!

…If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad dog?

…Is it true that in Heaven, dining room tables have on ramps?

…If we come back as humans, is that good, or bad?

…More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.

…When we get to the Pearly Gates, do we have to shake hands to get in?

…We dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent IDs, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?

…Are there dogs on other planets or are we alone? I have been howling at the moon and stars for a long time, but all I ever hear back is the Poodle across the street!

…Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?

…Is it true that dogs are not allowed in restaurants because we can’t make up our minds what NOT to order? Or is it the carpet thing, again?

and all the animals too

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

“Excuse me, but why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not one named for a dog?”

Because they have an entire bus line named after one!

And besides would you name something you created after someone who chases and tries to attack you all the time?

 

[Ghosty]

Conditioned reflexes and instincts should not be confused with true human emotions. They “love” their master because it is the hand that feeds them, nothing more.

The problem is that it’s impossible to determine the difference from a conditioned response or instinct from the outside; to say their “love” is not real is an assumption based on nothing. Not even Scripture attests to such things. We know that it is humans that possess immortal souls, but we don’t know that an immortal soul is a prerequisite of emotion. Given the same tests for emotions such as mourning and joy as are used on humans, animals such as dogs, elephants, and many others display the same ranges as healthy humans. Animals even dream and learn. A dog’s have no instinct for following verbal commands or knowing English, but they can understand the word “walk” when they’ve been exposed to it, and respond with a wagging tail and excitement. Such behavior doesn’t fall within the boundaries of pure instinct.

 

[mayra_hart]

i personally have 5 dogs that i love very much. two of them are show dogs, one is was rescued from the pound, the other is been with me for awhile he is senior, and my big baby is shiloh sheperd named bear. dogs are the best friend a child or person can have. of my two show dogs one is a therapy dog that bring a lot of happy moments to senior citizen in a nursing home. is amazing what dogs can do with children in a hospital or senior citizen in a nursing home. i personally know that what make dogs mean to people is related more to the breeding, an how dogs are socialized and trained. some people are only interested in selling puppies an they don’t care about breeding good puppies, other they don’t take there time to socialized or trained them.

**JUST MY DOG

He is my other eyes that can see above
the clouds; my other ears that hear above
the winds. He is the part of me that can
reach out into the sea.

He has told me a thousand times over that
I am his reason for being: by the way he
rests against my leg; by the way he thumps
his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he
shows his hurt when I leave without taking him.
(I think it makes him sick with worry when he
is not along to care for me.)

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another man. With him,
I am all-powerful.
He is loyalty itself.
He has taught me the meaning of devotion.
With him, I know a secret comfort and a
private peace. He has brought me understanding
where before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
His presence by my side is protection against
my fears of dark and unknown things.
He has promised to wait for me…
henever…wherever–in case I need him.
And I expect I will–as I always have.
He is just my dog.— Gene Hill —


**

 

[Calbreese]

It sure would be nice to know how those horses got into heaven so they could ride out in REV 19:11-14. “The armies of Heaven were behind him riding white horses.” If I ever get there, maybe there will be an answer. But it is not in the New American Standard notes. All the older Bibles say they came from within Heaven. It is hard to imagine loving a pet, and not finding them in Heaven. First I will ask St. Joseph, then St. Peter, then St. John The Divine, then St. Paul. How can it be perfect wothout Beloved pets?

 

[vern_humphrey]

Calbreese:

It sure would be nice to know how those horses got into heaven so they could ride out in REV 19:11-14. “The armies of Heaven were behind him riding white horses.” If I ever get there, maybe there will be an answer. But it is not in the New American Standard notes. All the older Bibles say they came from within Heaven. It is hard to imagine loving a pet, and not finding them in Heaven. First I will ask St. Joseph, then St. Peter, then St. John The Divine, then St. Paul. How can it be perfect wothout Beloved pets?

If horses can go to heaven, they can go to hell, too. MY horse, who has destroyed the end of the stable – chewing the wood, and pulling off first chunks, then whole planks – is definitely going there.

 

[DianJo]

It’s hard to think that dogs don’t have emotion as someone said. I had 2 dogs, one, a 6 lb poodle and the other a whooping 20 lb bichon.

The poodle was much older and died about a year ago - God rest her sweet little soul (immortal or not). Anyway, my bichon DID mourn her! She wasn’t the same for weeks - she even slept in her bed! She is a very expressive dog and all we saw were sad eyes for the longest time. Time has passed and her happy eyes are back - her smiles, too! Yes, she smiles at us!

Dogs may not have immortal souls - I don’t know about all that, but emotion - I say Yes!

Someone, on one of these threads said that heaven was what we “needed” it to be for our happiness (or something like that) and if that happiness included a pet, then God would make sure we had it! How great that would be!

I don’t want to imagine (with my finite, human brain) that heaven won’t include my beloved pets. They make us so happy!

 

[JKirkLVNV]

I hear all sorts of responses to questions like this…I wish people, esp. people talking to children, would answer honestly, “We don’t know. We just don’t know.” For one thing, it’s the truth and for another, we need to admit that some things are quite simply a mystery. We are creatures with finite knowledge and some of the questions we struggle with are, frankly, beyond us. Only the Creator knows.

 

[mayra_hart]

Therapy Dogs

nhm.org/exhibitions/dogs/images/atd/therapy6.jpg © Create-A-Smile

%between%There are many uses for therapy dogs. They provide a general feeling of well being, unconditional affection, and can help people with specific therapy activities. There are two ways that therapy dogs can help – through Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).

nhm.org/exhibitions/dogs/images/atd/therapy4.jpg © Create-A-Smile

Animal Assisted Activities are casual activities where people and pets connect. These meetings can happen anywhere, at any time, and help make tough situations a little easier for the people involved. These dogs might conduct visits to nursing homes, childcare facilities, schools, and even disaster sites. Though the dogs don’t need any specialized training, it is important that they be calm and friendly and well behaved. These dogs work with lots of different people.

nhm.org/exhibitions/dogs/images/atd/therapy5.jpg© Create-A-Smile
[

Animal Assisted Therapy is when an animal such as a therapy dog is an important part of someone’s physical, social, and emotional therapy activities. For example, a physical therapist might work with a patient and therapy dog to improve their physical fitness. Dog grooming, walking and even Frisbee throwing can help with coordination, strength, and flexibility. These dogs require special training and work intensely with one person at a time. and all those wonderful dogs

]()

 

[vern_humphrey]

JKirkLVNV:

I hear all sorts of responses to questions like this…I wish people, esp. people talking to children, would answer honestly, “We don’t know. We just don’t know.” For one thing, it’s the truth and for another, we need to admit that some things are quite simply a mystery. We are creatures with finite knowledge and some of the questions we struggle with are, frankly, beyond us. Only the Creator knows.

But we DO know. Only humans have immortal souls, and only humans can experience the Beatific Vision (which is the Catholic doctrine on what heaven is.)

 

[uniChristian]

My Doggies are Roman Catholic and I am non denominational, we argue all day long but in the end we love eachother.They might be smarter than me cause they always win, just like my wife.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

vern humphrey:

But we DO know. Only humans have immortal souls, and only humans can experience the Beatific Vision (which is the Catholic doctrine on what heaven is.)

Sorry, didn’t read the whole thing. Thought it was something else.