Dogs are incapable of facial expression. >

[mr_hat]

I'm not saying they can't move certain parts of their faces in concert with certain other parts: they can.

But these movements do NOT amount to expression. Thank you.

[bloom]

1. I don't agree.

and you're welcome.

[Hillary08]

9. bloom is right

thanks bloom.

and you're welcome mr-hat, mistaken, but welcome.

[bloom]

15. you're welcome, too

:hi:

[DELUSIONAL]

2. You've never been owned by a basenji.

[Fiona]

3. Oh, I don't know

considering the rapid evolution dogs have undergone in the last few thousand years due to human intervention, I think it's quite likely a dog that could "smile" might have succeeded better than a dog that didn't, or a dog that could make a compelling "sad" face when he wanted to be bed might've been better taken care of than a dog who growled.

Now that's not to say their facial expressions involved naturally, and even today, a dog might just "learn" that certain expressions get desired results. But isn't that how humans learn their expressions?

[TheDebbieDee]

4. I disagree. I had a German-Shepherd......

That could smile. His smile was a goofy, lop-sided smile, but it was a smile. I miss him. (His name was Bruce.)

Now I feel sad :-(

[ashmanonar]

5. i'm sure you're wrong

although i can't prove it with photographic evidence, or whatever...but i'm just gonna call a bullshit on that...i've seen our dog's face, and she has a great deal of facial expression, as well as eye expression and postural expression.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. My dog is all facial expression..he is incapable of facial inexpression

if he's happy, it's obvious
sad..obvious
concerned..obvious

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. In fact..allow me to prove you wrong

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

17. #1 about the funniest thing I have seen in months

That picture should be on a greeting card

[qnr]

7. ok

[PartyPooper]

8. Not true! My dog shows all sorts of emotions with his ENTIRE face!

Not to mention, his ENTIRE body!

:P

[Taxloss]

11. This is pro-cat bigotry, isn't it?

Dogs are completely capable of facial expression.

[Catchawave]

12. Maybe not with their faces....

...my doxie "expresses" with her whole body :)

[Nite Owl]

13. Not true

not true at all. My dog smiles. He also crinkles his forehead when you say something he doesn't quite understand. He's an American Eskimo.

[Elidor]

14. Doesn't drool count as an expression?

[sam sarrha]

16. you dont know dogs very well... mine is exceptionally expressive, he has a

very definite happy dog face, and a Dogtor face when you are sick and he is worried about you.. he has a lets play, i want a treat its 4pm.. its 8pm its speedy time, chase me around
whats happ'n I'm bored... what are you doing with that screw driver i want to help let me look at that too. .. you put on clean clothes i want to go too.... !!! hey there is a squirrel in the back yard let me out!!

you dont know dogs or you may not love them as a friend enough to see it. my dog is an individual and i am honored that he has chosen me to love so much... he lays down beside me and puts his head on my shoulder and puts his front leg across my chest and then makes a big sigh and goes to sleep.. he snorts with displeasure if i do something he doesn't like. i went up on the roof and he went and got my wife like lassie when the barn was on fire.. it really upset him.
he knows when we are coming home about 10 minutes before...

he is so wonderful, i love him so much

when i play my Buddhist Dharma taped lectures he always comes in and lays down and listens too.. i hope it helps him in in his next life.

[baldguy]

18. Oh yeah?

If this isn't a smile, I don't know what is:

[fortyfeetunder]

19. Do you have a dog?

C'mon, I've had dogs and there are definitely facial expressions. Just because they don't have our facial features doesn't mean you can't distinguish emotions....

My story.
I had a mutt; my next door neighbor had a dog who was in love with my mutt. He would wait at the fence closest to our window to see our dog. When my precious bundle died, that GS was in mourning for years until he passed away. I could see the sadness. This lasted for three years. It hurt for me to go in the backyard and see this dog just sitting there looking for my dog to come out.

When this guy died, since we had buried our dog in the backyard, my neighbor had her dog buried across the fence in the same location....

[mr_hat]

20. Just the four: Charlie, Toby, Hope and Grace. >

Seriously, I stumbled across that line in a book about dog training and I've always remembered it. Totally and utterly stupid.

[CO Liberal]

21. I Disagee, And Present the Following Evidence

Peanut, laughing at a bad joke:



Pearl, hoping that I'm coming back out with some dog biscuits: