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.
cynar@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
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.
FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
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
xylol@leminal.space 14 hours ago
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
Rooster326@programming.dev 7 hours ago
…It’s common for new mothers to get extremely agitated at… Everything
You would be too, caring for a new born is fucking exhausting.
Rose_Thorne@lemmy.zip 6 hours ago
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.
cynar@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
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.