[nikon]

i was wondering if anyone relates and knows why this happens.

when i hear, read, see etc things to do with the love of animals (mostly dogs) towards people, and the love of humans towards mostly dogs, i feel intensely sad. like watching a documentary and in it it shows a dog looking up at its human, who is also looking at it affectionately. i just feel really sad.
i don't know if it's because

- i know that the dogs are going to die much sooner than the humans
- it feels like the dogs are so perfect that they will never receive enough love in return
- it reminds me of losing my own dogs in the past

i find it really confusing and wonder if anyone else feels it

[MickeyCheeky]

I'm sorry you're struggling, nikon Your sadness may be related to each of the causes you mentioned. I'm sure many people can relate to your feelings, so it's nothing weird. I'm sorry you've lost your dogs

[eskielover]

I don't feel sad....I feel warm & fuzzy. Only time I feel sad is when the end if their life comes.

I am so busy care giving for my elserly & sick dog. I feel a heart full of LOVE for them though I do feel sad because I know the loss of them will be not far off.....but I think the love I feel overpowers the sadness...& sadness only breaks through once in awhile when I see them going through a difficult time. My care & LOVE helps them get through it so far.....so my focus is on my love & I just have always been so overjoyed by their viverant lives.

maybe another reason is this:

so many people abuse animals and don't give them a chance, and these humans are doing the exact oppositte- being nice to them and giving them love.

it's so heartwarming.. in a world where people can be so cruel to animals, some humans can still be so loving

[eskielover]

I also love the raccoons from my woods that come to eat their nightly meal here. It started with a very skinny raccoon looking in my back sliding door one spring. I put out food for her.....little did I know I would be feeding 5 babies as soon as they were old enough to get out if their den. Same thing happend the next year but she only had 3 babies. The possums know where to find the food too. I love these critters & how sweet they interface with me even though they are wild. It gives me warm fuzzy feeling to watch them play & eat on my deck. I love all the wild animals that visit my farm. Lots of deer (I don't allow hunting on my farm), beautiful red foxes, tons of cotton tail bunnies that raise their babies in spring & I have to watch out for where they raise their babies when mowing. The squirrely & chipmunks & even snakes & lizards are welcome here....& with my soft spot for all animals, I humanely catch mice in my house & relocate them far from my home on the other side of the creek to a place they can make a home where they really belong. Only time sad tits is when I see one hit by a car. My feeling of love for ALL animals has always existed. Lol....I had been dubbed Dr Doolittle by my friends.

I get very sad over the way animals are treated. It bothers me a lot.

[katydid777]

Here in the US we have commercials about groups that rescue animals from people that don't treat them good. My H, and I can't watch them bc it hurts us so much to see there suffering. We look at animals like we do children, innocent, and giving unconditional love. People make the decision to hurt, neglect, not feed/water, ect… to animals, and children, not to mention other grown people. I guess this is one reason I don't trust, or care to be around many people. I fall very short of the innocents of children, and animals, but I try to treat others as I want others to treat me. Anyway I see animals like dogs, and cats like I see children, and it is painful when you see them not treated good!!! We have had a few pets pass away, and it is very painful, when you look at them as a part of your family, even when you know they have a shorter life span.

[nikon]

i understand what people mean about feeling intense sadness/horror at the way animals are treated badly. i find it hard to watch clips showing animals suffering in any way.

that's not really what i'm talking about though. i mean i feel sadness seeing animals and humans showing love and affection towards each other.

[katydid777]

Originally Posted by nikon

i understand what people mean about feeling intense sadness/horror at the way animals are treated badly. i find it hard to watch clips showing animals suffering in any way.

that's not really what i'm talking about though. i mean i feel sadness seeing animals and humans showing love and affection towards each other.

Have you had any pets? If you haven't that might be why, maybe it is something that you would want?

[Open Eyes]

It sounds like you never really got over the loss of the dogs you had so when you see people loving their dogs it triggers how you felt about your own and that yes, dogs can be so very loving and loyal and can really be a part of the family. I just lost my own little dog a few months ago and when I see dogs happy in commercials etc I feel sad because I really miss my own little dog STILL. Yes, often we do outlive our dogs and it's hard, but it's better than our dogs outliving us because it's not easy to find someone who will love our dog the way we have. My little shitzu dog was all about me, he wanted to be with me all the time too, he really loved me so when that happens it's especially hard. Some dogs are more aloof and independent while others REALLY bond and love their owner.

What kind of dogs did you have?

[katydid777]

Nikon, I am so sorry. I have had a lot going on today, and somehow I missed that you had a dog. Losing a pet can be a very hard thing to deal with, and everyone deals with things like this in different ways. This might be why you feel this way. Again I am so sorry for not knowing this before my last post on your question. (((((((hugs))))))) Also I agree with Open Eyes comment. Our pets are very loved, and well taken care of, so it can be very confusing when we loose one.