When you have children you will notice that your sweet little bundle of joy figures out that when he or she cries, you will go running to them, and your pets are no different. That toddler, who manipulates you to get that cookie, is the same as your pet manipulating you to get a treat!
It’s funny how clever our pets can be, and studies have shown that certain pets are deliberately manipulating their owners to get what they want.
So we have gathered all the ways in which people can be emotionally manipulated by their pets, and here are the signs.
Parasitizing our parenting psychology
That’s right! Your pets, specifically your dogs, know you consider them your children and they play up to the idea that you are their parent in order for you to relinquish control. Dogs, much like children, have an emotional response to their caregivers’ affections and crave them. Which is why dogs have figured out how to manipulate people in order to receive praise. It’s important to understand what your pet is telling you and how they aim to convince you to do things in their favor; even if your pet is an emotional support animal, do not think it will be any different; a dog is a dog! So when you are finalizing your emotional support dog registration, remember you are not just adopting a pet; you are adopting a family member. Your new addition will be figuring you out just as you’re figuring them out. Your emotional support dog is studying your emotions and learning to combat them in order to win you over.
Puppy eyes
Certain pets such as dogs have figured out that sweet, big puppy eyes mess with their owners’ emotions. Owners have long suspected this, but never quite grasped the idea that dogs knew exactly what they were doing when they present us with their sad eyes. Dogs are in control of their facial expressions and use them in their favor to communicate their needs and wants.
Scowls and grins
Dogs are the perfect example of how a pet can master their owners’ expressions. Dogs expressions are not involuntary, and they may scowl when you scowl, and grin when you grin. Your pet does this not just to imitate you, but to receive the reaction they want from you. People are often manipulated by a pet’s sweet smile, therefore allowing the pet to understand that they can manipulate your emotions to get your attention.
Blinking
Truth be told, cats are natural manipulators. When they want something, especially food, cats will often purr in a way that their owners find irresistible. Other techniques your cat uses include blinking. However, pets don’t blink for the sole reason humans do. In fact, this facial movement is used to express love; when your pets blink they are showing you that they love you; however, there is a catch! Cats, specifically, blink at their owner when their owner is eating; they are expressing their affection in the hopes of grabbing a bite of your food!
They emotionally manipulate their owners through affection and we, as humans, just soak it all up because, let’s face it, that is adorable!
Ear movements
Your pet knows you love their ears, and they know you melt when they raise an ear. And just like puppy dog eyes, a pet will notice your reaction to their behavior or expression and will adopt it more frequently based on the affection they encounter. Once your pet receives the attention they want, be it a cuddle, a game of tug and war, or a tasty treat, they will continue to manipulate you with cute behaviors such as a flipped over ear to win your heart. And we’re still going to fall for it, aren’t we?
So, now you have just realized how easily people can be emotionally manipulated by their pets, and yet all it has done is make us love them even more! You see, we as humans thought we were the sole manipulators of the world with our tips and tricks, and we knew once we had children that we would see our behaviors passed onto them, but we never imagined our pets would be adapting to our social developments too! Whether you opt to house a pet or an emotional support animal, learn to read their expressions and, remember, the behaviors you give into will be the ones they stick to! So, stay strong amongst the whining, puppy eyes and grins; if mama says no, it means no!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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