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 It’s common to compare dog behaviors to human emotions. (I regularly tell my husband what I think the dog is thinking, though I’m pretty sure she’s not cracking jokes.) Many of us have seen a sad looking dog with watery eyes and wondered if it’s an emotional response. Do dogs cry?
Generally speaking, dogs don’t cry, at least not in the sense of sobbing or tearful sadness. Anyone who’s lived with a dog knows they feel a range of emotions and sadness is certainly one of them. Still, you won’t see a dog shed a tear from sadness. Read more: Why Do Dogs Get Depressed?
So why do some dogs look sad and have watery eyes?
Tears have a purpose beyond showing emotion. They are the body’s natural way of lubricating the eyes and flushing out irritants. Dogs with allergies often have watery eyes, as the body is trying to rid itself of whatever is triggering the allergic reaction.
Other physical triggers can lead to a tearful pup, too. A blocked or overactive tear duct will lead to watery eyes. Some people said they have noticed dogs in extreme pain crying as well.
Dogs sometimes dogs cry not in the tearful way, but in a vocal whimpering way. This can be a sign of many things:
• Pain
• Loneliness
• Separation anxiety
• Boredom
Do dogs cry? They don’t sob, but they may whimper. If your dog is whimpering, it’s important to understand why so you can handle the root cause.
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Photo credit: Angela N.
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