It’s a dog’s life

I still remember the day, a long time ago when I believed in the inherent goodness of the workplace, that my boss stood up at a staff meeting with a remarkably innovative and unprecedented idea that everyone loved, including the big boss, who praised him to high Heaven. The only problem is that it was my idea.

OK, maybe I was meant to learn humility from the experience, but I didn’t because I’m a proud guy, a jealous guy. I’ve always been like that, and I’ve tried to change with minimal success. But now I realize I’m not alone. In fact, I have the entire canine world on my side. (I might even start visiting the dog pound for therapy.)

According to recent research by the University of Vienna, dogs experience the same disturbing emotions we do. They feel pride and jealousy and can sense fairness. Dogs and horses, but there was no mention of cats. Actually, I’ve never really been a cat kind of guy although some of their traits are definitely transferable to women – and men – I’ve known.

Now, this surely must have been groundbreaking research, and I have to say I’m happy it was conducted in Austria because I would have been one very angry (another one of those destructive emotions) taxpayer to discover my dollars had gone to determine how dogs feel when they don’t get a doggie treat for rolling over or giving their paw.

The scientists realized that dogs get VERY upset when their owners are affectionate to other dogs. They tested their theory about doggie emotions by having 33 dogs extend their paws to humans. The canines performed whether they received a reward or not – however, when they noticed other dogs getting rewarded when they weren’t, they got jealous and started licking and scratching themselves. Been there, done that.

I have to confess that around women I’ve always felt like a dog performing for biscuits. Throughout my life, at work and at home, it’s been that way. And I’m always in the doghouse for some indiscretion or animal-like behavior like soiling the carpet.

Nevertheless, like most of us, canine and human, I respond well to positive reinforcement. “Here’s your little treat.” And then I’d dance on my hind legs or roll over the get my belly scratched. The real problem, I suppose, comes when I start scratching and licking myself at staff meetings.

It’s a dog’s life for sure –  James Thurber taught us that decades before the Vienna researchers.