Vet Reveals the Top 5 Emotionally Intelligent Dog Breeds

Understanding Emotional Intelligence in Dogs

Veterinary specialists have long studied how dogs process emotions and respond to human moods. Research indicates that dogs often use different regions of their brains depending on the emotional tone they perceive.

Brain Responses to Emotions

Dogs tend to activate the right hemisphere of the brain when reacting to negative sounds such as fear or sadness. In contrast, the left hemisphere is more engaged when they hear positive sounds like happiness or excitement. This division suggests a deep emotional awareness in canines, explaining their ability to comfort humans and interpret emotional cues accurately.

“Dogs used the right brain more for negative sounds (fear, sadness) and the left brain more for positive sounds (happiness).”

Key Insight

This research emphasizes that dogs are not just reactive animals—they are emotionally attuned beings capable of understanding human feelings through sound and tone.


Author’s summary: Dogs display emotional intelligence by using different brain hemispheres for positive and negative sounds, reflecting their sensitivity to human emotions.

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Newsweek on MSN Newsweek on MSN — 2025-11-29

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