Pit Bull Observation

During my excursion to the Animal Rescue League of Boston, I quickly realized many of the emotional connections that humans and their canine pets share. Prior to visiting with the dogs, I made my way around the cat shelter area. After observing the cats, it became evident that their many of their “cute” behaviors were aimed solely at attracting the attention of potential human companions. For instance, a white cat named Sirocco made a distinctive pawing motion whenever I passed her cage, as if she was beckoning me to come closer and visit with her. Yet, after she had garnered my awareness, the snow colored tabby simply retreated back onto to her cardboard bed to continue her restful afternoon.
Although my brief interactions with the cats were meaningful, they were …show more content…
Despite being separated by a metal door with a barred window, the pups immediately made personal connections to me and called out for my attention. In particular, one of the Pit Bull mixes made a desperate plea for me to simply move over to her enclosure and acknowledge her presence. She would bark, yelp, and stand on her hind legs to look out of her enclosure in search of a moment of human interaction. Almost as soon as I came over to see the Pit Bull, she would calm down, wag her tail, and sit, completely content with me simply looking at her, revealing one of the beautiful natures of the human-dog relationship. This interaction illustrated the idea that canines have tapped into a mutual bond affecting the production of oxytocin, as it was evident that the human contact affected the overall feeling and attitude of the dog. This also occurred with the other dogs, as they each responded in a way that communicated that they were happier that I was able to see them and vice versa. Even the cattle dog being housed at the Rescue League displayed an overt happiness resulting from my